[Grades] Grades v. Pistons 1/4/2015

The inaugral Golden Brick (TM) Award goes to:

  • Rudy Gay

    Votes: 15 53.6%
  • DeMarcus Cousins

    Votes: 6 21.4%
  • Ben McLemore

    Votes: 7 25.0%

  • Total voters
    28
  • Poll closed .

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#33
Typical Kings/Cousins always looking for a excuse or a way out

Cousins play has been a utter disgrace lately we are now losing cause of him playing rather than him being sick.

How about he just comes out and competes and doesn't say anything?
And typical of you to just respond to ONE tweet and not bother to look any further. Cousins made more comments and made it clear he's not looking for excuses.

Just so you know? If an NBA player refuses to talk to the media, he gets fined. But hey, don't let that stop your hate train.
 
#34
Typical Kings/Cousins always looking for a excuse or a way out

Cousins play has been a utter disgrace lately we are now losing cause of him playing rather than him being sick.

How about he just comes out and competes and doesn't say anything?
YOu know what, i'm actually fine with cousins not sucking it up and playing with fake enthusiasim when he knows this organization is now a fraud and F**** up his career. It partly expresses the feelings of the entire kings fan base and shines a big light on PDA's head for his screwup instead of letting him off the hook through a few meaningless wins due to Cousins talent. I hope beyond hope that Cousins hears us Kings Fan and our support and love for him and that we feel his pain and are behind him....because otherwise he will shortly demand a trade out of here if the ship isn't righted in a big way which I doubt this organization can do following this mess.

Cuz if you hear me man I feel your pain and got your back man! Thank you for not already demanding to be traded!
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#35
I went to the Meningitis Foundation of America website and found this:

Viral meningitis is the most common type of infectious meningitis in the United States. Viral meningitis is generally less severe and resolves without specific treatment. Viral meningitis is rarely fatal, but can be debilitating and have long term after effects. Some people only feel the symptoms for 7-10 days while others may have symptoms lasting for 3-4 months, which can lead to hospitalization and prolonged absence of school or work.
So another factor to consider is that while Cousins' heart wants him to be out there, he simply may not have regained all the physical strength and stamina he needs to do it.
 

Larry89

Disgruntled Kings Fan
#36
This ownership has tarnished everything that has been built up until that amazing November. You think free agents will want to come here now? We're the laughing stock of the NBA, of any sports-franchise. We may even lose the best player we've ever had in a decade because of this just to sink back to the bottom of the septic tank again, but you know what they say, Bureaucracy is like a septic tank; the big chunks float to the top. Lo and behold NBA 3.0
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#38
YOu know what, i'm actually fine with cousins not sucking it up and playing with fake enthusiasim when he knows this organization is now a fraud and F**** up his career. It partly expresses the feelings of the entire kings fan base and shines a big light on PDA's head for his screwup instead of letting him off the hook through a few meaningless wins due to Cousins talent. I hope beyond hope that Cousins hears us Kings Fan and our support and love for him and that we feel his pain and are behind him....because otherwise he will shortly demand a trade out of here if the ship isn't righted in a big way which I doubt this organization can do following this mess.

Cuz if you hear me man I feel your pain and got your back man! Thank you for not already demanding to be traded!
I find it embarrassing that as a fan base we are accepting that the guy who is suppose to this "great competitor" and "team leader" has basically stopped playing hard, he pulled the exact same crap under coach Malone when he didn't make the All-Star team last year as well.

If you don't want to play with enthusiasm than by all means ask for a trade stop wasting your time and the Kings time. Maybe we are just not capable of building around a player like him so it would be better for both parties to go separate ways.

It must be so difficult making 80million dollars and being one of the most talented people in a sport you love playing.
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#39
I went to the Meningitis Foundation of America website and found this:



So another factor to consider is that while Cousins' heart wants him to be out there, he simply may not have regained all the physical strength and stamina he needs to do it.
Has not stopped him from pushing the ball up (instead of giving to a PG) and trying to be Magic Johnson and jacking up shots....again more excuses.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#40
Has not stopped him from pushing the ball up (instead of giving to a PG) and trying to be Magic Johnson and jacking up shots....again more excuses.
There are none so blind as those who will not see. Be very careful what you wish for. If Cousins does get to the point where he demands a trade, the Sacramento Kings are finished.
 
