[Grades] Grades v. Hornets 02/24/2013

[kingjatt]

You know, I wish had games from a month ago taped, because I've had a suspicion forming that I can't confirm wihtout watching the older games and comparing. But:

a) do you remember where Cousins went on that monster tear throught the first 2/3 of January?

b) do you remember when just very abruptly it ended dramatically, and there were rumors he was not happy, and then those cryptic quotes where he said he wasn't the problem, it was what it was, and more recently mockingly saying "gotta do what coach wants?"

c) do you remember the interveiw where Isaiah was saying something about his reent upturn in play being because we were running a lot of pick and rolls, and he excelled in the pick and roll (for himself largely)

d) do you remember the several times recently where there has appeared to be tension o the court betwen Isaiah and Cousins

e) have you noticed our play style and defensive collapse beginning to resemble what it was last year under Smart/IT again?


Now...I would have to go back and watch. But I have this suspicion that something changed, and that it was our brilliant coach who changed it. Specifically Cuz was on a roll, IT was struggling...and my suspicion would possibly be that Smart changed the mix of the offense to get more and more pick and rolls with IT involved to play to IT rather than clearouts for Cuz. I can't prove that without comparing several games from mid Jan to several more recent games, but I wonder.

I still feel IT is much more willing passer than anyone else on this team which isnt saying much, guys just dont move thus causing some of the ISO's. I think Cuz was just frustrated as to how he and others were being used by smart which helped to fuel his tear, i personally think alot of him coming back down to earth had to do with defenses adjusting and taking him out of his game, with him being frustrated so easily its not hard for a defender to knock him off of his game and induce him into forcing things rather than waiting for the help to swing the ball. fixing that comes with experiance and a GOOD coach both of which he doesnt have. I also think he and IT are fine now, IT still looks for Cuz more than Brooks ever did. Both IT and Brooks are definately not starter material on a playoff team in the NBA.

I have been watching the spurs alot lately and outside of Tony Parker I dont think the spurs have overwhelmingly more talent than we do, certainly not to the extent of the difference in records, its just that on almost every possesion they swing the ball side to side, play inside out with pick n rolls, give up pretty good shots early in the shot clock for wide open or great shots later in the shot clock. and they do this regardless of what happend on the previous possession, it frustates defenses when they cant force them out of that great, yet simple system. The most important thing they have is accountability, even though Parker is an MVP canidate this year Pop doesnt hesistate to yank him and rip him in front of cameras if he makes a silly mistake or takes a bad shot at a bad time.

A good coach, a GM who can clear out some of the clutter at guard will do wonders for this team.

 

[Bricklayer]

I just watched the first Q (yes, small sample) of the triple double game, and one thing that is immediately noticeable, Tyreke isn't playing and thus Salmons is handling the ball a lot more running the PR with Cuz, we're hitting Salmons up top a lot and letting him dictate, he pitches to IT a couple of times who drives with success.

The offense looks very similar apart from that MT is still forcing horrible shots, we're still hitting Cuz at the elbow, IT is playing very well with 10 points off dribble drives and defending rondo out of the game.

the defense is clearly a lot more energetic.

triple double game is too early. In fact that really was more what we are seeing now. Cuz was still earning his place back, not being featured. Fast forward 2 weeks.

 

[UK_King]

Well i went forward about that much to a home game against Cleveland and the offense is abysmal. Cousins gets as many touches as he usually does and in the same areas, wide block and at the elbow, the most common "set" was to hit Salmons in the post. The PR is almost non existant and Smart goes to the second unit with about 2 minutes to go in the Q.

Couple of terrible plays by MT too.

defensively Irving was having his way with IT quite honestly.

I'm sure I'm not looking at the things you're thinking of tbh, but i genuinely don't see much different apart from obviously there was a period there where Tyreke was injured and Salmons got more touches.

 

[Bricklayer]

Well i went forward about that much to a home game against Cleveland and the offense is abysmal. Cousins gets as many touches as he usually does and in the same areas, wide block and at the elbow, the most common "set" was to hit Salmons in the post. The PR is almost non existant and Smart goes to the second unit with about 2 minutes to go in the Q.

Couple of terrible plays by MT too.

defensively Irving was having his way with IT quite honestly.

I'm sure I'm not looking at the things you're thinking of tbh, but i genuinely don't see much different apart from obviously there was a period there where Tyreke was injured and Salmons got more touches.

well truthfully UK I don't know what I am looking for. I am just following bread crumbs and taking guesses. What I do know is that defenses didn't suddenly figure Cousins out to cause him to go from scoring 29 points to the next week scoring 3. Oh, and BTW I am not blaming the offense for that either --- that was clearly Cousins being Cousins. Which is to say being a child and being upset at something that changed that he did not like. I just can't tell what without comparing things. With Cousins you never know. Might have been as simple as Smart getting on him in practice and telling him to pass more. It could have been a change in the focus of the same offense. Or it could have been the installation of parts of a new offense. I don't know.

Actually your post with the side by sides of IT and Cuz's shots was actually maybe the msot telling. There has been a huge swingaround there in the last month. guess I am looking for the explanation of why.

In the 14 games between Jan 1-Jan 25 Cousins averaged 16.4FGA a game, and was under 10 only 1 game. Over that same span Isaiah averages 9.9FGA.

In the 13 games since Jan 26, Cousins has averaged 11.6FGA and been under 10 in 6 games. In that period Isaiah averages 13.0FGA.

something has changed. And not for the better.

