[Game] Game 17: Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies. 11/30/14, 3 PM PST, 6 PM EST

[Sac.Kings]

Well, we didn't stand much of a chance on winning this without Cuz, so the end result is not surprising. I did not watch the game, but looking at the boxscore, TO were once again a problem as was 3 point shooting. I was pleasantly surprised by Mr. Reggie Evans and his 17-20 game. Turnovers are becoming quite an issue for us. I do not know if it's a lack of understanding of the plays Malone wants to run, or if players are just turning it over trying to force something that isn't there. One also has to realize that even if we are running the same plays, it's not Cuz you're throwing the ball to, so things change in that regard. Even with the odds against us, it didn't seem like we got completely thrashed around. We are close, one major trade away and then filling in the gaps. Looking forward to whatever is coming next.

 

[Bricklayer]

On the 3pt shooting and TOs:

Here's the thing: our #2 and #3 best players are our SF and our PG, and yet neither of them is a great 3pt shooter. Our starting SG is an on and off 3pt shooter, but overall is hitting them at a good enough level now. Not prolific, but he's 40%. So, basically we are not going to be a 3pt shooting team. We are already doing what we can with our starters. BUT, we can improve with our backups. But there, Casspi is a keeper this season, and he's not a 3pt guy. So basically to add a minor bit of 3pt punch you need improvement from the backup SG and the backup PG. Now we just drafted Nik, and in theory, one day he will be a 3pt shooter as a backup SG. But right now he looks we need to buy him a safety blanket or something. And Sessions...is awful. So the only real spot to improve our 3pt shooting is by somehow getting our hands on a major reserve guard to take minutes at either the backup SG, backup PG, or both.

Turnovers are somewhat similar. Collison is normally solid, but not the last two games when he has been deprived of Cousins and having to try to do too much. Rudy is prone. McLemore is prone. Cousins is prone. JT is prone. Casspi has been good his year, but was prone in the past, hope he can keep it up. Really again since its all our major personnel the only likely place where we could gain some minor 1 or 2 TO as game advantage this season would be by replacing Sessions with a more solid/steady backup PG. A solid, steady, 3pt shooting backup PG or combo guard is the only player we can really bring in that will steady both areas of weakness. And yet even so, it won't be enough to make them into areas of strength.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

WHA??? When you have the night off you do not read the grades???

I think I read the grades before you put them all up...

 

[HereWeBoogie]

When is it time to possibly stop giving Nik playing time. i know we want our rook to develop, but he's doing nothing but hurting the team and his own confidence right now

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Hell, you want to rebuild Stauskas' confidence in his shot? How about sending him down to Reno for a couple weeks, to jack up shots in that horse**** offense? Who the hell thinks he's not a better player than Heslip?

 

[Capt. Factorial]

When is it time to possibly stop giving Nik playing time. i know we want our rook to develop, but he's doing nothing but hurting the team and his own confidence right now

We don't have a lot of other options to spell Ben. It seems like McLemore is playing basically the entire second half every game these days. Is McCallum really the answer?

 

[Livinthedream]

How soon before Ben and Collison wear down from playing 40 minutes a game. Nothing good can come of this

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Hell, you want to rebuild Stauskas' confidence in his shot? How about sending him down to Reno for a couple weeks, to jack up shots in that horse**** offense? Who the hell thinks he's not a better player than Heslip?

pretty much

 

[Glenn]

The proper move is absolutely without question, to play the better defensive player and the guy who won't hurt the team with continuous turnovers

I don't know who you think should play but my mind turns off when anyone says "the proper move is absolutely without question." How can you say that? Do you even understand my point? In a game with multiple variables, I personally see nothing as "without question." As I mentioned to someone else, there is more than one way to do just about anything and the many different ways may all lead to a correct result.

 

[swisshh]

On the 3pt shooting and TOs:

Here's the thing: our #2 and #3 best players are our SF and our PG, and yet neither of them is a great 3pt shooter. Our starting SG is an on and off 3pt shooter, but overall is hitting them at a good enough level now. Not prolific, but he's 40%. So, basically we are not going to be a 3pt shooting team. We are already doing what we can with our starters. BUT, we can improve with our backups. But there, Casspi is a keeper this season, and he's not a 3pt guy. So basically to add a minor bit of 3pt punch you need improvement from the backup SG and the backup PG. Now we just drafted Nik, and in theory, one day he will be a 3pt shooter as a backup SG. But right now he looks we need to buy him a safety blanket or something. And Sessions...is awful. So the only real spot to improve our 3pt shooting is by somehow getting our hands on a major reserve guard to take minutes at either the backup SG, backup PG, or both.

