[Game] Game 12: Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls. 11/20/14, 7:30 PST, 10:30 EST

Who has the best hair in the NBA?

  • Luke Babbitt

    Votes: 5 12.2%
  • Elfrid Payton

    Votes: 11 26.8%
  • Joakim Noah

    Votes: 10 24.4%
  • Tom Thibodeau

    Votes: 15 36.6%

  • Total voters
    41

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#1
Kingsfans.com Official Game Thread
Game 12
Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls

By Stephen Tetsu,


Stuff.
Another game against a tough opponent, another collapse. Another collapse, another loss. But hey, at least Demarcus was awesome!

On the bright side, the Kings keep getting off to good starts, the execution on the part of starters usually crisp on offense and smothering on defense. On the dark, don't-come-around-unless-you're-visiting-with-a-cop side, the Kings fizzle out and seemingly lose all momentum riiiiiiight around the time that the bench comes into the game en masse. And then after that, it's all the starters can do to keep the wheels from falling right off the bus.

The marquee matchup between Boogie and the Brow was about as enticing as you would expect. Demarcus dominated down low and also added a truly superstar-esque block in transition, all while avoiding his usual fight against foul trouble. Meanwhile, Davis must have scored a good eight baskets just catching junk lobs within ten feet of the rim. Sure, his arms are long but they probably seem longer because he has the slim build of a bikini model. Cousins has long arms but because he's built like a bulldozer it's just not as noticeable, methinks. Also, in terms of trademarks, a unibrow isn't all that endearing, unless you're a Muppet or work for P.T. Barnum.

Elsewhere, Rudy Gay celebrated his new contract by promptly having a shooting night straight out of a Toronto Rudy gamelog. Lots of shots, lots of misses. He did do a good job of distributing the ball in that explosive first quarter though, which was encouraging. He of course was powerless against Reke in the fourth quarter as the New Orleans guards turned it up to ten for the closing stretch of the game with a stream of drives and kicks.

Lastly, someone should remind Carl Landry to cover Ryan Anderson around the perimeter.

Awards Time
Tony Delk Memorial Award- Eric Gordon has sucked for the last two seasons. I wrote about Eric Gordon sucking. Eric Gordon promptly played his best game all season against the Kings. I could blame the Kings but really I just blame myself. Dammit, myself. Play better defense!

Jason Hart Award- Our bench backcourt, who both essentially gave twenty minutes of nothing against the likes of crappy Eric Gordon and Austin Nepotism Rivers. While Ray did okay on defense, he completely dropped the ball (ha ha ha, groan) on offense. Meanwhile Nik showed fleeting flashes of his offensive talents but was completely incapable of stemming the tide of the Eric Gordon onslaught.

Mikki Moore Award- Luke Babbitt, who apparently keeps getting playing time by virtue of being the only true small forward despite not being particularly good... or really a lack of doing much of anything in general. He played 22 minutes. 22 MINUTES! But, boy howdy, he's got some luscious hair.

Luke Walton Vacuum Cleaner- John Salmons. You know why.

WTF Moment of the Game- Despite Ray not doing anything of particular net positivity, Malone goes with the Ray/Nik backcourt until halfway through the fourth quarter. Not exactly the best time to try to instill confidence in your young players. Especially in a winnable game.


ToNighT's Game

Welp. This isn't quite the optimal night for a bounce back game. The Bulls have come out looking like a top three team in the NBA this season, even if a Derrick Rose appearance continues to be rarer than a Haley's Comet sighting. That's largely because the new Chicago big three of Butler/Gasol/Noah has been kicking some serious East-coaster butt, not to discount the play of the rest of the Bulls team.

Really though, the schedule makers did the Kings no favors when they gave the team the hardest schedule in the NBA to start the season. Nothing builds confidence likes wins over good teams but nothing destroys confidence quite like crushing defeat after crushing defeat. And with the exception of the Spurs game, it's been lots of crushing losses of late. Now, tonight, in front of a national audience, the Kings face their latest opportunity to let the foot off the throttle in the second half.

