[Grades] Grades v. Hawks 11/18/2015

[SacTownGrantFan]

You have the best Center in the league? He plays in the paint. That's basketball 101.
Coaching this way has fed the dysfunction the Kings have come to know this past decade. A huge paint presence moved to the 3 point line. Looking to drive for idiotic 'easy layups' game after game. His bluff 3's and subsequent drives are expected, he's getting blocked often going for layups and relying on foul calls. And he's going to get injured if he keeps playing this way.

 

[parker]

I felt like the 2 and a half minutes of Rondo turnovers (4 plus one by Bellini) to end the first half turned the tide in this game.

 

[Bricklayer]

We may not have him tomorrow -- this was dangerously close to a punch. Hope for a fine, but with DMC's history...

 

[IfAt1st]

Cousins and Rondo played 2 minutes of the (collected) worst and most embarrassing basketball of their careers tonight at the end of the second quarter.

It was so bad, they basically lost the game right there - not only put the team in a ten point hole, but put them in a bigger emotional hole.
If your emotional leaders are going to in tandem lose their crap at the same time, it shreds the veneer of professionalism this team is trying on for size.

They simply CAN NOT DO THIS again this entire year.
This is way too shaky of team to come back from that.

If I had to come up with a conspiracy to explain it, I'd think they're both pissed off at Karl and letting it spill unprofessionally onto the court with their play.
Cousins has GOT to man the f up and play more maturely than a junior high schooler out there.
This is getting ridiculous, and I'm one of the most patient guys with Cuz, but damn if he's not worn out every strand of patience I have for his immature crap.

 

[sdballer]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones 59s60 seconds ago
BTW after the game, Cousins said he was just trying to get Al Horford off of him after catching an elbow, hit him in the face

 

[chasen4r1]

I missed the 4th quarter (prior arrangement), so I watched the highlights on nba.com just now. Good lord.. .has anybody else watched that?? The commentator was so obviously biased against Boogie and the Kings, it was disgusting.

 

[chasen4r1]

We may not have him tomorrow -- this was dangerously close to a punch. Hope for a fine, but with DMC's history...

Yeah.. really not confident that's going to sneak by unnoticed by the league.... . Come on DeMarcus.

 

[sdballer]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones 49s50 seconds ago
Karl said his "gut" feeling is Quincy Acy brings good energy and should start more against the likes of Millsap, Bosh, etc.

Ugh

 

[Livinthedream]

Don't know why Karl plays those lineup games. Just start your 5 best players and let the other team have to adjust.

 

[Sac.1989]

I still have us at .500 on Christmas morning. What a gift it would be for everyone to wake up, grab some coffee, open presents and think of me.

Seriously though, tomorrow? Have to get it.

so do i Rain. We can totally get there and even ahead. 20 wins by christmas

 

[macadocious]

Don't know why Karl plays those lineup games. Just start your 5 best players and let the other team have to adjust.

Seriously.

DMC - 35-38 Min
WCS 25-30 Min
Gay 32-36 Min
Ben 25-28 Min
Rondo - 32-40 Min

Then go from there. It's not that hard.

 

[IfAt1st]

I missed the 4th quarter (prior arrangement), so I watched the highlights on nba.com just now. Good lord.. .has anybody else watched that?? The commentator was so obviously biased against Boogie and the Kings, it was disgusting.

Whoa.
That was an absolute hit job on Demarcus.
http://www.nba.com/video/games/hawks/2015/11/18/0021500169-sac-atl-recap.nba/
Man, he is really arranging an impressive array of powers that hate him.

Even the Kings' own broadcast spotlighted his elbow-to-the-ear and they were basically advocating that he be suspended a game for it.
If his own team's coverage (led by the obsession Grant Napes has against Cuz) takes every opportunity to slam him when he does something wrong, you know you're witnessing a unique lightning-rod personality the likes the NBA has seldom seen.

 

[mac]

If Marco continues have this much difficulty getting open, his signing is not going to work out. He's running left and right and juking this way and that and he can't create space. I feel like I can count on one hand the number of pure looks he's gotten this year. I know his rep precedes him with opponents but I thought he'd be better.

It's not just on him. Kings are notoriously bad at setting screens. The movement is the same, but if the other guys aren't setting good screens then you're not going to get free against an NBA defender no matter how much juking you do.

 

[mac]

I don't doubt he's trying but I thought we'd see more savvy. Guy has to work awfully hard just get a shot. It is still early but I thought he was going to be more of spark.

He's never been a guy to create his own shot though. He's not like a JR Smith or Isaiah Thomas who's going to come in and score 20 for you. But if you run the offense well, set good screens and have guys moving he will contribute in good ways.

