[Grades] Grades v. Jazz 1/14/2016

Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat

And that is Kings basketball in a nutshell this year. It ain't for the faint hearted.

And oh yeah, some dude named Cousins dropped in another ho-hum 36-17, and is now averaging a cool 32.5pts 12.8 rebounds in January. Lucky us, as it raises his trade value. o_O

So we're back within 1 of the Jazz. Of course since while we were screwing around Portland and Denver who have no right being here, both closed up ranks with us and so now its a pack again while the traditional respectable powers have started to distance themselves from the sub-.500 scrum. Nothing easy this season. No easy answers. Its as foolish to get over-enthused as it is to repeatedly panic and go stomping around a bonfire burning Kings players in effigy. This team keeps on wobbling on to a rhythm only it understands. We're just spectators.


Boxscore

Stats: 39min 24pts (9-17, 1-4, 5-6) 9reb 1ast 3stl 0blk 2TO
Summary:terrible play in the 4th helped nearly give away the game, then made for it with multiple big shots, including the game winner
Gay ( ) --

Stats: 24min 9pts (4-6, 0-0, 1-2) 8reb 0ast 1stl 1blk 0TO
Summary: made a difference running the floor and protecting the rim from the start, and came up with a huge block late
Cauley Stein( ) --

Stats: 39min 36pts (10-21, 2-2, 14-21) 17reb 1ast 1stl 1blk 4TO
Summary: yet another monster game in an epic month of them, bullied Gobert, knocked out Booker (literally), beast
Cousins ( ) --

Stats: 18min 4pts (1-2, 0-0, 2-2) 0reb 0ast 2stl 0blk 1TO
Summary: was giving a good defensive effort early, but the fouls he picked up doing so helped him disappear to the bench again
McLemore ( ) --

Stats: 35min 6pts (2-9, 0-1, 2-2) 6reb 13ast 2stl 0blk 3TO
Summary:much more focused defensively, and more brilliant passing, but down the stretch made some shaky decisions
Rondo ( ) --

placeholder...
 
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Bench

Stats: 26min 10pts (4-6, 1-2, 1-1) 3reb 0ast 0stl 0blk 0TO
Casspi ( ) --

Stats: 21min 11pts (3-6, 0-1, 5-6) 2reb 3ast 0stl 0blk 3TO
Belinelli ( ) --

Stats: 15min 0pts (0-2, 0-0, 0-0) 7reb 0ast 2stl 0blk 1TO
Koufos ( ) --

Stats: 24min 3pts (1-5, 1-1, 0-2) 2reb 1ast 1stl 0blk 1TO
Collison ( ) --

placeholder 2...
 
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Luweegee said:
Defense looks better when WCS is paired with Cuz. Hope Karl is taking notes.
Click to expand...

WCS makes up so much for our guards pathetic defense. When he's on the floor he can cover all positions and be at any spot in a second all while being a shot blocking threat.

I definitely think we're gonna trade for a defensive SG or backup PG come trade deadline. WCS can't make up for our guards defensive woes for 48 minutes.
 
Not that Utah is some powerhouse 3pt shooting team, but we held them to 18% shooting on 34 attempts. Some of that is a bad shooting night, sure, but that's a huge positive step in the right direction. Teams just launch away at us with 29 3's a game and they shoot 35% on them. Need to start chipping both totals down to turn the defense around;
 
The_Jamal said:
Not that Utah is some powerhouse 3pt shooting team, but we held them to 18% shooting on 34 attempts. Some of that is a bad shooting night, sure, but that's a huge positive step in the right direction. Teams just launch away at us with 29 3's a game and they shoot 35% on them. Need to start chipping both totals down to turn the defense around;
Click to expand...

Our defense is not great. But they are downright horrendous on a flat night like Wednesday. Last night they where better and WCS needs to play.

When the team is not having a good offence night, they should focus on defense. I think it would make a big difference.
 
