Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
First of all I am proud of everybody for not giving up. That goes not just for the current Kings players. It also goes for all the fans who have kept the struggle alive since the news broke at the All Star break. It goes out to CWebb for the last ditch effort. And to anybody else who has refused to give up on this team and this franchise.
Secondly, Tyreke, WTF.
I don't know whether this is goodbye or not -- I truly believe there is still a chance for a miracle save here. But regardless, this theme will be for you, the fans of the Sacramento Kings, and 26 years of good times.
Official Boxscore
Garcia ( C+ ) -- numbers look bad, but he competed hard, in the early going of this one in particular. Showed uncommon fight on the boards, and competing hard against Kobe. Which can't be allowed of course. So Cisco got a full dose of Kobe-calls straight from the early 2000s, including committing egregious fouls with his shin when he was falling down and his cheek when he dared to ge it in the way of Kobe's elbow. Fortunately however he did not get called for the foul when Kobe missed the open dunk. That was JT. No factor in the third, and in particular took a dumb quick shot three as things fell apart as we were falling down 22. Didn't last long after fouling Kobe's elbow with his face as we were probably worried he was going to get called for a flagrant if Kobe decide to knee him in the nads. Hard to grade something like this,but deserves something just for the spirit of the thing.
Cousins ( INC ) -- final game in front of the home fans, and the refs wouldn't let him play. These refs were a real piece of work BTW. Was playing well in the early going, but getting into it with Gasol, and the tight whistles, including a ridiculous early double technical for actually trying to post up, meant he was quickly to the bench. Only played 8 first half minutes, and it hurt -- we weren't as dynamic. Back in to start the 4th and immediately made a nice crosscourt pass to Donte. But in only a few minutes had picked up his 2nd technical -- who knows why, but its the second time in two years a top Kings rookie has been thrown out of the final game of the season against the Lakers. Despite the fact we were down 20 at the time, DeMarcus maybe deserves some credit for this one though. He wasn't going to take it anymore, and his dismissal woke the crowd back up and seemed to light a major fire beneatht he rest of the team as we stormed all the way back, took the lead, and would/should have won this thing.
Dalembert ( A ) -- and made his own closing argument for a return next year in prime fashion -- this is the stage and the opponent, and he showed he w more than up to the challenge. Competing from the very beginning, but was another guy getting called for some ticky tack fouls. Relentless around the offensive glass all night although went through some dry spells finishing. Came up with a number of good blocks, none bigger than the one on Gasol in the mid 4th as we cut the lead to 8 and the comeback was in full swing. Offensive board after offensive board as we got the lead down to 4.
Thornton ( A ) -- given how much he's shown he loves the big moment since he arrived in Sacto, why not the big game (at least for the Kings)? Got off to the explosive start, just very quick and aggressive and beating everybody they threw at him inside and out. But then suddenly went as cold as he had been hot, and adter 15pts in the first 10 minutes or so, missed and missed and only got one more basket before half. Created shots for his teammates off the drive in the early third, and started to get his shots to fall again. But as the Lakers began puling away there was soem scruffy 1 on 1ness to it as he puylled up for contested threes and dribbled them in. Tried to draw a foul on a three at the end of the third and again took it too quick, giving the Lakers another shot before the end of the quarter. Then the 4th quarter rolled around, and we went to our three guard, and Reke had to take the opposing SFs because of size, and so Thronton ended up in a 1 on 1 duel with Kobe after he retruned to the game. And he rose to the occasion, seemingly to small for the job but very very competitive and byt the stretch run was getting the better of it as Kobe missed contested shots while Marcus was making plays. Picked off a sloppy pass and hit the layup to make it 2. Knifed past Odom to tie it at the 2:00 mark. But in the end Kobe finally got him, as he was beat on Kobe's game tying three with 5 seconds to go, and his game winning attempt at the buzzer was blocked from behind by Kobe. Then OT came around...and well, the OT result was all about the next guy I am grading here. Marcus was largely frozen out, both by Kobe face guarding him and denying the ball, and by his own teammate. This is still an A -- huge game in a huge setting, went toe to toe with the #6 scorer of all time without blinking. Let's just get all these guys back next year, upgrade that SF spot, and give this a full season of go. We're ready to be good already.
