[Grades] Grades v. Hornets 1/25/2016

[Bricklayer]

Kings fans these days be like:

I'm pretty sure The Boogie Prophecy didn't mention scoring 56 points while wiping out the other team's entire frontline, and still losing. This is yet another game that should have been Cousins's signature great game, but you don't get those when you lose. And when we lost him to an offensive foul midway through the 2nd OT, from that point onward I think the only bucket anybody else could squeeze out of their puckered bottoms was a dunk by WCS.

And we get beat by Troy Daniels. And by the inability for just anybody else on the Kings to step up offensively. Pretty sure the poor trainer is going to have be cleaning racing stripes from the unis of virtually every guy left on court after we lost Cuz.

Worst part is its entirely possible that we just lost tomorrow night's game too. Long exhausting night. Rudy with another reason to sit out. Cuz has to be one tired dude. I desperately want to play our guards 1 on 1 for money so long as I get the ball first, and now Lillard and McCollum are waiting.

very late now, game tomorrow, 2 OT game, we'll do what we can with impressions as much as play calls. So...what can I say...

Boxscore

Stats: 41min 20pts (7-12, 1-2, 5-8) 9reb 1ast 0stl 2blk 3TO
Summary: most of his points came in the first, attempt to go to him in 2nd OT resulted in scratched eye and missed FTs
Gay ( ) --

Stats: 38min 9pts (4-8, 0-0, 1-2) 9reb 0ast 1stl 1blk 3TO
Summary: made some rookie mistakes that helped the Hornets tie us up, also made a game saving block and what should have been the game winning dunk
Cauley Stein ( ) --

Stats: 46min 56pts (21-30, 1-3, 13-16) 12reb 4ast 1stl 2blk 7TO
Summary: had too many turnovers and got a technical -- TRADE HIM!!!
Cousins ( ) --

Stats: 16min 4pts (2-3, 0-1, 0-0) 1reb 2ast 0stl 1blk 2TO
Summary: last hear from with a dunk in the late first, got pulled in early third and watched from bench.
McLemore ( ) --

Stats: 42min 7pts (3-7, 1-2, 0-0) 10reb 20ast 0stl 0blk 3TO
Summary: ran up 20 assists, tying his own record, added 10 rebs but oh for just a little more scoring ability once we lost Cuz and Gay
Rondo ( ) --
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/1/...o-used-every-tactic-in-the-book-to-stall-game

 

[Bricklayer]

Bench

Stats: 32min 13pts (4-10, 3-7, 2-2) 8reb 1ast 0stl 1blk 2TO
Casspi ( ) --

Stats: 39min 15pts (5-12, 1-4, 4-4) 3reb 6ast 2stl 0blk 2TO
Collison ( ) --

Stats: 18min 4pts (2-7, 0-3, 0-0) 1reb 1ast 0stl 0blk 0TO
Belinelli ( ) --

Stats: 9min 0pts (0-1, 0-0, 0-0) 3reb 0ast 0stl 1blk 0TO
Koufos ( ) --

Stats: 9min 0pts (0-1, 0-1, 0-0) 0reb 1ast 0stl 0blk 0TO
Anderson ( ) --


placeholder 2...

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

 

[SLAB]

I'm not afraid to admit I'm a poor sport baby after that loss.

F the refs for DMCs 6th foul. (BS!)
F that guy who killed us.
F that other guy who scratched Rudy's eye.
F Spencer Hawes.
F the whole Hornets team.
F the refs again. (BS!)
F this game.
F this night.

War Boogie. And I'm to pissed to sleep right now.

 

[Variant]

Ouch. Clearly figuring out how to play perimeter defense will be key to this team turning the corner. Brutal loss tonight against an undermanned opponent (the latter part is why I can't be excited about the Kings fighting back as much as I'd like to). Can always hope we pull it out tomorrow, but gonna be tough after 2OT and probably no Rudy. And with an even tougher stretch of games upcoming, may look back on this one at the end of the season...

 

[HereWeBoogie]

it's cool guys that last shot that beat us was totally legit

http://nbatitlechase.com/blog/2016/01/25/troy-daniels-takes-4-steps-called-travel/

 

[SacTownGrantFan]

Because of our "defense", the game is normally decided at the 3 point line. Much more often to our detriment.