This is going to be a tough matchup as, if any team can stop the unstoppable force of nature that Boogie has become, it'd be the Bulls, now loaded up front with three good to all-world defenders in Noah, Gasol, and Taj Gibson. Were this the Boogie of three or four years ago, we'd stand little chance, but with the powered up Super Saiyan Demarcus, going up against a higher level of competition might just result in him going into Super Beast Mode.

Elsewhere, Paul George may miss the entire season with a leg injury but the Midwest still is the home of great small forward play thanks to Jimmy Butler's continued evolution from bad-at-offense try-hard defense guy into potential superstar small forward. One of the best defenders in the league, Butler has added bits and pieces to his offensive repertoire over the years, now hitting from the perimeter at a consistent clip whereas he began his career shooting like Shaq.

Gasol and Rose are both listed as questionable but, since this is Rose we're talking about, he's probably a no go, which is a shame because when he's on, he's a phenomenal talent. If Rose doesn't play, Kirk Hinrich, a solid player but not Derrick Rose. Behind him at the third string point guard slot is former King and my predicted winner of the TDM for the night, Aaron Brooks. (EDIT: Gasol AND Rose have already been ruled out for tonight's game.)

Meanwhile, noted Demarcus enemy Mike Dunleavy Jr. mans the fort at shooting guard. Whilst not an amazing player, he's an agitator and can hit his shots. So, note to our shooting guard rotation, don't leave him open hanging around the perimeter.

A tough game, no doubt, but Sleep Train Arena should be rocking and you never know what might happen.

Match-ups
Tom Thibodeau vs. ridiculous time management: If he could play Jimmy Butler 50 minutes, Thibodeau totally would. The complete opposite of Malone's rotations against the Pelicans.

Demarcus vs. Mike Dunleavy- There's no love lost between the two and if there's any technical foul that I would be perfectly fine with, it would be Boogie punching Dunleavy right in the douchey chops.

National TV vs. Sacramento- It's happening! Make me proud.


Final Thoughts and Prediction
Tough match-up. If we do get off to a fast start, let's not give it up this time, alright?

Despite all this, I think the Kings win, 89-84, behind a strong Cuz performance and the best fans in the NBA.

Go Kings!
 
Last edited:

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#2
I'm hoping the team shows up tonight on the defensive side of the ball and performs well infront of a national audience. Need to see more out of Ben in this one, going up against a much improved Butler.
 
#8
Kings need to cover the three M's at the 3 point line : McDermott, Mirotic and Mike Dunleavy. They also might keep an eye on Kirk Heinrich and Aaron Brooks....Yikes even Jimmy Butler is shooting .370 from the 3 pt line. That is quite a few 3 pt threats!
 
#9
Agree with Tet on prediction except with a good team game instead of a good Cuz game. Cuz usually gives us a good game but the more questionable factor and therefore more important is a good team game on both sides of the ball.
 
#11
We really need to win this game, national tv, arena should be rocking, Gasol and Rose are out, we need to make a national tv statement. If we can pull this one out and take the Minnesota game we could just survive "November from Hell" above or at .500.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#18
This is the game thread. It's not about IT; it's not going to be about IT. If some of you insist on talking about IT, please use the appropriate thread in the NBA forum. Thank you.
 

Larry89

Disgruntled Kings Fan
#19
Joakim Noah is such an entertaining player to watch. The guy just gives it his all.
We could have had Joakim Noah, I remember it vividly.. it was 2007 and we won about 2-3 more "wosses" due to Ron Artest led heroics against the clippers and jazz. We ended up getting the 10th pick instead of the 9th, Joakim Noah was selected 9th overall and with the 10th pick we got soggy waffles Spencer Hawes.
 
#20
We could have had Joakim Noah, I remember it vividly.. it was 2007 and we won about 2-3 more "wosses" due to Ron Artest led heroics against the clippers and jazz. We ended up getting the 10th pick instead of the 9th, Joakim Noah was selected 9th overall and with the 10th pick we got soggy waffles Spencer Hawes.
Yeah, that was extremely frustrating at the time.

All works out in the end though, as we 99% wouldn't have Big Cuz right now if we had picked 9th that year.
 
#21
Yeah, that was extremely frustrating at the time.

