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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11815654p-12703449c.html
'Embarrassed' Kings try to find their defense
Until Sacramento commits hard fouls, opponents will attack, Bobby Jackson says.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 19, 2004
Hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night and trailing the red-hot Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division by 3 1/2 games at the time weren't enough motivation for the Kings to bring anything close to maximum intensity in a 115-99 loss.
Now we'll see if the embarrassment of giving up 19 dunks and/or layups and 92 points through three quarters provides more motivation as the Kings host the hobbled New Orleans Hornets tonight.
It's the second game of a key five-game homestand for the Kings (9-2 at home), who later this week will face the improved, quick and high-scoring Washington Wizards, and Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat. A week from today, the Kings will host the Golden State Warriors.
"We were really embarrassed ... not to come out and play the way we are capable of playing and not do anything well," sixth man Bobby Jackson said. "For some reason, we've got to be like, When is enough enough?, to put somebody on their (butt), and we didn't do that," Jackson said.
Until his squad counters aggressiveness with aggressiveness, Jackson said teams will attempt to take advantage of the Kings, now five games behind Phoenix, by using quickness and challenging Sacramento's perimeter and interior defense.
Sacramento's defensive weaknesses are a lack of athleticism and quickness. Though those weaknesses can be compensated for with communication, anticipation, effort and intensity, those characteristics were scarce against the Lakers.
"That's how teams are going to play us," Jackson said. "They are going to attack the basket until we start committing hard fouls, and that's everybody, not just one guy or two guys. Everybody has to have that mentality."
Coach Rick Adelman corrected a reporter who indicated the team was shown the defensive breakdown of the Lakers debacle.
"Not really," he said, stone-faced. "It was offensive. There wasn't much defense there."
Assistants Elston Turner and T.R. Dunn compiled a film breakdown, lasting four to five minutes, of the past three games.
"We just tried to show them some consistent things," Adelman said. "Getting beaten off the dribble, not helping on the perimeter, not challenging shots, situations you can take charges in, (poor or no) communication.
"The Lakers were isolating us, and nobody was letting Doug (Christie) or (Chris Webber) or Brad (Miller) know where the help was."
Adelman said other teams also have defensive woes.
"It looks like a lot of people are having problems stopping people," Adelman said after watching the Lakers-Wizards and Suns-SuperSonics games Friday night. "So we just tried to reinforce it so they can see. And we just asked the question, 'Do you guys see anything different than what we're saying?' No one argued with us. Now we have to take it out to the court.
"We're reacting. There wasn't anybody in foul trouble in the Lakers game. Sooner or later, you have to take it on to yourself to talk to each other, help each other, and if you can't get a blocked shot, get into the lane and stop a guy from getting all the way to the basket."
Kings guard Mike Bibby long has harped on the need to help each other defensively.
"Me as a guard going against somebody and having good team defense is the hardest thing," Bibby said. "And good teams have good defense. We came out with a lack of energy. I was embarrassed, and I was telling the guys, 'No one should come into our place and do that to us like this.' " Note - For the fourth straight year, the Chris Webber Foundation and the TLC Soup Kitchen hosted a surprise holiday party Saturday for 200 at-risk youths.
'Embarrassed' Kings try to find their defense
Until Sacramento commits hard fouls, opponents will attack, Bobby Jackson says.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 19, 2004
Hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night and trailing the red-hot Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division by 3 1/2 games at the time weren't enough motivation for the Kings to bring anything close to maximum intensity in a 115-99 loss.
Now we'll see if the embarrassment of giving up 19 dunks and/or layups and 92 points through three quarters provides more motivation as the Kings host the hobbled New Orleans Hornets tonight.
It's the second game of a key five-game homestand for the Kings (9-2 at home), who later this week will face the improved, quick and high-scoring Washington Wizards, and Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat. A week from today, the Kings will host the Golden State Warriors.
"We were really embarrassed ... not to come out and play the way we are capable of playing and not do anything well," sixth man Bobby Jackson said. "For some reason, we've got to be like, When is enough enough?, to put somebody on their (butt), and we didn't do that," Jackson said.
Until his squad counters aggressiveness with aggressiveness, Jackson said teams will attempt to take advantage of the Kings, now five games behind Phoenix, by using quickness and challenging Sacramento's perimeter and interior defense.
Sacramento's defensive weaknesses are a lack of athleticism and quickness. Though those weaknesses can be compensated for with communication, anticipation, effort and intensity, those characteristics were scarce against the Lakers.
"That's how teams are going to play us," Jackson said. "They are going to attack the basket until we start committing hard fouls, and that's everybody, not just one guy or two guys. Everybody has to have that mentality."
Coach Rick Adelman corrected a reporter who indicated the team was shown the defensive breakdown of the Lakers debacle.
"Not really," he said, stone-faced. "It was offensive. There wasn't much defense there."
Assistants Elston Turner and T.R. Dunn compiled a film breakdown, lasting four to five minutes, of the past three games.
"We just tried to show them some consistent things," Adelman said. "Getting beaten off the dribble, not helping on the perimeter, not challenging shots, situations you can take charges in, (poor or no) communication.
"The Lakers were isolating us, and nobody was letting Doug (Christie) or (Chris Webber) or Brad (Miller) know where the help was."
Adelman said other teams also have defensive woes.
"It looks like a lot of people are having problems stopping people," Adelman said after watching the Lakers-Wizards and Suns-SuperSonics games Friday night. "So we just tried to reinforce it so they can see. And we just asked the question, 'Do you guys see anything different than what we're saying?' No one argued with us. Now we have to take it out to the court.
"We're reacting. There wasn't anybody in foul trouble in the Lakers game. Sooner or later, you have to take it on to yourself to talk to each other, help each other, and if you can't get a blocked shot, get into the lane and stop a guy from getting all the way to the basket."
Kings guard Mike Bibby long has harped on the need to help each other defensively.
"Me as a guard going against somebody and having good team defense is the hardest thing," Bibby said. "And good teams have good defense. We came out with a lack of energy. I was embarrassed, and I was telling the guys, 'No one should come into our place and do that to us like this.' " Note - For the fourth straight year, the Chris Webber Foundation and the TLC Soup Kitchen hosted a surprise holiday party Saturday for 200 at-risk youths.