Charlotte takes 44 3-point attempts. That's right, 44 attempts. They make almost half. Kings lose.

I was at the game and what a magnificent performance by Cuz.

 

[Gliesian]

A valuable experience (for everyone not named Cuz) on what not to do at the end of a playoff game. I hope they learn from it and perform better in the postseason

 

[Variant]

it's cool guys that last shot that beat us was totally legit

http://nbatitlechase.com/blog/2016/01/25/troy-daniels-takes-4-steps-called-travel/

Good grief. Pretty blatant.

 

[Iced Espresso]

Key to the game

 

[KingsFanSince85]

it's cool guys that last shot that beat us was totally legit

http://nbatitlechase.com/blog/2016/01/25/troy-daniels-takes-4-steps-called-travel/

Thanks for posting that so I didn't have to bring it up.

It's always sour grapes to bring up officiating in a loss, but it usually is a huge factor because it is so damn subjective. And one bad call can determine the outcome of a game, let alone several bad calls.

It just drives me nuts to no end that they can call Cuz for an offensive foul when he really didn't even throw an elbow (muscled Kaminsky with his shoulder) YET not be able to see such a blatant travel by a guy that doesn't know how to put the ball on the floor to get his shot off.

That's another thing that always drives me crazy --- the career scrub that plays way over his head and to ridiculous levels against the Kings. Troy Daniels really had no business even taking that shot let alone making it. It's one thing if that shot is made by Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or even James Harden ---- but Troy freaking Daniels? A career 4 ppg scrub whose season high coming in was 17 and needed 4 games to total 8 made three point FG's prior to this game? It's one thing to get hot in an NBA game, but altogether different to to take and make that last shot with 9 seconds still on the clock AND not get called for traveling when you are a no-name that shouldn't be getting any "star" treatment from the officials.

Lastly, how many in and out shots did the Kings have in the 2 OT's? They must have had at least 4 or 5, including the last shot of the game.

/END OF VENTING SESSION

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Key to the game

Yeah that certainly didn't help.

Most may not agree with me, but I was actually upset at the time that Karl didn't get Rudy out of the game. I realize that if he doesn't shoot the FT's, he can't come back in. However, if the guy can't see what good is he? It was painfully obvious that Rudy was really struggling to open his eye even after several minutes. At the very least, Karl should have wasted a timeout to get him off the floor immediately after his last shot. But I would have removed him and took my chances with Rondo or whomever else would have been selected to shoot those foul shots. Rudy wasn't going to be able to help the team on either side of the floor at that point anyway.

Boy, what a blown opportunity. And twice to the damned Charlotte Hornets of all teams.

 

[est.1999]

Jesus

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Can we trade Belinelli for Troy Daniels? He hit more shots tonight than Marco's hit all month long.

 

[Boogie_Fever]

I'm probably being a little dramatic due to the loss but don't you think that we have a player like Big Cuz about 15 years too late. The NBA is unfortunately geared towards teams that shoot 40 + 3 pointers like tonight. 15 years ago, this team currently built the way it is would be a top tier team and Demarcus Cousins would be considered the most dominant player in the game. Insane how zone defenses and emphasis on 3 point shooting has nullified interior play. Its so disheartning. The corner 3 is more valuable than a low post mismatch in the modern NBA. Unbelievable.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Insane how zone defenses and emphasis on 3 point shooting has nullified interior play. Its so disheartning. The corner 3 is more valuable than a low post mismatch in the modern NBA. Unbelievable.

I disagree. If anything, this game re-enforces my belief that a true dominant big is a better way to go than living and dying by the 3.

Think about it for a minute. The Kings nearly -- and really should have -- won a game in which they committed 13 more turnovers, surrendered 16 offensive rebounds and saw the opponent make 20 of 44 3pt attempts.

If they simply took better care of the ball or grabbed a few more rebounds, those 20 3's wouldn't have mattered.

Yes, I get that Big Cuz isn't going to score 56 every night, but he certainly can dominate the paint every night against these perimeter oriented teams with soft bigs. They just need to tighten the screws on their defense a bit and get some reliable shooting when Cuz kicks the ball out of the double and triple teams.