#41
I find it embarrassing that as a fan base we are accepting that the guy who is suppose to this "great competitor" and "team leader" has basically stopped playing hard, he pulled the exact same crap under coach Malone when he didn't make the All-Star team last year as well.

If you don't want to play with enthusiasm than by all means ask for a trade stop wasting your time and the Kings time. Maybe we are just not capable of building around a player like him so it would be better for both parties to go separate ways.

It must be so difficult making 80million dollars and being one of the most talented people in a sport you love playing.
Agreed and you are not alone in this thinking. Sadly our culture is such now that the average person (and in this case average forum member) is more interested in making excuses for someone then holding them to personal accountability. In this case certain players been absolved of personal responsibility by a segment of this forum.

The organization is a mess right now and of course some of that turmoil has to affect the players...............but that's also where the players need to show some damn pride and act like professionals. There are many things outside of the players control but what they can control is their effort and leadership on the court. The best two players on this team are showing poor effort and no leadership on the court. That's just a fact and people can make all the excuses they want but they can't argue that fact. Everybody sees it, their teammates see it, and deep down inside these two best players know what they are doing.

Where is the personal and professional accountability from DeMarcus and Rudy? It's not like these two guys have a history of winning and deserve the benefit of the doubt. On the contrary both of them have a history of losing and going in the tank when things go bad. I know after reading that sentence people will run to their "go to excuses" again but save them, perennial excuses are for losers and losers make excuses for other losers. It's time for DeMarcus and Rudy (along with their teammates) to show some pride and act like they care. The organization and coaching staff are not telling them to go out there and not play defense and play selfishly on the offensive end.

Speaking of excuses and perennial losers, tomorrow mornings interview with PDA will tell you a lot about him and the future of the organization going forward.

Will Pete D'Allesandro make excuses and deflect blame? That's the sign of a loser and a guy you can't trust going forward.
Will Pete D'Allesandro admit he (and Vivek) were wrong or at the very least miscalculated? That's not necessarily the sign of a winner but it is the sign of an honest man who may have learned something.
 
#42
This game was weird because the Kings looked like they where trying hard at times. They could have won if they really wanted to. But it seemed like the bricks where going up at all of the worst times. Also the coach never seemed to take time outs or try to stop the momentum. they just played straight through.

I hope we can come out of this mess a better team. Right now it is hard to see how.
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#43
There are none so blind as those who will not see. Be very careful what you wish for. If Cousins does get to the point where he demands a trade, the Sacramento Kings are finished.
That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard, what we will go from a 30 win team trying to win to a 20 team win trying to tank? The Kings will not be finished that's rubbish, I don't want Cousins to leave Sacramento but if it's to hard for him (which it clearly is atm) here maybe he's just not the guy for the job to turn this thing around. Lets not act like this is Lebron James leaving Cleveland now........
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#44
That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard, what we will go from a 30 win team trying to win to a 20 team win trying to tank? The Kings will not be finished that's rubbish, I don't want Cousins to leave Sacramento but if it's to hard for him (which it clearly is atm) here maybe he's just not the guy for the job to turn this thing around. Lets not act like this is Lebron James leaving Cleveland now........
You are flat beginning to pee me off now.
 
#46
Well...... at least we're not Knicks fans!

but when I think about it, it wouldnt have so annoying with them.
I really want to see the whole fromt office go to hell: if we are tanking anyway, why did Malone got cut off?! how the F are PDA the "yes-man" and Vivek are going to explain this?

Cousins doesn't want to play basketball in SAC any longer, Rudy cannot belive he signed a new contract here, and the fans are just flat out pissed.
THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING.
 
#47
You are flat beginning to pee me off now.
Why because the truth hurts? Just like with Tyreke Evans half this forum gets attached to these players as if the franchise can't live on without them. Oddly enough people seem to be more attached to the alleged great players on the losing teams than the great players on the Kings glory teams. I guess when the team sucks for several years you gotta root for and value something so that becomes players instead of the team. That's fine by the way but life goes on.

