[Game] Game 75: Kings v. Pelicans, 4/3/15 - 7pdt, 10edt

[lawlman91]

I personally don't think we will be serious contenders until Rudy is a third option.

While having Rudy become a third option might improve our team and to what extent I don't know, I will argue that improving the 3-point and defensive qualities of our role-players and bench either by developing or trading will more likely shift us into contention.

 

[lawlman91]

The Kings need at least one dynamic guard that can get his own shot. It's such a huge advantage for the opposing team not having to be concerned with the scoring of the Kings guards. You've got to have at least one guard who makes the opposition toss and turn at night. This group allows them to sleep like a baby (and that includes Collison). Also, if you're a good scoring guard on the opposition, it's such a psychological advantage to know that the guy you are facing is not a bigtime threat. You can concentrate much more energy on the offensive end rather than the defensive end. Heaven forbid if you're a guard who is a mediocre offensive threat and you're going against guys like Curry, Paul, Parker or Westbrook in the playoffs.

Our guards don't need to be able to make their own shot, but they should be able to make a shot off of the pick and roll. Specifially for Ray McCallum and to an extent Collison, they both need to be more aggressive at getting their own shot. I see it too often: defenders give them space and go under screens, etc. And they still don't shoot the ball. The problem is not the skill set of the guards, but the attitude and whether or not Karl and Cousins gives the point guards the green light to be aggressive. (Tangential: Miller can do what he wants, he's old.) Its arguable that McCallum and Collison do not shoot these shots because 1) they don't have confidence in their shot 2) they are too short and see that they might get blocked (Collison is 6'0, McCallum has a 6'3 wingspan with a 6'3 height). But I'd really like to see them push their limits, and try to make the shot. If they miss a lot of shots or get blocked very often, they will have to learn to adapt. The only thing is, I don't, and maybe they don't, know the extent of their limits in terms of being offensive threats.

 

[Gilles]

Rudy is a good passer and rebounder. Rudy's eFG% on wide open shots is .683, including .449 from 3, but the other team just refuses to leave him open somehow. You look at SportsVU splits and in the same space/time zones he's not that much worse than Paul George or Kawhi, hell, he's not even that far from James outside of King's ungodly ability within 10 feet. What's different? Rudy - 66.5/33.5 split in contested/open shots, James - 53/47, George (last year) - 48.5/51.5, Leonard - 49.3/50.7. Even the MVP is just at 61.5/38.5, and he has same amazing effectiveness within 10 feet as James.
P.S. Gay should really cut down on those long dribbling plays - almost 3rd of his shots and terrible eFG% at just above 40, which he actually did under Karl.

 

[VF21]

The Kings need at least one dynamic guard that can get his own shot. It's such a huge advantage for the opposing team not having to be concerned with the scoring of the Kings guards. You've got to have at least one guard who makes the opposition toss and turn at night. This group allows them to sleep like a baby (and that includes Collison). Also, if you're a good scoring guard on the opposition, it's such a psychological advantage to know that the guy you are facing is not a bigtime threat. You can concentrate much more energy on the offensive end rather than the defensive end. Heaven forbid if you're a guard who is a mediocre offensive threat and you're going against guys like Curry, Paul, Parker or Westbrook in the playoffs.

Vlade commented on this in his interview yesterday:

Bobby: So, go back to the players. Ben McLemore as a basketball player. What do you see in him and how do you think he should approach the game going forward because he's been an up and down player all season.

Vlade: Well Bobby, you know it's all confidence. He has to have confidence in himself and his shooting because that's his job, to make shots. He's very athletic, he can do a lot of different stuff but he has to play with confidence. Right now, I don't think he plays with the confidence. That's why we have the up and down thing (he makes a roller coaster motion with his hand) with McLemore.

I suspect Ben better find that confidence...

 

[Livinthedream]

I don't know concretely who they (or he) might be. In the abstract, if it's one player that we get, I'd be looking to get a three who is not the one on one scorer of Gay, but who is better at defense, passing, and rebounding and can hit the open 3. The other idea, which I know is not popular because it is trading the present value of Gay for future value of youngins: Trade Gay for one top 4 pick and another pick in the 8 through 5 area in this draft, as well as a good vet. That would give you 3 picks in the top 8. Then you could really have a major infusion of athletic basketball talent. Then you might get your WCS and maybe Hezonja and get a top 4 player in this draft who is going to have both an offensive and defensive impact. No doubt you lose the experience of Gay with this latter scenario, but you gain in talent. I just feel there's no free lunch - you've got to give up something to get something and Gay is really the only something we've got other than Cousins. (I guess Collison is something, but not a major something).

I think you understand what I was getting at.

 

[Livinthedream]

Vlade commented on this in his interview yesterday:



I suspect Ben better find that confidence...

I actually think it would be a worse sign as a player if Vlade or the front office is not talking about you.

 

[Kingster]

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I think someone who could take some of the defensive pressure off Cousins would be great. He picks up fouls precisely because he has to be so dominant at both ends.
Add a veteran SG, (or maybe Ben is seasoned enough by then), and we're in a much better spot.

We're not that far off, if we get the right pieces.

I don't buy that. We've seen for years now that he picks up cheap fouls because of lack of discipline. Of late, he seems to be getting better at it.