Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Well, you can't lose them all.
And so, seeing as the team did the next worst thing to actually being blown out -- they won a game -- I think that's worth a theme. Not a Pretty Girls theme -- although there is some hope Orlando can deliver one of those on Tuesday. But something I have delayed on ever since Boston stomped us: The 10 Best Power Forwards In Kings History
Salmons ( C ) -- good start going around the Ghost of JKidd, but quickly evaporated into an indifferent 13pt offensive outing (note to John: Dampier is a shotblocker). And defense...wow, it was a disaster for our best defensive player. Jason Terry roasted him at will, in the third quarter in particular, and ran John into screen after screen on his way to a season best performance. And when not getting lit up by the smaller player, John had the joy of being Natted into a 6'6" 210lb PF. Late in the first half when Natt brought in Beno for...Jason Thompson(!), switching Salmons over to PF to play against Dirk, and again late in the game when Natt tried to get original about throwing things. Of course while Dirk should have scored over him easily, and repeatedly beat him with post moves, he could not finish anything tonight and might well deserve the Kings gameball on the evening for his lousy play. John had a minor role to play down the stretch, scoring on a nice drive against Kidd, but also being overpowered by Dirk for the 3pt play in the bad matchup.
#1 Chris Webber
Career Stats
With Kings: 99-05
Best Year With The Kings: 00-01 27.1pts 11.1rebs 4.2ast 1.3stl 1.7blk
Well duh and all that. The man once averaged 27.1pts 11.1rebs 4.2ast 1.3stl 1.7blk for us in a season and is about to have his jersey retired. Not only the greatest PF we've had, also the greatest player we've had in Sacto history, and right up there as possibly the second best the franchise has ever had dating back to the 1950s (nobody is catching Oscar Robertson for #1). The Kings have probably had more good PFs than they have any other position with the possible exception of OG, but there is only one king at the position.
Thompson ( B ) -- was slashing effectively to start this one, keeping it relatively simple moving to the hoop for conversions ala Mikki. Relatively indifferent first half though as his involvement faded off and he started to have trouble on defense again. Garbageman in the third, again moving well to receive little dumpoff passes from various people and finishing them (never agiven with Jason). Mysteriously decided to try a running hook inside against Dampier in the late third which...lets just call it a rookie mistake, because otherwise Jason sometimes gives you reason to question his basketball I.Q.. Removed in the mid 4th after Dirk returned and Jason was startign to rack up fouls against him. Overall a solid effort. Not as much on the glass as he normally is, but playing within himself (mostly). Its a world away from Jason as any kind of star player and more role player stuff, but its probably where he needs to start to get settled before attempting more.
#2 Otis Thorpe
Career Stats
With Kings: 85-88
Best Year With The Kings: 87-88 20.8pts 10.2rebs 3.2ast 0.8stl 0.7blk
Only slightly less obvious than Webb (there was only one serious competitior for this spot) Otis arrived in Sacto as part of that first team. He had been a promising broad shouldered 6'10" rookie the previous season, and after a disappointing first year in Sacto (9.9pts 5.6rebs -- similar to JT, there is hope) he exploded in year 3 to 18.9pts 10.2rebs and upped it even further in year 4 to become the only other 20-10 guy in Sacto history other than Webb. And so, 25yr old 20-10 guy...obviously there was nothing left to do but trade him. For Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen. That's the sort of franchise you have willingly chosen to associate yourself with as a fan. He would go on to win a title playing wingman to Hakeem in Houston, and help bring them another when he was traded for Clyde Drexler the next seasson before briefly passing back through Sacramento late in his career.
Miller ( B- ) -- efficient offensively at least to start, and for whatever reason Dirk did not light him up early (the reason mostly being the Mavs would have been better off with Kenny Thomas than Dirk tonight, and I barely jest) . Had some problems with the Dampier muscle as the first half wore on but began to become effective with his little jumepr game in the third quarter. Helped grease the offense somewhat, but was also sloppy wiht the ball, and racked up a yummy 5 TOs. Missed 1 of 2 FTs in the final 30 seconds to leave the door ever so slightly ajar for the Mavs, but they only had one player (well, 2, but Dampier is defense) and so could not take advantage.
#3 Wayman Tisdale
Career Stats
With Kings: 89-94
Best Year With The Kings: 89-90 22.3pts 7.5rebs 1.4ast 0.6stl 0.6blk
The PF right through many of our bad ole years (it was not coincidence), Tizzy might earn this spot just for longetivity even if he hadn't been any good. I remember the first year we traded for him midseason, and I was ecstatic because he averaged nearly 20-10 for the second half of the year for us, and I was thinking well, we just got done trading away one 20-10 PF, but at least now we got a 20-10 guy back. But soon enough the inital surge wore off and the real Tizzy emerged. Soft, short (listed 6'9", closer to 6'7"), often pudgy, lousy rebounder, a blackhole on offense, could not defend...it was a laundry list of ways to be a PF on a losing team. But he was a good scorer and did have a serious postgame, using his generous posterior to back guys down for his patented "Tizzy flip", and he was one hell of nice guy, and back in those bad ole days that was the best we could do for about 6 years. Post Kings he has gone on to become a Jazz musician of note, and just last year suffered a tragedy when he had to have part of his leg amputated due to bone cancer at the ripe old age of 44.