I don't care what the records or or what "NBA circles" say, the Pelicans are a far better team than the Jazz.

And I can't believe how close this franchise was to collapsing under the weight of its collective dysfunctions tonight.
Seriously, if Rudy misses that shot, he's probably traded soon, Rondo may not re-sign, Cousins is gone shortly after, and the new arena is a wasteland of empty seats.

This organization is on THAT thin of razor's edge right now.
 
came here specifically to criticise Rondo's defense this game. every time he defended the ballhandler I immediately looked whether or not helpside defense was in position. every time it wasn't it was an easy score for whoever it was Rondo defended. great win though, be nice if it brought some stability.
 
IfAt1st said:
I don't care what the records or or what "NBA circles" say, the Pelicans are a far better team than the Jazz.

And I can't believe how close this franchise was to collapsing under the weight of its collective dysfunctions tonight.
Seriously, if Rudy misses that shot, he's probably traded soon, Rondo may not re-sign, Cousins is gone shortly after, and the new arena is a wasteland of empty seats.

This organization is on THAT thin of razor's edge right now.
Click to expand...
I think we just have Utah's number. They are a modernized elite defensive suited to these guard/perimeter oriented squads. Our offense is rather abstract and is especially dynamic with a guy like Cousins and a passer like Rondo. Cousins might be the only big that can truly beat you inside and out.
 
Rudy's shot was the play of the game.
A very close 2nd was Willie's block on Rodney Hood late in the forth.
Hood was looking at a very easy bucket after posting Rondo up. WCS was having none of that. He also recovered the ball. Love this kid.
 
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Willie is great because he follows the ball, i.e. the guard penetrating without losing his man. When Ben, Rudy, Marco try to follow the ball they often lose their man. They get caught watching the ball and lose sight of where their guy went...

Oops :oops:

This is why no lead is safe with the Kings and our next blowout win with be the first of the season!

Our offense becomes predictable with Boogie/Rondo sets, the hot and cold of Rudy/Darren as secondary scorers and NO real third scoring threat that would ideally be a SG who can create his own shot.

I said a few months ago Marco or Ben needed 14 to 15 PER to legitimize that position. They are wallowing at 11 PER and 9 PER respectively and that stat does not fully appreciate the anemic defense.

The more pressing issue regarding pending playoff push is our defense grants free pass between 12 feet to 25 feet. Opponents have carte blanche from 12 to 25 feet unless Seth the Stopper is on the floor.

Acquiring Ryan Anderson will not solve this dilemma. Only when KK, Boogie and Willie are waiting from 0 feet to 12 feet does challenge to opponent present itself.

Willie has defensive instincts that can't be taught and scratching the surface of what he can do. He's like a newborn puppy brought to a home exploring his world for the first time before asserting himself as King of the Castle.

Boogie was great again pulverizing the Jazz though he did revert to a few forces where I would rather see him do the drop down pass like he did to Willie in the first half. When Boogie attacks the basket a little shovel pass is a nice option he can exploit more when 2+ defenders surround him.

It was fitting Rudy nailed the game winner because before he hit money 3, tip-in on weak side, and 1/2 free throws he was killing us the entire 4th quarter. He made about half dozen bad plays consecutively including not getting back on defensive after shooting a free throw!!!

If faint praise was ever due to a player, it kind of was to Rudy last night. Thanks for the sweet shot and winning the game, Rudy....after almost blowing it. ;)
 
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Mr. S£im Citrus said:
You know we've already had three of those, right? Hell, we had one less than two weeks ago.
Click to expand...
We've had so many tribals and tribulations i.e. Dallas, last night, 76er game, almost all of December, you don't actually expect me to remember the good times do you??? :D

Seriously the only route I recall is the first Laker game. If there were two others in there somewhere the PTSD as Kings fans has erased them from my memory bank.
 
Oh yeah, that reminds me:
I noticed last night in crunch time they actually had on the floor the lineup some of us have been wanting to see:
Rondo, Casspi, Gay, WCS, and Cousins.

