[Game] Game 7: Sacramento Kings @ OKC Thunder, 11/09/14 4 PM PST 7 PM EST

[Bricklayer]

I would add to this that until Nik settles in and despite the shooting issues I think there might be an advantage to having Casspi handle the backup SG minutes. I am lof the opinion that more Casspi = better for us, but he's getting squeezed by Rudy's heavy workload while right next to him in the reserve lineup we're having a heck of a time getting any guard play at all. Not practical against an OKC right now where all they have is PGs and their quickness was causing problems for our natural SGs as is. For the same reason not against the Mavs. But you could certainly do it against the Grizzlies, and Manu aside, against the Spurs.

 

[King Baller]

We say this and yet DFC played 34 minutes, Rudy played 37 minutes, and DC played 35 minutes.

Ben did only play 28 minutes though

In the first couple of minutes of the fourth quarter OKC had a 7 - 0 run with the starters on the bench. Most of the damage done was Collison hitting those threes and Ish Smith getting in the lane. It would have been nice to see Ray Mac on Ish. I also would have liked to see Gay play until Cousins came back in. If Rudy needed a blow take a time out. Collison was wide open and who knew he could hit those

See it here--> http://popcornmachine.net/gf?date=20141109&game=SACOKC

 

[mdme]

I hope they will use this game as a motivation and come out swinging next game against the mavs. That is if the refs don't take it away from us again. Last two games have seen the opponents getting away with fouls that aren't called. That makes it very hard for cuz to have a good game and set up the tempo of the game. Sometimes I wonder if the refs have a bet on who can be the first to push cuz's buttons. Seriously, those two techs that weren't deserved changed the game. If it weren't for those, we wouldn't have needed to press and could have grinded out a win.

What we should learn is that we shouldn't allow ourselves to be in this position by playing our game early, playing hard on both ends. ...and not playing sessions at all.

 

[206Fan]

I hope they will use this game as a motivation and come out swinging next game against the mavs. That is if the refs don't take it away from us again. Last two games have seen the opponents getting away with fouls that aren't called. That makes it very hard for cuz to have a good game and set up the tempo of the game. Sometimes I wonder if the refs have a bet on who can be the first to push cuz's buttons. Seriously, those two techs that weren't deserved changed the game. If it weren't for those, we wouldn't have needed to press and could have grinded out a win.

What we should learn is that we shouldn't allow ourselves to be in this position by playing our game early, playing hard on both ends. ...and not playing sessions at all.

The refs today were horrible. I'm not sure how anyone would ever be able to justify the reffing.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

What I will be looking for most in Dallas will be a good start, and hopefully a solid five or six point lead after the first quarter. We can't continue to put ourselves in holes early on to dig out of later on.

 

[IfAt1st]

SO many people noticing the difference the refs make in the game:

Keep this in mind as we watch the games unfold this year -
Most of the times, whichever team the refs favor will win close games.

Games like this are a gift to the fanbase of a struggling, favored team/franchise.
Sac gave this game away so that they will continue being favored in later games.

 

[upinsmoke]

About the refs its clear the league is going to force a okc playoff birth just like they did a couple of years ago for LA.

 

[Kingston Jamaica]

Guys, these things happen and I hope the team is professional in this too. An off night in shooting and one of the better defenses in the NBA caused this loss. I absolutely think that this could have been a W too. For that the team has to keep in mind that you have to play all of the 48 minutes. The bench scoring could be a bit more efficient.

 

[Prince_XY]

Games like this are a gift to the fanbase of a struggling, favored team/franchise.
Sac gave this game away so that they will continue being favored in later games.

What?

 

[jcwkings]

Didnt get to watch this one, was it a case of us coming out poor in the first half, waking up in the second, but too little too late? Also seems Malone will have to work on some zone busting schemes. Dissapointing but I feared trap game from the beginning.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Didnt get to watch this one, was it a case of us coming out poor in the first half, waking up in the second, but too little too late? Also seems Malone will have to work on some zone busting schemes. Dissapointing but I feared trap game from the beginning.

Yea, pretty much. Starters cut a 17pt lead to 2 in the 3rd quarter in like a 6 minute span. Then the Bench came in and threw the game back away (thanks Sessions, and Stauskas too) and then the starters came back with like 7 mins to try to come from 9 back on the road, they made a valiant effort but fell short.

The extremely lopsided officiating didn't help either. Soft fouls being called on the Kings, 3 BS technical fouls (one for Rudy "taunting" after a posterizing ally oop), OKC was hacking, shoving people for rebounds, getting away with travels and illegal screens every other play. so yea, not a great game

 

[Gilles]

i'd rather just play 4 on 5 or crowd source a backup PG

I misread this, and had a question: "Outsourse his job? Where? To India?"

We say this and yet DFC played 34 minutes, Rudy played 37 minutes, and DC played 35 minutes.

Ben did only play 28 minutes though

Malone came out and said, that he'll try to stagger Cuz/Rudy minutes to have one of them on the court, did it a couple of games, and then went away from it this time. To me it obvious he tries to get the bench going on their own. Tonight it was probably the main culprit among many, mind you, for this loss.

 

[VF21]

I misread this, and had a question: "Outsourse his job? Where? To India?"

Malone came out and said, that he'll try to stagger Cuz/Rudy minutes to have one of them on the court, did it a couple of games, and then went away from it this time. To me it obvious he tries to get the bench going on their own. Tonight it was probably the main culprit among many, mind you, for this loss.

You're acting as though he gave up on trying to keep one of them on the court at the same time. That's most likely not true. What is more likely is that with Rudy still recovering from a virus AND the fact they had played a tough double-overtime, Malone was concerned about not wearing Rudy down any more than absolutely necessary. They're in the middle of a tough road trip (in fact, only the 7-game one in March might be worse). There's every reason to believe Malone will still TRY to stagger the minutes, but that's subject to change should it be necessary.

 

[KingsFanGER]

This game wasn't lost by bad calls. The Phoenix Game showed the problems we have guarding the high Pick&Roll and the penetration from the guard positions. And these problems carried over to the game versus the Thunder.
We are picking up bad habits again. In the first games of the season our PF/C not named DMC did a solid job contesting shots at the rim. While JT, Evans or Landry are no shotblockers, they can make things difficult by just rotating properly and bothering shot attempts with their length. You dont need to be Ibaka, blocking 4 Shots a game, to play solid interior defense versus guard penetration.
We were slow closing out on shooters, we did a bad job going under screens, allowing open Jumpshots, we couldnt stay in front of Jackson, Telfair or Smith and we did a bad job rotating and contesting their layups and runners at the rim.
JT clearly played different the first few games and right now is slowly fading back to his old self. The whole team looks a tad more relaxed and doesnt play with the relentless physicality and hustle anymore.
With talent alone, we won't be able to beat a whole lot of NBA-Teams. So i hope the players pick up the intensity once again.

While Stauskas is a Rookie and one can use this as an excuse for his defensive struggles, i can't understand why a savy veteran like Sessions has problems like this, guarding Sebastian Telfair.