Martin ( B- ) -- shaky shooting start and then just sort of became invisible as the first half wore on. Woke up in the third from outside. The Mavs kept on giving him space out there, and he was pure form the perimeter. His attempts to drive were less successful, as Dampier was a huge roadblock and he was repeatedly stripped an blocked (5 TOs on the night). Again tried to draw a damn foul rather than just shoot on the closing shot of the third quarter, and again came up with nothing because of it. Pretty much disappeared therafter -- had 17 ast the end of 3, and I think his 4th quarter points were late FTs when the Mavs had to foul. Did make a semi-serious effort to play the goat for a third game in a row, which would have been fairly disastrous for his rep and confidence, by catching a ball while standing out of bounds on an inbounds play in the final minute, thus giving the Mavs life where they should have had none, and then bricking the first of a pair of FTs with us up 6 and 18 seconds to go. Fortunately hit the second which was largely the clincher. Pretty much a weak game wrapped around a strong stretch in the third quarter. One note: wasn't guarding him much, but seemed to do a better defensive job on Terry than did Salmons those times when he was on him. Not often I get to say that.
#4 Brian Grant
Career Stats
With Kings: 94-97
Best Year With The Kings: 94-95 13.2pts 7.5rebs 1.2ast 0.6stl 1.5blk
Geoff's first draft pick, Grant was our undersized replacement for the undersized Tizzy and had an impressive rookie season. After his arrival, along with Michael "The Animal" Smith, he got a rep as a hardnosed physical player that was helping to change our ultrasoft reputation (ironically we have come full circle). And yet if you look at what he actually did while in Sacto -- he was every bit as terrible a rebounder as Tizzy. Think we might have just been SO soft that anything looked dramatic. The defense was certainly a vast and welcome change however. Unfortunately he never got much better after the rookie campaign, and the disloyal dog abandoned us to our losing ways in free agency after his third year.
And so, seeing as the team did the next worst thing to actually being blown out -- they won a game -- I think that's worth a theme. Not a Pretty Girls theme -- although there is some hope Orlando can deliver one of those on Tuesday. But something I have delayed on ever since Boston stomped us: The 10 Best Power Forwards In Kings History
Salmons ( C ) -- good start going around the Ghost of JKidd, but quickly evaporated into an indifferent 13pt offensive outing (note to John: Dampier is a shotblocker). And defense...wow, it was a disaster for our best defensive player. Jason Terry roasted him at will, in the third quarter in particular, and ran John into screen after screen on his way to a season best performance. And when not getting lit up by the smaller player, John had the joy of being Natted into a 6'6" 210lb PF. Late in the first half when Natt brought in Beno for...Jason Thompson(!), switching Salmons over to PF to play against Dirk, and again late in the game when Natt tried to get original about throwing things. Of course while Dirk should have scored over him easily, and repeatedly beat him with post moves, he could not finish anything tonight and might well deserve the Kings gameball on the evening for his lousy play. John had a minor role to play down the stretch, scoring on a nice drive against Kidd, but also being overpowered by Dirk for the 3pt play in the bad matchup.
#1 Chris Webber
Career Stats
With Kings: 99-05
Best Year With The Kings: 00-01 27.1pts 11.1rebs 4.2ast 1.3stl 1.7blk
Well duh and all that. The man once averaged 27.1pts 11.1rebs 4.2ast 1.3stl 1.7blk for us in a season and is about to have his jersey retired. Not only the greatest PF we've had, also the greatest player we've had in Sacto history, and right up there as possibly the second best the franchise has ever had dating back to the 1950s (nobody is catching Oscar Robertson for #1). The Kings have probably had more good PFs than they have any other position with the possible exception of OG, but there is only one king at the position.
Thompson ( B ) -- was slashing effectively to start this one, keeping it relatively simple moving to the hoop for conversions ala Mikki. Relatively indifferent first half though as his involvement faded off and he started to have trouble on defense again. Garbageman in the third, again moving well to receive little dumpoff passes from various people and finishing them (never agiven with Jason). Mysteriously decided to try a running hook inside against Dampier in the late third which...lets just call it a rookie mistake, because otherwise Jason sometimes gives you reason to question his basketball I.Q.. Removed in the mid 4th after Dirk returned and Jason was startign to rack up fouls against him. Overall a solid effort. Not as much on the glass as he normally is, but playing within himself (mostly). Its a world away from Jason as any kind of star player and more role player stuff, but its probably where he needs to start to get settled before attempting more.
