[Grades] Grades v. Pacers 1/18/12

[Hadlowe]

I agree with comments above. DMC really showed me something in this game. I hope his workmanlike approach rubs off on others. I would like to see IT in the second quarter as well as the second half, but he is not ready to start yet.IMO. Kings showed signs of some great passing, and pushed the ball much more under Smart. The small-ball zone looked like genius and befuddled the Pacers. Teams with good passing big men in the post like Gasol or Randolph can probably rip it to shreds. It was a blast to watch.

This game proves some points that are not part of conventional basketball wisdom. It is possible to win in the NBA with defense, rebounding and desire alone. The third quarter was hard to watch. Jimmer and Thornton took some really ugly shots last night. If I coached the Kings I would not allow fall-away shots off-balance from 25 feet. I would bench a guy for that crap. The step back jumper is all the rage now and works okay. I am old school and want to see the straight up repeatable type jumpshot to a guy who is open from decent passing. IT can penetrate and kick the ball out on almost anyone. It was interesting to see Tyreke let IT bring the ball up during the small ball line-up in the 4th. That gives the team an extra 4-5 seconds on the shot clock. Garcia had a good game too. I like his mental outlook on the game which helps make up for his lack of athleticism. Hickson did some great rebounding last night. Watchng Reke, IT, and Thornton play defense together was a thing of beauty. It is hard to know what to think of this team, but at least they are entertaining to watch again. Smart is smart.

Also, we were lucky. The pacers make one of those three pointers down the stretch and we lose this game. They had some open looks, but nothing fell for them. No, you cannot win games with defense, rebounding, and desire. You can win game . . . if the other team stops playing . . . and the refs are on your side . . .

You get the picture. The Kings won the game last night and that's not nothing, but they did not play winning basketball. They played scrappy basketball, which is a step up from the recent road trip.

Now, if we play scrappy basketball and manage to shoot 40% from the field?

 

[pshn80]

Yes, except I prefer Donte to start at SF, with Garcia getting minutes off the bench. The key part about your lineup I love is IT starting. That needs to happen.

That lineup is tempting (IT, Evans, Garcia, JT, Cousins) but I don't see it happening right now and would go with EVANS, GARCIA, GREENE, JT, COUSINS. If our team lately has been missing fire then Garcia over Greene.

 

[pshn80]

Garcia is directing like a vet. I think if we go with Marcus and Evans to start that Garcia is a better fit to have more direction on the floor at least until we get another voice out there. If we started a more traditional PG then Green is a better fit defensively.

I agree with the point you are making. Garcia is a better ball mover or at least he doesn't sit on it, and a better spark plug BB IQ guy. Of course sometimes he's a little crazy out there but recently we have needed that. Sure can't hurt us.

 

[pshn80]

Also, we were lucky. The pacers make one of those three pointers down the stretch and we lose this game. They had some open looks, but nothing fell for them. No, you cannot win games with defense, rebounding, and desire. You can win game . . . if the other team stops playing . . . and the refs are on your side . . .

You get the picture. The Kings won the game last night and that's not nothing, but they did not play winning basketball. They played scrappy basketball, which is a step up from the recent road trip.

Now, if we play scrappy basketball and manage to shoot 40% from the field?

You're right of courst but give your guys a little credit - why did the other team fold and why were the refs friendly? Our guys certainly influenced that.

 

[Kingster]

Also, we were lucky. The pacers make one of those three pointers down the stretch and we lose this game. They had some open looks, but nothing fell for them. No, you cannot win games with defense, rebounding, and desire. You can win game . . . if the other team stops playing . . . and the refs are on your side . . .

You get the picture. The Kings won the game last night and that's not nothing, but they did not play winning basketball. They played scrappy basketball, which is a step up from the recent road trip.

Now, if we play scrappy basketball and manage to shoot 40% from the field?

Of course they played winning basketball. They won, didn't they?

 

[Hadlowe]

Of course they played winning basketball. They won, didn't they?

On 30% shooting. I would describe it as managing not to lose. The defensive effort was great. Offensively, egad.

 

[gunks]

Next totally awesome lineup change I'd like to see: Marcus "20 points on 30 shots" Thornton to the bench for Cisco "glue guy" Garcia!!

*puts on flame suit*

...It'll never happen though. Siiiiiigh.

 

[IfAt1st]

Thornton had better watch out - I think coach is getting really sick of his "If I get the ball on the break, I'm going to keep it even if I lose the game" mentality.

I'm pretty sure that coach has made it clear to Tyreke that crap will not stand in his house, and if Thornton thinks he has more pull with the org than Tyreke does, he's got another think coming.