Secondly, Tyreke, WTF.
I don't know whether this is goodbye or not -- I truly believe there is still a chance for a miracle save here. But regardless, this theme will be for you, the fans of the Sacramento Kings, and 26 years of good times.
Official Boxscore
Garcia ( C+ ) -- numbers look bad, but he competed hard, in the early going of this one in particular. Showed uncommon fight on the boards, and competing hard against Kobe. Which can't be allowed of course. So Cisco got a full dose of Kobe-calls straight from the early 2000s, including committing egregious fouls with his shin when he was falling down and his cheek when he dared to ge it in the way of Kobe's elbow. Fortunately however he did not get called for the foul when Kobe missed the open dunk. That was JT. No factor in the third, and in particular took a dumb quick shot three as things fell apart as we were falling down 22. Didn't last long after fouling Kobe's elbow with his face as we were probably worried he was going to get called for a flagrant if Kobe decide to knee him in the nads. Hard to grade something like this,but deserves something just for the spirit of the thing.
Cousins ( INC ) -- final game in front of the home fans, and the refs wouldn't let him play. These refs were a real piece of work BTW. Was playing well in the early going, but getting into it with Gasol, and the tight whistles, including a ridiculous early double technical for actually trying to post up, meant he was quickly to the bench. Only played 8 first half minutes, and it hurt -- we weren't as dynamic. Back in to start the 4th and immediately made a nice crosscourt pass to Donte. But in only a few minutes had picked up his 2nd technical -- who knows why, but its the second time in two years a top Kings rookie has been thrown out of the final game of the season against the Lakers. Despite the fact we were down 20 at the time, DeMarcus maybe deserves some credit for this one though. He wasn't going to take it anymore, and his dismissal woke the crowd back up and seemed to light a major fire beneatht he rest of the team as we stormed all the way back, took the lead, and would/should have won this thing.
Dalembert ( A ) -- and made his own closing argument for a return next year in prime fashion -- this is the stage and the opponent, and he showed he w more than up to the challenge. Competing from the very beginning, but was another guy getting called for some ticky tack fouls. Relentless around the offensive glass all night although went through some dry spells finishing. Came up with a number of good blocks, none bigger than the one on Gasol in the mid 4th as we cut the lead to 8 and the comeback was in full swing. Offensive board after offensive board as we got the lead down to 4.
Thornton ( A ) -- given how much he's shown he loves the big moment since he arrived in Sacto, why not the big game (at least for the Kings)? Got off to the explosive start, just very quick and aggressive and beating everybody they threw at him inside and out. But then suddenly went as cold as he had been hot, and adter 15pts in the first 10 minutes or so, missed and missed and only got one more basket before half. Created shots for his teammates off the drive in the early third, and started to get his shots to fall again. But as the Lakers began puling away there was soem scruffy 1 on 1ness to it as he puylled up for contested threes and dribbled them in. Tried to draw a foul on a three at the end of the third and again took it too quick, giving the Lakers another shot before the end of the quarter. Then the 4th quarter rolled around, and we went to our three guard, and Reke had to take the opposing SFs because of size, and so Thronton ended up in a 1 on 1 duel with Kobe after he retruned to the game. And he rose to the occasion, seemingly to small for the job but very very competitive and byt the stretch run was getting the better of it as Kobe missed contested shots while Marcus was making plays. Picked off a sloppy pass and hit the layup to make it 2. Knifed past Odom to tie it at the 2:00 mark. But in the end Kobe finally got him, as he was beat on Kobe's game tying three with 5 seconds to go, and his game winning attempt at the buzzer was blocked from behind by Kobe. Then OT came around...and well, the OT result was all about the next guy I am grading here. Marcus was largely frozen out, both by Kobe face guarding him and denying the ball, and by his own teammate. This is still an A -- huge game in a huge setting, went toe to toe with the #6 scorer of all time without blinking. Let's just get all these guys back next year, upgrade that SF spot, and give this a full season of go. We're ready to be good already.
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