#2 Otis Thorpe
Career Stats
With Kings: 85-88
Best Year With The Kings: 87-88 20.8pts 10.2rebs 3.2ast 0.8stl 0.7blk
Only slightly less obvious than Webb (there was only one serious competitior for this spot) Otis arrived in Sacto as part of that first team. He had been a promising broad shouldered 6'10" rookie the previous season, and after a disappointing first year in Sacto (9.9pts 5.6rebs -- similar to JT, there is hope) he exploded in year 3 to 18.9pts 10.2rebs and upped it even further in year 4 to become the only other 20-10 guy in Sacto history other than Webb. And so, 25yr old 20-10 guy...obviously there was nothing left to do but trade him. For Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen. That's the sort of franchise you have willingly chosen to associate yourself with as a fan. He would go on to win a title playing wingman to Hakeem in Houston, and help bring them another when he was traded for Clyde Drexler the next seasson before briefly passing back through Sacramento late in his career.
Miller ( B- ) -- efficient offensively at least to start, and for whatever reason Dirk did not light him up early (the reason mostly being the Mavs would have been better off with Kenny Thomas than Dirk tonight, and I barely jest) . Had some problems with the Dampier muscle as the first half wore on but began to become effective with his little jumepr game in the third quarter. Helped grease the offense somewhat, but was also sloppy wiht the ball, and racked up a yummy 5 TOs. Missed 1 of 2 FTs in the final 30 seconds to leave the door ever so slightly ajar for the Mavs, but they only had one player (well, 2, but Dampier is defense) and so could not take advantage.
#3 Wayman Tisdale
Career Stats
With Kings: 89-94
Best Year With The Kings: 89-90 22.3pts 7.5rebs 1.4ast 0.6stl 0.6blk
The PF right through many of our bad ole years (it was not coincidence), Tizzy might earn this spot just for longetivity even if he hadn't been any good. I remember the first year we traded for him midseason, and I was ecstatic because he averaged nearly 20-10 for the second half of the year for us, and I was thinking well, we just got done trading away one 20-10 PF, but at least now we got a 20-10 guy back. But soon enough the inital surge wore off and the real Tizzy emerged. Soft, short (listed 6'9", closer to 6'7"), often pudgy, lousy rebounder, a blackhole on offense, could not defend...it was a laundry list of ways to be a PF on a losing team. But he was a good scorer and did have a serious postgame, using his generous posterior to back guys down for his patented "Tizzy flip", and he was one hell of nice guy, and back in those bad ole days that was the best we could do for about 6 years. Post Kings he has gone on to become a Jazz musician of note, and just last year suffered a tragedy when he had to have part of his leg amputated due to bone cancer at the ripe old age of 44.
Martin ( B- ) -- shaky shooting start and then just sort of became invisible as the first half wore on. Woke up in the third from outside. The Mavs kept on giving him space out there, and he was pure form the perimeter. His attempts to drive were less successful, as Dampier was a huge roadblock and he was repeatedly stripped an blocked (5 TOs on the night). Again tried to draw a damn foul rather than just shoot on the closing shot of the third quarter, and again came up with nothing because of it. Pretty much disappeared therafter -- had 17 ast the end of 3, and I think his 4th quarter points were late FTs when the Mavs had to foul. Did make a semi-serious effort to play the goat for a third game in a row, which would have been fairly disastrous for his rep and confidence, by catching a ball while standing out of bounds on an inbounds play in the final minute, thus giving the Mavs life where they should have had none, and then bricking the first of a pair of FTs with us up 6 and 18 seconds to go. Fortunately hit the second which was largely the clincher. Pretty much a weak game wrapped around a strong stretch in the third quarter. One note: wasn't guarding him much, but seemed to do a better defensive job on Terry than did Salmons those times when he was on him. Not often I get to say that.
#4 Brian Grant
Career Stats
With Kings: 94-97
Best Year With The Kings: 94-95 13.2pts 7.5rebs 1.2ast 0.6stl 1.5blk
Geoff's first draft pick, Grant was our undersized replacement for the undersized Tizzy and had an impressive rookie season. After his arrival, along with Michael "The Animal" Smith, he got a rep as a hardnosed physical player that was helping to change our ultrasoft reputation (ironically we have come full circle). And yet if you look at what he actually did while in Sacto -- he was every bit as terrible a rebounder as Tizzy. Think we might have just been SO soft that anything looked dramatic. The defense was certainly a vast and welcome change however. Unfortunately he never got much better after the rookie campaign, and the disloyal dog abandoned us to our losing ways in free agency after his third year.
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If they keep it up, they'll get some more wins.