 

[Blob]

He's never been a guy to create his own shot though. He's not like a JR Smith or Isaiah Thomas who's going to come in and score 20 for you. But if you run the offense well, set good screens and have guys moving he will contribute in good ways.

I agree with what you are saying. But there was talk in pre-season this could be Marco's coming out party, his time in San Antonio was a success but he could do even more. I think Karl compared him to Pete Havilcheck. That was a little before my time but I think Pete shot better than 35%.

 

[Bricklayer]

I agree with what you are saying. But there was talk in pre-season this could be Marco's coming out party, his time in San Antonio was a success but he could do even more. I think Karl compared to Pete Havilcheck. That was a little before my time but I think Pete shot better than 35%.

Well, I don't know, its entirely possible Pete Havlicek did shoot 35%.

Now John Havlicek or Pete Maravich, not so much,

Not sure which one Karl referenced, probably just an old coach reference to a style of ballhandling/creating/shooting SG.

 

[KingMilz]

Cousins defense (was basically a night off) and shot selection this game were just awful and Rondo had to many turnovers. I'm shocked we got within 2 considering how defense was shocking. Sadly that was a really winnable game and we turned into the Kings of the last decade. Rudy had one of his sluggish games where he could not beat anyone in a one on one situation Mike Muscala was easily staying in front of him.

Kosta/Ben were probably the best two players in terms of consistency

Yeah.. really not confident that's going to sneak by unnoticed by the league.... . Come on DeMarcus.

Teague didn't get suspended for slapping Bjelica twice in the face on purpose so I doubt anything will happened to Cuz for grazing Big Al's face. Although a lot of people on here thought Austin Rivers should have got suspended also for throwing a cushion into the crowd so I wonder if they feel Cuz should be suspended for throwing an elbow.

 

[mac]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones 59s60 seconds ago
BTW after the game, Cousins said he was just trying to get Al Horford off of him after catching an elbow, hit him in the face

Off of him? Good one. Cousins did kinda get shoved in the neck area but that was unintentional on a box out. Posted this in the game thread (and Brick posted a good video of it): Does it look like Horford is on Cousins?

 

[Letsgokings13]

I really don't like the DC/Rondo pairing on the court at the same time.

What was with WCS being named starter and then Acy appears?

What was with Ben getting no more burn after he started to feel it?

Why was Marco in the whole time playing like crap when Ben was playing great?

Where was WCS on Millsap at the end?

Why wasn't Cuz getting touches in the end?

STOP UNFORCED TO'S

QUIT LEAVING PEOPLE WIDE OPEN, AND THEN STARE AT THEM WHILE THEY ARE GETTING READY TO SHOOT

Rudy needs to impact the game somehow when his offense is not working

WTF Karl?

 

[Letsgokings13]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones 49s50 seconds ago
Karl said his "gut" feeling is Quincy Acy brings good energy and should start more against the likes of Millsap, Bosh, etc.

Ugh

Are you ****ing kidding me? WCS brings just as much energy, is taller, longer, quicker and miles better defender

 

[KingMilz]

Rudy needs to impact the game somehow when his offense is not working

WTF Karl?

How exactly is he going to do that? He doesn't have the skills or mental strength to do anything else. This is Rudy Gay the one we knew we were getting and the same Rudy Gay that got moved from the Raptors/Memphis. The thing with Rudy is he is always capable of having monster nights due to his talent but that does not make up for the complete lack of effort in every other area which is badly exposed when his offense is not going. I just don't see what Rudy Gay brings other than offense (passing/defense don't exist most the time).

Tonight was a perfect night for him to step up and impact the game when Cousins was playing crap and yet again Rudy Gay is nowhere to be found. It seems like Rudy only ever plays great when Cousins is killing it.

 

[KingMilz]

Also should be ZERO CHANCE Cousins misses a game, Marvin Williams dropped a massive elbow on Lou Amudson 2 days ago and played yesterday (he got a $15,000 fine)

 

[Letsgokings13]

Also should be ZERO CHANCE Cousins misses a game, Marvin Williams dropped a massive elbow on Lou Amudson 2 days ago and played yesterday (he got a $15,000 fine)

The thing they base on is largely on intent I believe. That play could be classified as going for ball but I guess he was still ejected

 

[KingsFanGER]

Still mind boggled by George Karl's decision making. And i hate both his offensive and defensive schemes.

