[Grades] Grades v. Magic 12/6/2014

[CruzDude]

From only seeing the Play-by-play text lines from 16*27 N and 88*04 W there were still some glaring issues (problems?):
- bench when DWill is the only positive
- bench when Omri and Carl disappear
- conditioning when they look dead on second of back-to-back and other team in same circumstance doesn't
- where is Cole Aldrich when you really need him?
- lack of 3-pt shooters
- lack of perimeter defense
- did I men tion the bench?
Well it is early in a new dynasty development and being stuck with a hand dealt mostly by others. Since we are not expecting miracles this development year anyway (are we?) the weak spots are now exposed such that band aids will not corrct the issues.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Whoa i just noticed the Kings are on TNT thursday vs the Rockets. Was that game always scheduled for TNT or did we get flexed into that because of the hot start?

 

[Chubbs]

Whoa i just noticed the Kings are on TNT thursday vs the Rockets. Was that game always scheduled for TNT or did we get flexed into that because of the hot start?

Whoops on tnts part if true. Kings are basically unwatchable minus Boogie.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Whoops on tnts part if true. Kings are basically unwatchable minus Boogie.

Basically. Hope he returns for that game but highly unlikely

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Whoa i just noticed the Kings are on TNT thursday vs the Rockets. Was that game always scheduled for TNT or did we get flexed into that because of the hot start?

It was always scheduled. And, in fact, a glance at the schedule shows that the two TNT games are the only two games being played that night.

As far as I know, TNT is the one network that covers NBA basketball with no flexibility in their schedule.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Oh interesting. I thought we only had one TNT game this year.

bad timing for this one

 

[kingsboi]

This team needs some serious work....Magic were missing their best player and still managed to get a road win and a lot of open shots and lay ups. So if any one of Collison, Rudy or Cousins misses time we most likely won't win many games...it seems we need all three out there to win games and that is alarming. I'm still sitting on my hands here and waiting for Pete to go and get us some shooter(s) and/or defender(s).

 

[whozit]

..........................

Well it is early in a new dynasty development and being stuck with a hand dealt mostly by others. Since we are not expecting miracles this development year anyway (are we?) the weak spots are now exposed such that band aids will not corrct the issues.

Yes, it is early in "new dynasty development" but 'being stuck with hand dealt mostly by others' is no longer a justifiable excuse. Other than Thompson, all of the players on the team they either resigned, traded for, drafted or signed as a FA. And no, I'm not expecting any miracles this year just progress. I personally didn't see them at .500 at this time of the year, so to me that's progress despite work still needing to be done.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

I'm still sitting on my hands here and waiting for Pete to go and get us some shooter(s) and/or defender(s).

We all are

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

This team needs some serious work....Magic were missing their best player and still managed to get a road win and a lot of open shots and lay ups. So if any one of Collison, Rudy or Cousins misses time we most likely won't win many games...

I don't think that this is completely true. I seem to be repeating myself ad nauseum, but this team has been assembled such that our role players are only useful as long as Cousins is healthy. I expect that we would have a much better record with Cousins but no Gay than the other way around.

 

[Glenn]

Yes, it is early in "new dynasty development" but 'being stuck with hand dealt mostly by others' is no longer a justifiable excuse. Other than Thompson, all of the players on the team they either resigned, traded for, drafted or signed as a FA. And no, I'm not expecting any miracles this year just progress. I personally didn't see them at .500 at this time of the year, so to me that's progress despite work still needing to be done.

I need a little cheering up today. Not only does every attempt at finding a player to replace JT as a starter fail, he even escaped the house cleaning. After the last few games and perhaps even the entire season, JT is looking tough. It's like he has accepted his role or found a role that suits him. Whatever. .

 

[kingsboi]

I don't think that this is completely true. I seem to be repeating myself ad nauseum, but this team has been assembled such that our role players are only useful as long as Cousins is healthy. I expect that we would have a much better record with Cousins but no Gay than the other way around.

We have useful role players sure...but we need a third player to take pressure of Rudy and Cousins and we absolutely have to get a defender and consistent shooting.

 

[Glenn]

I don't think that this is completely true. I seem to be repeating myself ad nauseum, but this team has been assembled such that our role players are only useful as long as Cousins is healthy. I expect that we would have a much better record with Cousins but no Gay than the other way around.

Somebody has to repeat them self.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Yes, it is early in "new dynasty development" but 'being stuck with hand dealt mostly by others' is no longer a justifiable excuse. Other than Thompson, all of the players on the team they either resigned, traded for, drafted or signed as a FA. And no, I'm not expecting any miracles this year just progress. I personally didn't see them at .500 at this time of the year, so to me that's progress despite work still needing to be done.

Minor nitpick: I feel like I know what you meant, but what team wouldn't that statement, as worded, apply to?

 

[Glenn]

We have useful role players sure...but we need a third player to take pressure of Rudy and Cousins and we absolutely have to get a defender and consistent shooting.

I doubt if you and the esteemed Mr. Citrus are far apart. Boogie makes the shooter and rim protector less necessary. If we get them, whoopie.

 

[Larry89]

We really need Ben to give us something.

 

[kingsboi]

I doubt if you and the esteemed Mr. Citrus are far apart. Boogie makes the shooter and rim protector less necessary. If we get them, whoopie.

Do you really see the Kings going far though without a shooter and another rim protector...because I surely don't.