Turnovers are somewhat similar. Collison is normally solid, but not the last two games when he has been deprived of Cousins and having to try to do too much. Rudy is prone. McLemore is prone. Cousins is prone. JT is prone. Casspi has been good his year, but was prone in the past, hope he can keep it up. Really again since its all our major personnel the only likely place where we could gain some minor 1 or 2 TO as game advantage this season would be by replacing Sessions with a more solid/steady backup PG. A solid, steady, 3pt shooting backup PG or combo guard is the only player we can really bring in that will steady both areas of weakness. And yet even so, it won't be enough to make them into areas of strength.

The question is how soon do the Kings try to make a move? Malone has been faithful to Sessions even though Ray has outplayed him. Not by a large margin, but Ray has at least been positive at times this year. I can't think of a good game by Sessions.

 

[Glenn]

When is it time to possibly stop giving Nik playing time. i know we want our rook to develop, but he's doing nothing but hurting the team and his own confidence right now

Never. He was the 2nd best three pt shooter in college I think and he is known to see the court very well. I honestly don't understand why you would give up on him. If you give up and have him on the bench the next 60 or so games, who do you play instead? He's a rookie playing like a rookie. I don't know what you expected.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Never. He was the 2nd best three pt shooter in college I think and he is known to see the court very well. I honestly don't understand why you would give up on him. If you give up and have him on the bench the next 60 or so games, who do you play instead? He's a rookie playing like a rookie. I don't know what you expected.

i'm NOT saying "OMG he's a bust give up on him it's over". But it might just be time to stop giving him playing time until he can bulk up and get some confidence. Sometimes rookies arent't ready for NBA minutes so teams don't give them minutes. I'm starting to think Nik might be in that category

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

I don't know who you think should play but my mind turns off when anyone says "the proper move is absolutely without question." How can you say that? Do you even understand my point? In a game with multiple variables, I personally see nothing as "without question." As I mentioned to someone else, there is more than one way to do just about anything and the many different ways may all lead to a correct result.

My opinion is that Ray McCallum should be playing as our backup point guard in every game at this point. If Collison can't go, he should start. There is absolutely no question, based on what I've seen this season, with this team

 

[miltonap]

I think we should worry about sessions before we worry about stauskas

 

[Glenn]

My opinion is that Ray McCallum should be playing as our backup point guard in every game at this point. If Collison can't go, he should start. There is absolutely no question, based on what I've seen this season, with this team

Bricklayer just posted a note showing Ray hasn't done well with the minutes given him this year. I see Ray as the probable backup this next year just as I see Nik as the probably backup at SG. I personally would give the backup minutes one half to Ramon and the other half to Ray.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Never. He was the 2nd best three pt shooter in college I think and he is known to see the court very well. I honestly don't understand why you would give up on him. If you give up and have him on the bench the next 60 or so games, who do you play instead?

I think that a fair answer to that question might be, "Somebody else." Preferably, somebody not currently under contract to play for the Kings.

He's a rookie playing like a rookie. I don't know what you expected.

Stauskas is eighth among all rookies in total minutes played, but nineteenth in scoring (although, to be fair, he's thirteenth among rookies who've played at least ten games). And, in seasons past, that wouldn't be the worst thing. However, comma, for better or worse, we are in 'win now' mode, and we aren't in the position where we can afford to let Stauskas develop at a comfortable pace. We're not playing for draft position, we're not playing for 'lins' and 'wosses' we're trying to win these games, and we can't wait on Stauskas to catch up. Sign a free agent (no, not Ray Allen, you might as well let that fantasy go), and let Stauskas get his reps in in practice. Just don't put him on the court to cost us games.

 

[Prince_XY]

A solid, steady, 3pt shooting backup PG or combo guard is the only player we can really bring in that will steady both areas of weakness. And yet even so, it won't be enough to make them into areas of strength.

Sign a free agent (no, not Ray Allen, you might as well let that fantasy go), and let Stauskas get his reps in in practice. Just don't put him on the court to cost us games.

I wonder if Terrence Williams can help. He seemed like a good and reliable combo guard the last time he was here. He was not turn-over machine and If I am not mistaken he was not that bad shooting the 3s too. His defense was also miles above compared to what Stauskas can give at the moment.

Maybe PDA should sign Terrence Williams for a 10-day experiment and see if it would somehow help?

 

[The Hammer]

I wonder if Terrence Williams can help. He seemed like a good and reliable combo guard the last time he was here. He was not turn-over machine and If I am not mistaken he was not that bad shooting the 3s too. His defense was also miles above compared to what Stauskas can give at the moment.

Maybe PDA should sign Terrence Williams for a 10-day experiment and see if it would somehow help?

I would consider this... however it may rock the boat chemistry-wise. Only those who know Williams could make that call. But at this point we're desperate.