In the end, our perimeter shots should always be more wide open when playing from the inside out than these teams that have to play outside in. That's the other key thing --- our dominant big can really pass the ball. If we want to shoot 44 threes like these other teams, we can get those shots passing out of the post.

 

[c-webb1s#1]

I can't stay upset at this loss for too long. We have an absolute beast in DMC and he has the ability to be the best center in modern NBA history.

 

[IfAt1st]

it's cool guys that last shot that beat us was totally legit

http://nbatitlechase.com/blog/2016/01/25/troy-daniels-takes-4-steps-called-travel/

So what's the odds that the NBA will be clear in their ref play review of last 2 minutes + OT and actually classify that shot as a INC (Incorrect Non-Call)?
They've been savage all year with interpreting calls against the Kings, every single time I've analyzed it, the questionable calls and non-calls are judged anti-Kings.
This travel was a BLATANT 4-step with foot shuffle - they HAVE to classify it right or the whole system is rigged.

Oh - BTW - no superstar in my memory has EVER been called for an offensive foul after an offensive rebound in a dominant game with such a chicken-crap call.
Cuz caught the rebound between THREE defenders, was pinned between two of them, moved away from the guy in front of him towards the basket and made the play....... only to have Kaminsky's weak frame and head behind him to flop backwards, and the refs actually made the same mistake they always make - making the call based on the reaction, not the action.
Kaminsky's head (and body) fouled Boogie during the shot attempt - that's a clear shooting foul.
What ref fouls out a superstar on a night like that, by giving a weak ROOKIE the call in that scenario?!

I'm telling y'all, it is WAY past time that Vivek and the King's FO went to the league (pull a Mark Cuban) and talk to them about protecting their superstar.
They should also be endeavoring to get the league to include Cuz in the NBA promotional materials the way other league leaders are.

 

[Chicken Chaser]

I hope Rudy's eye is okay. I've played enough NBA 2K to know that Rudy Gay had eye surgery to correct his vision a few years ago.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...his-vision-was-terrible-so-he-had-eye-surgery

Kemba Walker needs to wear these:

 

[captain bill]

I'm probably being a little dramatic due to the loss but don't you think that we have a player like Big Cuz about 15 years too late. The NBA is unfortunately geared towards teams that shoot 40 + 3 pointers like tonight. 15 years ago, this team currently built the way it is would be a top tier team and Demarcus Cousins would be considered the most dominant player in the game. Insane how zone defenses and emphasis on 3 point shooting has nullified interior play. Its so disheartning. The corner 3 is more valuable than a low post mismatch in the modern NBA. Unbelievable.

We just need above-replacement-value wings. Athletic, fast, full-sized guys who can compete on the perimeter. Or at least one...

 

[IfAt1st]

Oh, yeah - almost forgot :

Again...... for the love of god, BENCH MARCO!

What is it going to take for Karl to play Ben more than Marco?
Marco is 6 for 34 his last 4 games (<18%!), with defense so atrocious it instantly costs the team points.
Seriously - what would it take for Ben to get more playtime than Marco?

 

[Siranthony]

What lost this game was lazy defense! Why we reverted back to the lazy kings from earlier in the year I don't know. I didn't get to see the end of the game because my internet on my phone stopped working. I'm amazed we made it to overtime as Cousins was the only one who seemed to care. RG needs to rest more.

 

[Chicken Chaser]

Oh, yeah - almost forgot :

Again...... for the love of god, BENCH MARCO!

What is it going to take for Karl to play Ben more than Marco?
Marco is 6 for 34 his last 4 games (<18%!), with defense so atrocious it instantly costs the team points.
Seriously - what would it take for Ben to get more playtime than Marco?

I took the liberty to compare Marcus Thornton's last season with Marco Belinelli's current season stats. Similar FG% and 3P% for about the same amount of games played and minutes.

I probably should have posted splits too. There, you can see Marco's 3P% has fallen to about 27% over 25 games from December to January. Marcus Thornton was 36% and 30% respectively. If you check totals, both attempted 3pts in the low 50s in December, and mid-50s in January. If Marco could hit his shots like that pre-season game against Toronto or be the offensive threat the ole Bayou Bomber once was, that'd be great.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/3190/marco-belinelli
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/4017/year/2014/marcus-thornton

EDIT: Here are Ben McLemore's current season splits
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/2578213/ben-mclemore

 

[mac]

I took the liberty to compare Marcus Thornton's last season with Marco Belinelli's current season stats. Similar FG% and 3P% for about the same amount of games played and minutes.