I was shocked to see it, and couldn't remember seeing it before - can anyone look that up?

I was very relieved to see the Kings win the game in which they played that lineup down the stretch, so hopefully it may return again soon, and often.
 
IfAt1st said:
Oh yeah, that reminds me:
I noticed last night in crunch time they actually had on the floor the lineup some of us have been wanting to see:
Rondo, Casspi, Gay, WCS, and Cousins.

I was shocked to see it, and couldn't remember seeing it before - can anyone look that up?

I was very relieved to see the Kings win the game in which they played that lineup down the stretch, so hopefully it may return again soon, and often.
Click to expand...
It seems eons ago that it crossed my mind that in all the years Karl has coached, he must have developed some idea of how to play something other than the uptempo game. In my impatience, I gave up on him. Now I am not so sure what to think but I am thinking that he has noticed WCS is useful and he has to make room for him. WCS is not only tall but has an instinct (maybe) of where he needs to be. Well, it's either an instinct or his amazing speed and quickness. I want to see more of this, of course.

Karl has recently had two bigs on the court before WCS got healthy and (obviously) it was Cuz and Koufos. It wasn't often but it was like a human sticking his toe in the water to see how it feels.

I think the team is better off with a changing Karl than hiring a new coach. We're not even at the half way point and are close to qualifying for the playoffs. This is a bit off topic but I think I heard that up to this point the Kings had the 6th most difficult schedule. Thank goodness I trust Vlade. Who knows, he may be whispering coaching ideas into Karl's ear. Why not?



I have to add for the hell of it: Rondo could be a decent downfield passer in football.
 
I shall not fall for any more wins like this....you take them as they come, whenever that may be. Karl...keep playing big, it works in spurts.
 
kingsboi said:
I shall not fall for any more wins like this....you take them as they come, whenever that may be. Karl...keep playing big, it works in spurts.
Click to expand...
I think we are on the same page. The team won but it won using nothing new except WCS. Karl's style depends on us out gunning the opposition. If our guns are cold, we lose. If the other team's guns are hot, we may lose. We were one opponent away from losing last night and that was Haywood. (sp?)

The more I think of it, yes, Haywood could have won the game for Utah if he was remotely "on" but they were also missing Favors. Let us cheer the W but no corner has been turned. We are a team with good players playing an awkward style of basketball well chronicled by damn near everyone. Any team with Cuz, Rondo, and Gay with a very good supporting cast should be thinking of far more than simply being an 8th seed.
 
Glenn said:
I think we are on the same page. The team won but it won using nothing new except WCS. Karl's style depends on us out gunning the opposition. If our guns are cold, we lose. If the other team's guns are hot, we may lose. We were one opponent away from losing last night and that was Haywood. (sp?)

The more I think of it, yes, Haywood could have won the game for Utah if he was remotely "on" but they were also missing Favors. Let us cheer the W but no corner has been turned. We are a team with good players playing an awkward style of basketball well chronicled by damn near everyone. Any team with Cuz, Rondo, and Gay with a very good supporting cast should be thinking of far more than simply being an 8th seed.
Click to expand...

Hayward was the Kings' second best player for the night besides Cousins. He shot something like 3-16 or 3-17...I can't recall. Same open looks Utah missed in the first quarter they started making more as the game went along....they either drop or they don't, it's nothing special the Kings are doing really. The one constant you can say is the big man defense has been the positive...the guards on the other hand, none of them can hold their own. Curry at least tries and hustles his behind off.

The ceiling of a Cousins, Rondo & Gay trio isn't very high anyway IMO...therefore why we will see a Gay trade in the near future and a possible exit for Rondo.
 
Glenn said:
. Any team with Cuz, Rondo, and Gay with a very good supporting cast should be thinking of far more than simply being an 8th seed.
Click to expand...

Except Cousins was not beast mode and "real" Cousins playing to (and above) expectations until 2016 and handful of games to start the season.