 

[Bricklayer]

My opinion is that Ray McCallum should be playing as our backup point guard in every game at this point. If Collison can't go, he should start. There is absolutely no question, based on what I've seen this season, with this team

people do have this odd tendency with Ray to remember the occasional good game, and entirely blank out the 3 or 4 not so good ones inbetween, but when you are in the Western Conference and trying to make the jump up to be a playoff team , you are trying to make the jump into power team status. Its almost a 50win and up club. And the backup PGs amongst the contenders you are banging around with are almost all solid, dependable, experienced old heads. Beno Udirh and Shaun Livingston, and Isaiah Thomas, and Patty Mills and Reggie Jackson and Steve Blake and Devin Harris and Jordan Crawford/Jamal Crawford. About the only power team with any question here would be the oddness that is Houston. And if into these veteran shark infested waters we throw out our young 2nd round draft pick with the career PER of 9.5, its just another hole in our serious team resume. McCallum level guys are guys you keep in development, not guys you rely on. Our margin is razor slim as it is.

Sessions actually had the resume to be a Western backup PG, but it just has not worked out at all.

 

[Prince_XY]

The question is how soon do the Kings try to make a move? Malone has been faithful to Sessions even though Ray has outplayed him. Not by a large margin, but Ray has at least been positive at times this year. I can't think of a good game by Sessions.

I think we should worry about sessions before we worry about stauskas

Sessions won't hurt us that much if he stays on the bench while he does some soul-searching regarding what is going on with his game. Malone should have done this for the past five games. It's been almost 20 games now. That is already 1/4 of the regular season wasted on him.

I would worry more about our inexperienced coach who keeps on insisting and not learning on benching Sessions (even just for a few games) and not trying Hollins as our back-up center. A significant lot of fans can clearly see it and they are just afraid to say it, because we really don't have anybody better to replace him with as of now.

 

[Tetsujin]

Sessions won't hurt us that much if he stays on the bench while he does some soul-searching regarding what is going on with his game. Malone should have done this for the past five games. It's been almost 20 games now. That is already 1/4 of the regular season wasted on him.

I would worry more about our inexperienced coach who keeps on insisting and not learning on benching Sessions (even just for a few games) and not trying Hollins as our back-up center. A significant lot of fans can clearly see it and they are just afraid to say it, because we really don't have anybody better to replace him with as of now.

As Hollins showed us today, there's probably a reason for that.

 

[Prince_XY]

Sessions actually had the resume to be a Western backup PG, but it just has not worked out at all.

And that is a big problem because it has been almost 1/4 through the regular season and it has not worked out at ALL. The guy seems like not a good fit and it has come to a point something drastic has to be done - may it be benching him for a few games and try our luck with an inexperienced back-up PG in McCallum.

Maybe it's about time to try our luck with McCallum for the next 5 games or so just to shake things around and give Sessions time to think and straighten out whatever is bugging him.

 

[Prince_XY]

As Hollins showed us today, there's probably a reason for that.

But it was different the last time we saw him and it's almost always the same with Malone's Twin Duplex, ain't it?

 

[KingMilz]

And that is a big problem because it has been almost 1/4 through the regular season and it has not worked out at ALL. The guy seems like not a good fit and it has come to a point something drastic has to be done - may it be benching him for a few games and try our luck with an inexperienced back-up PG in McCallum.

Maybe it's about time to try our luck with McCallum for the next 5 games or so just to shake things around and give Sessions time to think and straighten out whatever is bugging him.

Yeah imo we either have to trade for a player with play making ability (Josh Smith comes to mind) or try something different Sessions is playing like Marcus Thornton with stupid shots, zero effort and turnovers. If the Pistons still want to get rid of Smith he could be the answer as a point forward, so in that case we wouldn't really even have to play with a traditional PG and we could use Ray as a defensive guard and let Smith run the offense as a facilitator (he had 9assists/10assists in the last two games) while also giving us shot blocking. If Sessions was at least giving something on defence you could somewhat live with it but he's actually been worse on that end.

 

[The_Jamal]

When is it time to possibly stop giving Nik playing time. i know we want our rook to develop, but he's doing nothing but hurting the team and his own confidence right now

You don't. Right now, Nik is in a 6-12 min. role and that's where he needs to be right now. It's where Ben honestly should have been all last season and cost us a lot of games having to play him 30+ min. game as a starter last year. Keep him in this defined small role, let him learn the NBA game and we hope to see improvement at the end of the year/next season from Nik.

I know it's popular to bash Sessions right now, but he played 10 minutes tonight. Albeit, an extremely empty 10 minutes, but that's not going to impact the game in a way that will affect us much one way or the other. That's not to say we should be happy with Sessions play at back-up PG, but the far bigger issue was trying to beat the best team in the NBA without our best player.