 

[Kingster]

well truthfully UK I don't know what I am looking for. I am just following bread crumbs and taking guesses. What I do know is that defenses didn't suddenly figure Cousins out to cause him to go from scoring 29 points to the next week scoring 3. Oh, and BTW I am not blaming the offense for that either --- that was clearly Cousins being Cousins. Which is to say being a child and being upset at something that changed that he did not like. I just can't tell what without comparing things. With Cousins you never know. Might have been as simple as Smart getting on him in practice and telling him to pass more. It could have been a change in the focus of the same offense. Or it could have been the installation of parts of a new offense. I don't know.

Actually your post with the side by sides of IT and Cuz's shots was actually maybe the msot telling. There has been a huge swingaround there in the last month. guess I am looking for the explanation of why.

In the 14 games between Jan 1-Jan 25 Cousins averaged 16.4FGA a game, and was under 10 only 1 game. Over that same span Isaiah averages 9.9FGA.

In the 13 games since Jan 26, Cousins has averaged 11.6FGA and been under 10 in 6 games. In that period Isaiah averages 13.0FGA.

something has changed. And not for the better.

That's a toughie. Who has more of the share of the blame - Smart or Cousins? After thinking long and hard, I'd still give the edge to Smart.

Among other things, having a coach with major credbility, eliminates this quandry. You are then just left with the players being accountable for the players.

 

[Glenn]

Having a good coach would answer a lot of questions.

I see a player revolt coming if it isn't already in place. In the 2nd half somethings were happening that I didn't understand. Cuz was angry and at one point when there was a time out, he stood under the basket staring at the bench while everbody hustled over. Tyreke was off but how many times has a gotten a tech for losing his temper in his career? Also, one lay up at the end of the game that would be routine for me bounced off the backboard and didn't touch the rim. I think it was deliberately missed. It seems Tyreke and Cousins may be losing it but let's keep paying attention.

Pure speculation: something happened or was said in the locker room that got under the skin of Cousins and Tyreke. I am not going to say they were asked to not try so hard as that would make it sound like they were being asked to throw the game. Something happened in the 2nd half and I don't knoiw what except that it wasn't good.

 

[Kingster]

Having a good coach would answer a lot of questions.

I see a player revolt coming if it isn't already in place. In the 2nd half somethings were happening that I didn't understand. Cuz was angry and at one point when there was a time out, he stood under the basket staring at the bench while everbody hustled over. Tyreke was off but how many times has a gotten a tech for losing his temper in his career? Also, one lay up at the end of the game that would be routine for me bounced off the backboard and didn't touch the rim. I think it was deliberately missed. It seems Tyreke and Cousins may be losing it but let's keep paying attention.

Pure speculation: something happened or was said in the locker room that got under the skin of Cousins and Tyreke. I am not going to say they were asked to not try so hard as that would make it sound like they were being asked to throw the game. Something happened in the 2nd half and I don't knoiw what except that it wasn't good.

A guy who subbed in for Grant yesterday (sorry, can't remember his name, though he's a longtime regular) said that the Kings players are overall in a very sour mood. No communication between players, a woe is me attitude, not coming together, but instead staying to themselves. The guys who were trying to make things better were the new Houston guys.

I don't know what the deal is with Cousins. When I saw his tiff with IT I didn't see anything in the preceeding play that would cause it. IT looked as angry about Cousins as Cousins did about IT (or others).

 

[Npliam]

This is the first "play" we ran for MT last night.

It was a turnover.

I just don't see how this is a good play for him.

The thing is, this is on Thornton, not Smart. We don't know what play was called because there was no way that there was time to run any play at all. Thornton is just looking to shoot the first time he touches the ball.

 

[jcwkings]

this team is just awful. there is some talent (most of which is completely overrated by some people on here), however the talent we do have doesn't mesh at all and the coaching and just organization as a whole is a complete trainwreck. It makes me sick to see teams that were in the playoffs a few years ago and were forced to rebuild, already pass us, or clearly have a better future and structure ( Houston, Utah, Minnesota, New Orleans, Golden State). This franchise is pathetic and needs a complete overhaul, unfortunately i only see that happening if the Seattle move goes through.

 

[bajaden]

A guy who subbed in for Grant yesterday (sorry, can't remember his name, though he's a longtime regular) said that the Kings players are overall in a very sour mood. No communication between players, a woe is me attitude, not coming together, but instead staying to themselves. The guys who were trying to make things better were the new Houston guys.

I don't know what the deal is with Cousins. When I saw his tiff with IT I didn't see anything in the preceeding play that would cause it. IT looked as angry about Cousins as Cousins did about IT (or others).

I never saw the tiff. Unfortunately I had to watch the other teams broadcast, and to the best of my knowledge, they never showed anything between Cuz and IT. I will say this though. A lot of things can happen during the heat of a game, but seldom do they carry over into grudges or affect the friendship of players. If you go back to both players roots, they came from different styles and disciplines. IT is simply playing the same game he played at Washington. Cousins isn't! He seldom left the post at Kentucky, where Calapari ran a dribble drive off screens type offense. He might have 2 to 3 players repeat the same play right behind one another with the ball going back to the screener until he got someone open. If you strayed from the called play, your butt was on the bench within seconds, and part of it was being chewed off.

So you have IT who for the most part had freedom to decide on the court what he thought was best, and Cousins, who was used to a very disciplined offense. Calapari also said that Cousins was one of the most intelligent players he ever coached. So you have Cousins, a player used to everyone following the coaches directions, and, who is smart enough to know when someone is straying away from that. What usually happens on a team when some of the players follow directions, and some don't? Nothing good, thats for sure, and it usually ends up being directed at the coach. After all, its his job to run the show.