We have the most dominant offensive paint presence in the NBA standing around the 3pt line. Not only does this allow the defense to not have to guard him in the paint, but it takes away our strongest offensive rebounder. Go back and watch the 4th, there was a stretch where the Kings were trying to cut the lead down, Omri shot a 3, drove and missed a layup on the next play, and a few more possessions, all of which DMC didn't take a step inside the arc. Who knows how many of those bricks could have been put back in by Cousins if he was in there boxing out.

the occasion trailer 3 is ok, but standing out there for the duration of an offensive set is asinine

I agree. But how do we fix the spacing, when Cuz, KK/Willie man the paint, Rondo doesn't need to be guarded outside and Rudy is not a great shooter?
The Grizzlies made it work in the previous seasons, but Gasol and Zbo can both hit jumpshots and you can't leave Conley.
The Hawks completely collapsed to the paint as soon as Rudy or Cuz put the ball on the floor to attack the basket.
When Cuz catched it in the post, he was doubled immediately.
Would be a lot easier, if Willie could hit a jumpshot from the elbow.

 

[ovrush]

The WCS numbers are pretty damning for Karl. Im really not sure he has any leg to stand on with Acy. Wcs has just as much energy, is taller, is quicker. The only reason to go with Acy is because he's a better shooter... but we're not losing because we're scoring too few points (an old theme but every season sine RA's last one a relevant theme). With Boogie, gay and rondo you'll score enough. If we just held the other team under 98 for goodness sake we'd 100% be a playoff team, and thats a low bar. WCS should be starting and playing lots mire minutes.

 

[KingsFanGER]

The WCS numbers are pretty damning for Karl. Im really not sure he has any leg to stand on with Acy. Wcs has just as much energy, is taller, is quicker. The only reason to go with Acy is because he's a better shooter... but we're not losing because we're scoring too few points (an old theme but every season sine RA's last one a relevant theme). With Boogie, gay and rondo you'll score enough. If we just held the other team under 98 for goodness sake we'd 100% be a playoff team, and thats a low bar. WCS should be starting and playing lots mire minutes.

But we are losing, because we commit way too many turnovers and our decent half court defense has no time to set up afterwards.
And I would expect the TO to go up the less space we have to run our offense.
The good thing with Willie is, that he at least helps our transition D and is able to guard forced matchups, when we can't set up our D.

 

[ovrush]

But we are losing, because we commit way too many turnovers and our decent half court defense has no time to set up afterwards.
And I would expect the TO to go up the less space we have to run our offense.
The good thing with Willie is, that he at least helps our transition D and is able to guard forced matchups, when we can't set up our D.

The turnovers could be attributed to spacing, but more likely theyre a result of the push for pace. And again the +/- and def and off efficiency numbers with WCS on the court say that we arent hurt by spacing with him on the court... this is ignoring the fact that with cuz on the perimeter our spacing might actually be better having a rim crasher in WCS on the court instead of another midrange guy in Acy. The dribble drive offense sees a lot of layups rolling off the rim, I would think cleaning the offensive glass while having the pace to recover defensively would be a huge asset to the scheme

 

[Padrino]

The turnovers could be attributed to spacing, but more likely theyre a result of the push for pace. And again the +/- and def and off efficiency numbers with WCS on the court say that we arent hurt by spacing with him on the court... this is ignoring the fact that with cuz on the perimeter our spacing might actually be better having a rim crasher in WCS on the court instead of another midrange guy in Acy. The dribble drive offense sees a lot of layups rolling off the rim, I would think cleaning the offensive glass while having the pace to recover defensively would be a huge asset to the scheme

indeed. in this case, the numbers don't lie: the kings are playing at the fastest pace in the entire nba, and they're also committing the second-most turnovers in the entire nba (behind only the 76ers). many of the kings' turnovers this season can be attributed to a simple lack of familiarity and on-court chemistry between the players. of course, we've certainly seen the benefits of a budding partnership between rondo and cousins, but we've also seen miscommunication, lapses in judgment, and discomfort with the offensive system. a very basic eye test will tell the average fan that the kings very often look rushed, hurried, and panicked on offense, as if they're feet and hands are playing much faster than their brains. this can be attributed to the pace at which karl is pushing the offense, and i remain wholly unconvinced that any offensive system that dictates a need for quincy effing acy in the starting line-up is the proper course of action. that's no knock on acy. like most kings fans, i love the energy he brings. but let's not pretend that this is an nba starter we're talking about. hell, let's not pretend that this isn't a player who would typically be featured at the end of most benches around the league...

 

[sdballer]

We brought in WCS and Koufos so that we wouldn't have to start JT anymore and instead we have Acy in there.

 

[kingsboi]

Don't know why Karl plays those lineup games. Just start your 5 best players and let the other team have to adjust.

You would think HOF coaches would take that approach...this one? not so much.