 

[pshn80]

Was there last night as I said before. Today my new starting lineup is:

Hollinds
Thompson
Cassie. going to basket (instead of Gay)
Gay. 3 pt shooter, outside man, distributer with Collison
Collison Do what he does, move, distribute, score

Bench?? Let's see, who's left? Sessions, McLeore, Williams, Landry and Evans but not at the same time, maybe say "the hell with it" and use Moreland, McCallum and Stauskas can be subbed if useful.

Is this an improvement? Don't know but try it and find out.

Option #1- in above starting lineup, start McCallum instead of Collison, makes starters bigger and stronger and sure boosts the bench. Any good? Try it and find out.

 

[Glenn]

Do you really see the Kings going far though without a shooter and another rim protector...because I surely don't.

It depends on what you mean by "going far." I sure didn't expect a team that won 28 games last year to be fighting it out for the NBA championship this year. I agree those are the holes that need filling. If they are filled, we'll be tough.

 

[kingsboi]

It depends on what you mean by "going far." I sure didn't expect a team that won 28 games last year to be fighting it out for the NBA championship this year. I agree those are the holes that need filling. If they are filled, we'll be tough.

By no means am I expecting a championship but I would like to see them compete for a playoff spot as we all would obviously and I think that isn't too far fetched but it's difficult to fathom that a team with Rudy Gay and Collison can't muster up some wins...maybe I'm expecting too much out of them, who knows.

 

[VF21]

Was there last night as I said before. Today my new starting lineup is:

Hollinds
Thompson
Cassie. going to basket (instead of Gay)
Gay. 3 pt shooter, outside man, distributer with Collison
Collison Do what he does, move, distribute, score

Bench?? Let's see, who's left? Sessions, McLeore, Williams, Landry and Evans but not at the same time, maybe say "the hell with it" and use Moreland, McCallum and Stauskas can be subbed if useful.

Is this an improvement? Don't know but try it and find out.

Option #1- in above starting lineup, start McCallum instead of Collison, makes starters bigger and stronger and sure boosts the bench. Any good? Try it and find out.

My only problem with your lineup is that Casspi has been a consistent spark of instant focus and energy off the bench. We take that away and we have... ??? Maybe we could get Slamson to suit up. Nobody's gonna notice he's a lion, right?

 

[Glenn]

By no means am I expecting a championship but I would like to see them compete for a playoff spot as we all would obviously and I think that isn't too far fetched but it's difficult to fathom that a team with Rudy Gay and Collison can't muster up some wins...maybe I'm expecting too much out of them, who knows.

I think you are expecting too much. I'm not even as high on Collison as most although he fills the PG spot nicely. I want Ben to be part of the Big 3. Maybe he needs to wear a bell so his team mates know where he is.







Yeah, Ellington.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

We have useful role players sure...but we need a third player to take pressure of Rudy and Cousins and we absolutely have to get a defender and consistent shooting.

I don't question whether this is true, and I wasn't taking a position against it. My argument is that I think the whole 'Magic were missing their best player' screed is a little specious, IMO, because

1. I'm not all the way convinced, numbers aside, that Vucevic actually is their best player, and
2. Whether he is or not, they're not really built around him, anyway. Certainly not to the extent that we're built around Cousins.

While it's certainly reasonable to say that we need a third star, I think that the larger issue is that what we need more are role players that don't cease to be useful when Cousins isn't out there.

 

[kingsboi]

I think you are expecting too much. I'm not even as high on Collison as most although he fills the PG spot nicely. I want Ben to be part of the Big 3. Maybe he needs to wear a bell so his team mates know where he is.







Yeah, Ellington.

I don't see Ben being part of the big three but that's just my opinion. He's a 3 and D type of player or at least that's what we can hope...anything more is a bonus.

 

[Glenn]

I don't question whether this is true, and I wasn't taking a position against it. My argument is that I think the whole 'Magic were missing their best player' screed is a little specious, IMO, because

1. I'm not all the way convinced, numbers aside, that Vucevic actually is their best player, and
2. Whether he is or not, they're not really built around him, anyway. certainly not to the extent that we're built around Cousins.

While it's certainly reasonable to say that we need a third star, I think that the larger issue is that what we need more are role players that don't cease to be useful when Cousins isn't out there.

Absolutely. We build our offense and defense around Boogie and he's gone. Given that we don't have a team of other players that know each other well, it's hard to adjust to Boogie's absence.

 

[kingsboi]

I don't question whether this is true, and I wasn't taking a position against it. My argument is that I think the whole 'Magic were missing their best player' screed is a little specious, IMO, because

1. I'm not all the way convinced, numbers aside, that Vucevic actually is their best player, and
2. Whether he is or not, they're not really built around him, anyway. Certainly not to the extent that we're built around Cousins.

While it's certainly reasonable to say that we need a third star, I think that the larger issue is that what we need more are role players that don't cease to be useful when Cousins isn't out there.

Orlando isn't really built around anyone in particular...they just have a lot of nice young pieces that they need to assemble in a package to go get that franchise cornerstone.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

That was kind of the point. They aren't built around any one player, which means that no one player's job ever changes. They all know that their job is the same, regardless of who else they're on the floor with. That doesn't really apply with us.

 

[Chubbs]

Vucevic is a key player, but Harris is probably their best. Rudy isn't the first guy he's lit up this season.

 

[CruzDude]

A bell! Like that but will they listen?

 

[Glenn]

A bell! Like that but will they listen?

That was my best line of the day. Glad someone read it. Ben has seemed to be content with being a defender but then is never wide open for a three. He's better than what he is showing. It's like he is an after thought.