IIRC, coach benched Thornton after that mind-boggling play where he kept the ball on the break and missed the shot, not dropping it off for the easy assist. He only came back when the smallball dictated it. If the next game doesn't dictate it, MT may see less playing time if he keeps this delusionally-selfish play up.

 

[funkykingston]

Next totally awesome lineup change I'd like to see: Marcus "20 points on 30 shots" Thornton to the bench for Cisco "glue guy" Garcia!!

*puts on flame suit*

...It'll never happen though. Siiiiiigh.

I'd love to see a starting lineup of Evans, Garcia, Greene, Thompson and Cousins with Thornton as the sixth man and Thomas as the change of pace guard. When Hayes Returns Thompson could swing to either big man spots. That lineup lets Evans and Cousins try to take charge of games offensively without fighting everyone else for offensive touches and gives size and defense and three starters that know and understand their roles.

I think (if we can send down a third guy) that Jimmer could really benefit with a move to the D League. He's a guy that really needed the summer league to adjust to the NBA and a move to Reno and some big minutes could really bring his confidence level back. I still think he can be a very solid (if not more) NBA player but he looks lost and frustrated right now.

 

[ElRey]

Thornton is a scorer and has a scoring mentality, as most scoring guards. He clearly should have passed the pass on that fastbreak with Donte, but no one is perfect and he is in a shooting slump (actually the whole team). But he doesn't come off as being selfish. If coach ask him to pass more on the break, he bet he would be willing to do it. He wants to win.

I suspect there will be a lot more UGLY offense to come until the team learns Coach Smart's new offense.

 

[Hadlowe]

I'd love to see a starting lineup of Evans, Garcia, Greene, Thompson and Cousins with Thornton as the sixth man and Thomas as the change of pace guard. When Hayes Returns Thompson could swing to either big man spots. That lineup lets Evans and Cousins try to take charge of games offensively without fighting everyone else for offensive touches and gives size and defense and three starters that know and understand their roles.

I think (if we can send down a third guy) that Jimmer could really benefit with a move to the D League. He's a guy that really needed the summer league to adjust to the NBA and a move to Reno and some big minutes could really bring his confidence level back. I still think he can be a very solid (if not more) NBA player but he looks lost and frustrated right now.

I'm as frustrated with Jimmer as anyone, and probably moreso because I wanted him to have a Rubio-esque start to prove the haters wrong. I fail to see how a D-League stint, an effective no-confidence vote, will help him get his confidence back.

Unfortunately for the team, the only way for a shooter to get his confidence back is to shoot. Eventually those shots start going in. I want to see him play pissed instead of scared.

 

[ArcoKings]

...I think (if we can send down a third guy) that Jimmer could really benefit with a move to the D League. He's a guy that really needed the summer league to adjust to the NBA and a move to Reno and some big minutes could really bring his confidence level back. I still think he can be a very solid (if not more) NBA player but he looks lost and frustrated right now.

I agree 100%. It would really help him out. His problem is mental. He knows how to play but he's not playing.

 

[funkykingston]

I fail to see how a D-League stint, an effective no-confidence vote, will help him get his confidence back.

Unfortunately for the team, the only way for a shooter to get his confidence back is to shoot. Eventually those shots start going in. I want to see him play pissed instead of scared.

The problem is that if his shot doesn't come around soon he won't get a chance to get his confidence back by shooting because he won't be in games. From an objective standpoint Isaiah Thomas has been more effective and deserves an increase in playing time. And with Garcia showing some life and a backcourt of Thomas and Fredette being too small to compete for more than a couple minutes I'm not sure how Jimmer gets on the court other than an injury to someone ahead of him on the depth chart.

I agree that he needs to shoot his way out of this slump. And he needs minutes. But the Kings are struggling to win any games and can't afford to grant him PT based only on the hope that he'll come around. Sending him to the D-League IS a no-confidence vote and it should be. Based only on his play in the NBA, Jimmer has not shown he belongs. Any of us that watched him in college know that he has skills that can and should translate but right now he is floundering. I have to think that playing well in the D-League, even against inferior talent, would give him more confidence than being buried on the Kings bench would.

And if you want to see him playing pissed instead of scared, I think being sent to the D-League would do just that. And I think he'd get back to playing his game instead of being confused about what role he should play. So much of shooting is mental and anything the Kings can do to help Jimmer in that capacity is worth exploring, even if to the rest of the world it looks like a slap in the face.

 

[Sac.1989]

What still concerns me is Reke and Marcus going one on one with the game basically on the line. Missed shots could have cost us and in the long term i hope this gets out of their system