I probably should have posted splits too. There, you can see Marco's 3P% has fallen to about 27% over 25 games from December to January. Marcus Thornton was 36% and 30% respectively. If you check totals, both attempted 3pts in the low 50s in December, and mid-50s in January. If Marco could hit his shots like that pre-season game against Toronto or be the offensive threat the ole Bayou Bomber once was, that'd be great. All I can say is at least Marco doesn't pout like MT did.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/3190/marco-belinelli
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/4017/year/2014/marcus-thornton

EDIT: Here are Ben McLemore's current season splits
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/splits/_/id/2578213/ben-mclemore

The problem is Belinelli is "having" to take a load of tough shots. It's very difficult for a shooter to find his rhythm when it requires him to come off screens and take long fadeaway shots. But we don't have anyone in the second unit who can really create for himself, so we're left with Belli running around like that. Much easier for him to get his groove back if we could get him some wide open 3s.

 

[King Baller]

Feels like Big Shot Bob all over again

 

[New Era]

I'm not afraid to admit I'm a poor sport baby after that loss.

F the refs for DMCs 6th foul. (BS!)
F that guy who killed us.
F that other guy who scratched Rudy's eye.
F Spencer Hawes.
F the whole Hornets team.
F the refs again. (BS!)
F this game.
F this night.

War Boogie. And I'm to pissed to sleep right now.

Kind of boring to blame the refs after that. The offensive foul on Cousins 6th was a correct call.

 

[theclash4u5]

I was there last night, and I swear, from the 4th Q on, the refs were just picking calls out of a hat. They would **** up a call, then obviously do a makeup call immediately after, or stop the game out of no where to think about a call....it was bad. The Kemba Walker call for FTs was horrible, don't care if he was tripped, no refs would ever call that on a road game to win it.

 

[Chubbs]

Thanks for posting that so I didn't have to bring it up.

It's always sour grapes to bring up officiating in a loss, but it usually is a huge factor because it is so damn subjective. And one bad call can determine the outcome of a game, let alone several bad calls.

It just drives me nuts to no end that they can call Cuz for an offensive foul when he really didn't even throw an elbow (muscled Kaminsky with his shoulder) YET not be able to see such a blatant travel by a guy that doesn't know how to put the ball on the floor to get his shot off.

That's another thing that always drives me crazy --- the career scrub that plays way over his head and to ridiculous levels against the Kings. Troy Daniels really had no business even taking that shot let alone making it. It's one thing if that shot is made by Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or even James Harden ---- but Troy freaking Daniels? A career 4 ppg scrub whose season high coming in was 17 and needed 4 games to total 8 made three point FG's prior to this game? It's one thing to get hot in an NBA game, but altogether different to to take and make that last shot with 9 seconds still on the clock AND not get called for traveling when you are a no-name that shouldn't be getting any "star" treatment from the officials.

Lastly, how many in and out shots did the Kings have in the 2 OT's? They must have had at least 4 or 5, including the last shot of the game.

/END OF VENTING SESSION

I await the NBA official report from the last 2 minutes and both OTs. The travel was blatant. Ouch NBA. The Cuz offensive foul I'm not sure is as clear cut. We'll see. I'll tell you one thing though, no other star in the NBA is called for an an offensive foul there. With 56 points? Nope. Never. Only Cuz.

Credit to IfAt1st for pointing that out first. It just really would never ever happen like that.

 

[dude12]

I'm not a big fan of us going with DC at the top to run our offense after Cuz fouled out and Rudy left. He's just not very good at running an offense. iIRC, didnt Rondo initiate the offense that led to the Casspi drive and dish for the WCS dunk? George needs to figure that out and also needs to figure out the 3 point defense

 

[kingjatt]

Guys like Troy Daniels get off on us constantly because they know that there is zero chance a 6 footer in Rondo or Collision is getting up there to block their set jump shot. This allows them to release comfortably. Look at how shooters rush when WCS is the one closing out, he usually does not block the shot, but the mere thought of length flying at them is enough to throw them off. I don't know when George is going to give up this 2 point guard garbage but until he does I expect more of the same.