Evenstar
Starter
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/kelly_dwyer/01/25/kings/index.html
There is nothing shocking about the two versions of the 2004-05 Sacramento Kings that we've seen this month -- and the Kings know it. No matter if they win six straight or lose by 30 at home to the Spurs, this squad rarely boasts a sense of pie-eyed optimism, nor does it function under a dark cloud of despair. They're designed this way.
The Kings are 27-12, which projects to a 56-win season, and they're battling the Dallas Mavericks for the fourth seed (and home-court advantage) in the Western Conference playoffs. As has been the case since the truncated '99 campaign, the Kings are doing their damage offensively, averaging 101.8 points per game and leading the NBA with 24.7 assists per game. Though the offensive attack has changed a bit since last season -- more cuts off the high post and fewer 3-pointers -- the result is still an aesthetically pleasing brand of throwback basketball.
Apparently this is what the Sacramento brain trust prefers to an all-out championship blitz. In an era in which teams rebuild on the fly and perennial All-Stars are shopped like their names were "Kevin Ollie," the Kings maintain their entertaining core, even without a championship pedigree to stand upon.
General Manager Geoff Petrie more often than not has been on top of things. Even his now regrettable blockbuster deal with oft-injured Chris Webber in the summer of '01 was lauded by friend and foe alike at the time. His only significant move heading into this season was passing on signing ancient center Vlade Divac, long the oarsman for coach Rick Adelman's offense. Divac was the man who made it cool to be a King back in '99, before Predrag Stojakovic was "Peja," and well before Webber wanted anything to do with Sacramento.
Though Divac's locker-room counsel has been sorely missed, the Kings are again sailing through the regular season. Webber and All-Star center Brad Miller run a bewitching high-post system that continually confuses opponents who've grown up guarding a steady diet of screen-and-rolls. And keeping everything humming on the same note is Adelman, whose teams won't overachieve, but rarely fall apart (at least in the regular season).
Webber's return to form after missing 59 games last season has cut into the production of Stojakovic and, to a lesser extent, Miller. Peja's shooting from the floor (44 percent this season -- down from 48 percent last season) and behind the arc (39 percent from 43 percent) has suffered a bit, he's averaging four fewer points a game and pulling down fewer rebounds. Miller's decline is less severe, but his assists are down a bit as Webber assumes more responsibility at the high post.
Stojakovic's regression is a little troubling. Although he remains a catch-and-shoot guarantee, with the ability to face-up or cut to the rim, he could be more potent if he would develop a step-back shot or a post game. Petrie's reluctance to accede to Peja's preseason trade demand is understandable considering the offensive force Stojakovic is. But it leaves the Kings at the mercy of others, hoping for the same sort of lucky breaks the Los Angeles Lakers benefited from in their '04 run to the Finals. Be it an opponent's series-long cold snap or unfortunate injury, the Kings are left hoping this group of familiar faces can string something together if they hold onto that fourth seed. The Kings would have seven games to make things happen, and from what we saw last spring, anything can happen.
Opponents know what the Kings are up to, that much is certain. But stopping the open lay-ups and mid-range jumpers is another story altogether. Petrie and the Kings are playing the hand they have, and in an NBA that seems bent on winning at whatever cost, that approach is beyond admirable.
There is nothing shocking about the two versions of the 2004-05 Sacramento Kings that we've seen this month -- and the Kings know it. No matter if they win six straight or lose by 30 at home to the Spurs, this squad rarely boasts a sense of pie-eyed optimism, nor does it function under a dark cloud of despair. They're designed this way.
The Kings are 27-12, which projects to a 56-win season, and they're battling the Dallas Mavericks for the fourth seed (and home-court advantage) in the Western Conference playoffs. As has been the case since the truncated '99 campaign, the Kings are doing their damage offensively, averaging 101.8 points per game and leading the NBA with 24.7 assists per game. Though the offensive attack has changed a bit since last season -- more cuts off the high post and fewer 3-pointers -- the result is still an aesthetically pleasing brand of throwback basketball.
Apparently this is what the Sacramento brain trust prefers to an all-out championship blitz. In an era in which teams rebuild on the fly and perennial All-Stars are shopped like their names were "Kevin Ollie," the Kings maintain their entertaining core, even without a championship pedigree to stand upon.
General Manager Geoff Petrie more often than not has been on top of things. Even his now regrettable blockbuster deal with oft-injured Chris Webber in the summer of '01 was lauded by friend and foe alike at the time. His only significant move heading into this season was passing on signing ancient center Vlade Divac, long the oarsman for coach Rick Adelman's offense. Divac was the man who made it cool to be a King back in '99, before Predrag Stojakovic was "Peja," and well before Webber wanted anything to do with Sacramento.
Though Divac's locker-room counsel has been sorely missed, the Kings are again sailing through the regular season. Webber and All-Star center Brad Miller run a bewitching high-post system that continually confuses opponents who've grown up guarding a steady diet of screen-and-rolls. And keeping everything humming on the same note is Adelman, whose teams won't overachieve, but rarely fall apart (at least in the regular season).
Webber's return to form after missing 59 games last season has cut into the production of Stojakovic and, to a lesser extent, Miller. Peja's shooting from the floor (44 percent this season -- down from 48 percent last season) and behind the arc (39 percent from 43 percent) has suffered a bit, he's averaging four fewer points a game and pulling down fewer rebounds. Miller's decline is less severe, but his assists are down a bit as Webber assumes more responsibility at the high post.
Stojakovic's regression is a little troubling. Although he remains a catch-and-shoot guarantee, with the ability to face-up or cut to the rim, he could be more potent if he would develop a step-back shot or a post game. Petrie's reluctance to accede to Peja's preseason trade demand is understandable considering the offensive force Stojakovic is. But it leaves the Kings at the mercy of others, hoping for the same sort of lucky breaks the Los Angeles Lakers benefited from in their '04 run to the Finals. Be it an opponent's series-long cold snap or unfortunate injury, the Kings are left hoping this group of familiar faces can string something together if they hold onto that fourth seed. The Kings would have seven games to make things happen, and from what we saw last spring, anything can happen.
Opponents know what the Kings are up to, that much is certain. But stopping the open lay-ups and mid-range jumpers is another story altogether. Petrie and the Kings are playing the hand they have, and in an NBA that seems bent on winning at whatever cost, that approach is beyond admirable.
