Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Artest ( B+ ) -- got off to the slow start taking bad shots and not having much impact on the other end against Vlad Rad. And in the first half also gave us another nothing on the glass effort as we got killed in there. Ron's man in particular -- Radmanovic, a noted non-rebounder -- was joining in the pummeling and had 7rebs by half. Overall might have been a D type half for Ron. But he started picking it up in the third, picking it up further in the 4th, and down the stretch it was Ron who flat out won the game for us. The stinky start fully redeemed when he suddenly tied it up with a random three at the 1:10 mark, and then a hit a two 30 seconds later to put us up and in command. Finished it off by smothering Cassel on the final Clipper possession and keeping him from getting the good look. Bad first half denies the "A", but after Bibby slowed down it was Ron who picked up the baton and carried us home.
Thomas ( C- ) -- started the game in dubious fashion deciding on our opening possession to try to post up Chris Kaman, then blew an open court layup. Eventually settled in and used his quickness edge against Chris Kaman for a little burst -- the Clips had Kaman and Brand switched vs. Kenny/Brad. Of course that also meant that now the 7'1" Caveman was free to post the 6'7" KT at will on the other end. And Kenny was not able to grab even his fair share of boards, let alone dominate action. Blew several chippees as well, and as the game went along his minutes got increasingly empty. Neither of our PFs gave us much fo a game tonight.
Miller ( C+ ) -- Another one of his strange (for a putative center) hot shooting but nothing else efforts. Hit his first couple of jumpers, but was getting chewed up inside again by every Clipper he guarded. Came back in the second quarter and started stroking threes -- might be looking at the future of Brad there as he begins to age -- Terry Mills/Sam Perkins/Bill Laimbeer style. But he both quit shooting, and scoring in the third, and was replaced by Reef. Returned in the 4th to get overpowered again inside, and apart from a pair of late FTs, did nothing to fight back at the other side. With 10 seconds left choked a pair of FTs that would have iced it and let the Clips have one last shot to tie. Shot 6-9, canned two threes. But it was all first half. And if you give em a center to grade who shoots threes and cannot defend or board vs. a center who cannot shoot but boards and protects the rim...well, Center B is getting the higher grade.
Wells ( B ) -- yet another hot start on this roadtrip roadtrip, and was again stroking his jumper. But blew a breakaway dunk for the second night in a row, and then a pair of FTs, and he was quiet for the rest of the game offensively. Critically in the first half the one place we depend on him more than any other -- the glass -- was where he was invisible. Maybe not fair to depend on your OG to bail you out on the boards, but that's been part of what he brought all year, and had zero at half. But came out in the third with renewed focus on the glass, and had 7 in the quarter alone, and as has so often been the case this year, it was Bonzi, not our frontcourt guys, who finally started to seize control of the defensive glass for us. Solid roleplayer game tonight.
Bibby ( A ) -- strong start to this one, not only leading the team in scoring, but playing the best all around game of any King in the early going. Hustled on defense and was helping us on the glass -- in fact grabbed as many as any of our theoretical frontcourt players in the first half. And Mike poured it on in the third quarter as he continued his seeming career-long domination of the Clippers. Slowed down dramatically in the 4th, but Ron took over ably. Quiet 4th took away the plus, and almost added a minus. But Mike was the one guy keeping the Clips from putting us to sleep early in this one, and he kind of set the tone for us to steal it at the end.
Martin ( D ) -- was very quiet offensively, and Cat really started getting it going against him as the game wore on. Not sure what to make of ths one, other than that the kid still seems to struggle with consistent aggressiveness.
Reef ( C ) -- sporadically aggressive against Rebraca with decidedly mixed results. Gave us three rebounds in 22 minutes tonight, and that was his BEST effort of the road trip. Best player off the bench tonight, but that was saying next to nothing.
Cisco ( INC ) -- looked smooth with the ball, but started forcing his offense again and threw us out of rhythm in the 2nd quarter as the Clippers pushed out to a little lead.
Adelman ( ) -- And so the curse continues for the Clippers. Somehow, someway, they always find a way to lose to the Kings. More...
Thomas ( C- ) -- started the game in dubious fashion deciding on our opening possession to try to post up Chris Kaman, then blew an open court layup. Eventually settled in and used his quickness edge against Chris Kaman for a little burst -- the Clips had Kaman and Brand switched vs. Kenny/Brad. Of course that also meant that now the 7'1" Caveman was free to post the 6'7" KT at will on the other end. And Kenny was not able to grab even his fair share of boards, let alone dominate action. Blew several chippees as well, and as the game went along his minutes got increasingly empty. Neither of our PFs gave us much fo a game tonight.
Miller ( C+ ) -- Another one of his strange (for a putative center) hot shooting but nothing else efforts. Hit his first couple of jumpers, but was getting chewed up inside again by every Clipper he guarded. Came back in the second quarter and started stroking threes -- might be looking at the future of Brad there as he begins to age -- Terry Mills/Sam Perkins/Bill Laimbeer style. But he both quit shooting, and scoring in the third, and was replaced by Reef. Returned in the 4th to get overpowered again inside, and apart from a pair of late FTs, did nothing to fight back at the other side. With 10 seconds left choked a pair of FTs that would have iced it and let the Clips have one last shot to tie. Shot 6-9, canned two threes. But it was all first half. And if you give em a center to grade who shoots threes and cannot defend or board vs. a center who cannot shoot but boards and protects the rim...well, Center B is getting the higher grade.
Wells ( B ) -- yet another hot start on this roadtrip roadtrip, and was again stroking his jumper. But blew a breakaway dunk for the second night in a row, and then a pair of FTs, and he was quiet for the rest of the game offensively. Critically in the first half the one place we depend on him more than any other -- the glass -- was where he was invisible. Maybe not fair to depend on your OG to bail you out on the boards, but that's been part of what he brought all year, and had zero at half. But came out in the third with renewed focus on the glass, and had 7 in the quarter alone, and as has so often been the case this year, it was Bonzi, not our frontcourt guys, who finally started to seize control of the defensive glass for us. Solid roleplayer game tonight.
Bibby ( A ) -- strong start to this one, not only leading the team in scoring, but playing the best all around game of any King in the early going. Hustled on defense and was helping us on the glass -- in fact grabbed as many as any of our theoretical frontcourt players in the first half. And Mike poured it on in the third quarter as he continued his seeming career-long domination of the Clippers. Slowed down dramatically in the 4th, but Ron took over ably. Quiet 4th took away the plus, and almost added a minus. But Mike was the one guy keeping the Clips from putting us to sleep early in this one, and he kind of set the tone for us to steal it at the end.
Martin ( D ) -- was very quiet offensively, and Cat really started getting it going against him as the game wore on. Not sure what to make of ths one, other than that the kid still seems to struggle with consistent aggressiveness.
Reef ( C ) -- sporadically aggressive against Rebraca with decidedly mixed results. Gave us three rebounds in 22 minutes tonight, and that was his BEST effort of the road trip. Best player off the bench tonight, but that was saying next to nothing.
Cisco ( INC ) -- looked smooth with the ball, but started forcing his offense again and threw us out of rhythm in the 2nd quarter as the Clippers pushed out to a little lead.
Adelman ( ) -- And so the curse continues for the Clippers. Somehow, someway, they always find a way to lose to the Kings. More...
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I think Bibby loves playing in Staples.
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