[Grades] Grades v. Lakers 12/21/2014

[Tetsujin]

I know in the modern era we like to worry about the poor dears breaking a nail and everything, but Pat Riley's teams wouldn't even have broken a sweat at those minutes. 38-40 is just what you played when you were a major starter.

To be fair, Pat Riley's a crazy person who just happens to also be one of the five best coaches in NBA history.

 

[KingMilz]

The Team goes as far as DMC takes it. Nothing wrong with that. But still our one and only efficient offense is posting up Cousins and play off him. Once he is out of the game or the opponent does a good job defending him, we are doomed. It's Rudy ISO or bust at this point.
You almost never see Landry or Thompson rolling to the basket or getting setup in a position, where they only need to finish. You don't See any plays for Ben or Stauskas coming off multiple screens.
Ofc we can beat the Lakers, if they play as selfish as they did. But still this is stagnant, simple and against better teams most likely bad offense resulting in countless turnovers and forced shots.
In a best case scenario we could reach for the 8 spot with this offense, if we play stellar defense again, get to the line a lot. This is just because DMC is one of the most unique talents in the league and not due to the fact, that we are a good Team. After all we are bad, but DMC covers our weakness.

This is actually one of the things that has frustrated me about the Kings teams of the last 5 years or so, we have never had a big man who can finish and has a good feel for the pick n ROLL, we always have guys who pick n pop but none of them know how to create space for themselves and finish on the roll.

JT has all the physical tools in that he's strong 6'11 and bouncy but he just doesn't seem to know how to dive to the rim effectively. I really think it's the one massive thing missing from the team getting 3-5+ easy buckets a game on pick n rolls open's up everything in particular leading to wide open 3 point looks. Ryan Hollins does a decent job at it but overall he's just by NBA standards a below average player.

 

[Chubbs]

Come fly with Ben, Kobe. Looks like Kobe got grounded at takeoff.

http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2014/12/21/7432093/ben-mclemore-takes-flight-and-gives-kings-the-lead

 

[FaStRmAn]

No poll for me as don't really know and Plumlee isn't going anywhere from multiple inputs on Twitter.

With McCallum emerging and Omri due in the next game tomorrow night, the bench might just be ready to take a step up to hopefully start giving the starters some R&R. Being without Cuz for 10 now having the monster man back will take a game or 3 more to get back in the swing of things. Plus don't know how Corbin will deal with the rotation yet as that will take awhile too.

Bench and starters finally woke up in 4th to play like they should. Interesting combo playing down the stretch: Cuz, DWill, Ben, Collison and Ray or Rudy.

We have no bench. Hollins is a dumpster fire of Cow Droppings. We dont have a starting PF or bench PF. We have Gay and no backup at SF (without Casspi), We have an emerging SG in McClemore but Stauskas is a green rookie. And Finally there is Collison at PG and nothing else.

That being said, you have to fill out the Starting unit with NBA Caliber players before you can work on your bench. However as bad as the situation is behind Collison, you really need to address the problem at Backup PG. Leads are not safe when Stupidity and Carelessness are in Sessions. And as an added kick in the groin, McCallum has not been the revelation we needed him to become.

Im not here to say that Deron Williams is the answer. But this team certainly needs to make a move of some kind in order to improve either the PF position or the PG position situations. Any improvement to those 2 positions will be welcomed with celebration.