All works out in the end though, as we 99% wouldn't have Big Cuz right now if we had picked 9th that year.
Nah the Magoofs wouldn't have taken Noah. They would have screwed it up just like they did with the Jimmer draft, T-Rob draft, Douby draft, etc
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#22
Nah the Magoofs wouldn't have taken Noah. They would have screwed it up just like they did with the Jimmer draft, T-Rob draft, Douby draft, etc
Oh no, reports were that Noah was our guy even to the point we were trying to trade up to get him, and really not only from a Geoff perspective, but that would have made sense from a Maloof perspective too -- big college hero with a rep etc., only guys they would know.

But as mentioned by somebody above, we get Noah, chances are we don't get Cuz, maybe not even Reke. So...whatever. Cuz stomped him last year. I'm hoping for a repeat.

The real question might be at SG where rookie Ben can't show up again or Butler is going to pull down his shorts and spank him in front of the whole arena. Never thought I'd say that about Jimmy Butler, did not see this coming. But he's getting after it on both ends this year.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#23
Here is the thing BTW, this is the team we are going to be facing tonight:

Joakim Noah
Taj Gibson
Mike Dunleavy
Jimmy Butler
Kirk Hinrich

Nikola Mirotic (is Nikola I think?)
Aaron Brooks
Doug McDermott

That's it, that was the rotation vs. the Clippers. That team is NOT more talented than we are. There is no reason at all to be scared of them or anything else. If they beat us its because of coaching and discipline. Landry will have to learn to guard tall white guys out at the three point line. Cuz has to stay out of trouble. Ben can't suck again. But that's not a scary roster.
 
#24
Oh no, reports were that Noah was our guy even to the point we were trying to trade up to get him, and really not only from a Geoff perspective, but that would have made sense from a Maloof perspective too -- big college hero with a rep etc., only guys they would know.

But as mentioned by somebody above, we get Noah, chances are we don't get Cuz, maybe not even Reke. So...whatever. Cuz stomped him last year. I'm hoping for a repeat.

The real question might be at SG where rookie Ben can't show up again or Butler is going to pull down his shorts and spank him in front of the whole arena. Never thought I'd say that about Jimmy Butler, did not see this coming. But he's getting after it on both ends this year.
Butler has been awesome on both ends of the floor. He is becoming a very important player for that team.

I am also a huge Taj Gibson fan
 
#26
Ray needs to be in on Brooks in the 2nd unite also the bulls don't have any guards outside Brooks who can breakdown the defense and Nik can be on Doug. Butler has been scoring on post up so Gay size will be a factor. 2nd unite of the bulls
Brooks, Doug, Mirotic, Gobson.
DMC vs bulls last year (28.17- 25-16)
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#28
DMC vs bulls last year (28.17- 25-16)
Noah can't stop him. No chance. You know why? Noah is overrated and Cuz is a legit great. That All NBA vote last year was an abomination, and I hope Cuz remembers it and explains it to the audience tonight.

But fouls can stop him. Letting Noah or Dunleavy get in his head with their nonsense can stop him. He just needs to play a clean game, put a couple of fouls on Noah, and then get to the soft meat behind him on the Bulls bench.
 
#29
Oh no, reports were that Noah was our guy even to the point we were trying to trade up to get him, and really not only from a Geoff perspective, but that would have made sense from a Maloof perspective too -- big college hero with a rep etc., only guys they would know.

But as mentioned by somebody above, we get Noah, chances are we don't get Cuz, maybe not even Reke. So...whatever. Cuz stomped him last year. I'm hoping for a repeat.

The real question might be at SG where rookie Ben can't show up again or Butler is going to pull down his shorts and spank him in front of the whole arena. Never thought I'd say that about Jimmy Butler, did not see this coming. But he's getting after it on both ends this year.
Jimmy Butler is for real. Playing like an all-star. Ben may have some real trouble.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#30
This is the game thread. It's not about IT; it's not going to be about IT. If some of you insist on talking about IT, please use the appropriate thread in the NBA forum. Thank you.
OMG. I said the initials : I T. May those initals never be repeated by anyone except for those ordained to repeat them on this forum!