If Boogie was Boogie at A or A- or B+ in 2015 instead of C+ or C- we wouldn't be 7 games under .500 and be close to 6th seed. Boogie himself said recently he feels he has given away games related to his play and by my count it was 6 in December. If we get half of those we are .500 team.

Relatedly I challenge anyone tell me a legitimate strategic issue they have with Karl's defensive schemes because so far I haven't heard one. I have my own issues with Karl because he has been less than inspiring as leader and has not created a culture of cohesiveness with his energy and personality but "depending on us out gunning the opposition" is not fair.

Karl has said he gives his players the freedom to choose when to switch so when fans say Karl's stupid defensives schemes don't work they should say: "Our head coach who gives players the freedom to switch is stupid because they cannot handle this responsibility" When it is said this way which is accurate reflection it becomes less of an inditement on coach.

It is probably valid to say small ball has cost the team defensively but the strength of this roster is scoring so putting more defense on the floor hypothetically consists of playing less talented players (Ben > Darren) over more talented ones. I guess you could argue this would make a difference but I think what you gain on one end you lose on the other.

If you want to say Willie should have played more before the finger injury, I will agree with you to extent though his conditioning apparently held him back and so I don't think we can protest too vociferously without being privy to firsthand account.

The real problem with our defense is that we don't have any solid perimeter defenders except Seth Curry who was great recently when we tried to mount too little too late comeback against Pelicans. You could see immediately the level of energy Curry brought to the floor that our rotational players often lack. He has the eye of the tiger. Our rotational players often have the eye of the toy poodle.

To be a good defender you need have length or be physical and preferably both. Physical meaning making contact with opponent without committing foul. Ben and Marco do not have the length or physicality to be effective defenders. Rondo has the length to defend at PG or SG but has lost lateral quickness after ACL. Darren lacks length and at 165 lacks physicality though tougher than given credit for. Rudy has length but too busy looking forward to name being called on offense to stop anyone consistently. And he lacks lateral quickness and toughness. Omri is a tick above average because he has super quick instincts but lacks physicality to be a stopper.

So no matter what defensive system Thibs or Malone or another coach were to install this is the clay which they would have have to mold. Should Kings be better defensively? Probably but significantly better is unlikely given the personnel limitations.
 
jalfa said:
came here specifically to criticise Rondo's defense this game. every time he defended the ballhandler I immediately looked whether or not helpside defense was in position. every time it wasn't it was an easy score for whoever it was Rondo defended. great win though, be nice if it brought some stability.
Click to expand...
Rondo is hurt. He may still be leading the league in assists, but he's not himself, and that's most apparent on defense where he can't stay in front of anyone.
 
Blob said:
Relatedly I challenge anyone tell me a legitimate strategic issue they have with Karl's defensive schemes because so far I haven't heard one. I have my own issues with Karl because he has been less than inspiring as leader and has not created a culture of cohesiveness with his energy and personality but "depending on us out gunning the opposition" is not fair.
Click to expand...
You haven't heard a legitimate issue with Karl's defensive schemes?
not-sure-if-serious.jpg


If you want to say Willie should have played more before the finger injury, I will agree with you to extent though his conditioning apparently held him back and so I don't think we can protest too vociferously without being privy to firsthand account.
Click to expand...
That's a bit of a problem IMO, since you're blaming the victim of Karl's known and career-long bias against rookies as the cause of the bias.
Relatedly I challenge anyone to tell me a legitimate issue they have with Willie's conditioning stopping him from playing more minutes.

Have you watched him slow down on the court ONCE this season?
Have you watched him breathing exceedingly hard, or displaying any signs of fatigue whatsoever?

If you can't produce evidence of Willie's "bad conditioning", we must assume that excuse is bullcrap, and just Karl covering his known biases.
BTW - this is exactly the kind of behavior and statements that I would guess drives the players insane and cause them to chafe playing under the man.
 
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