No single player is bigger than the entire franchise. I know you think DeMarcus Cousins is but he isn't. The Kings will be good again some day with or without him. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later with him.

DeMarcus is a hell of a talent and as I have said many times the best offensive big man in the world right now but what exactly have the Kings won with him? Granted he's had a lot of franchise and coaching turmoil around him (some of which he helped create) but how long can you keep making excuses for him. Everybody wants to treat him like a god yet he hasn't had the same winning impact on his teams like Lebron or a player of that magnitude. If DeMarcus was as good as everyone thinks he'd also have some actual leadership ability and ability to overcome all of these obstacles (excuses).

I thought he was turning the corner at the start of this year and then the team has to go mess it all up for him, but then again the fact that he's gone in the tank so badly and showed almost zero leadership in this turmoil shows just how fragile he was as a leader to begin with.

With all that said he probably has one last chance to turn it around and once again learn from this. He can take that next step if the Kings could hire a real respected coach like George Karl or if by some means he got traded into a good situation.
 
#48
Why because the truth hurts? Just like with Tyreke Evans half this forum gets attached to these players as if the franchise can't live on without them. Oddly enough people seem to be more attached to the alleged great players on the losing teams than the great players on the Kings glory teams. I guess when the team sucks for several years you gotta root for and value something so that becomes players instead of the team. That's fine by the way but life goes on.
Take a look back at our first month and a half: W's vs Blazers, Clipps, NuggetsX2, Spurs, Suns/Bulls... Who led the team when it came to points/rebounds/steals or hustle? It was Cousins: he's one of the best centers in the league and during a very rough month the team went over .500 .Cousins is the exact player to build around, too bad the front-office are more into jazz music than winning games.
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#49
Take a look back at our first month and a half: W's vs Blazers, Clipps, NuggetsX2, Spurs, Suns/Bulls... Who led the team when it came to points/rebounds/steals or hustle? It was Cousins: he's one of the best centers in the league and during a very rough month the team went over .500 .Cousins is the exact player to build around, too bad the front-office are more into jazz music than winning games.
15 games vs 5 years......who know's that 9-6 start could have been a fluke hell even that 76ers team last year with Turner/MCW/Young last year came out 6-6 and beat defending champions Miami. It could have been a number of things tbh maybe all those teams took us lightly since we are a scrub team (we beat the likes of Portland/Suns last year as well and the Bulls) but now that we are playing other scrub teams who look at us as a possible win we simply can't compete unless there entire starting 5 is out like Minny.

Maybe this is the real/old Sacramento Kings.
 
#50
Why because the truth hurts? Just like with Tyreke Evans half this forum gets attached to these players as if the franchise can't live on without them. Oddly enough people seem to be more attached to the alleged great players on the losing teams than the great players on the Kings glory teams. I guess when the team sucks for several years you gotta root for and value something so that becomes players instead of the team. That's fine by the way but life goes on.

No single player is bigger than the entire franchise. I know you think DeMarcus Cousins is but he isn't. The Kings will be good again some day with or without him. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later with him.

DeMarcus is a hell of a talent and as I have said many times the best offensive big man in the world right now but what exactly have the Kings won with him? Granted he's had a lot of franchise and coaching turmoil around him (some of which he helped create) but how long can you keep making excuses for him. Everybody wants to treat him like a god yet he hasn't had the same winning impact on his teams like Lebron or a player of that magnitude. If DeMarcus was as good as everyone thinks he'd also have some actual leadership ability and ability to overcome all of these obstacles (excuses).

I thought he was turning the corner at the start of this year and then the team has to go mess it all up for him, but then again the fact that he's gone in the tank so badly and showed almost zero leadership in this turmoil shows just how fragile he was as a leader to begin with.

With all that said he probably has one last chance to turn it around and once again learn from this. He can take that next step if the Kings could hire a real respected coach like George Karl or if by some means he got traded into a good situation.
If cousins isn't in sacramento in 2-3 years we won't be making the playoffs for the next 10+years. Cousins is a top 5 player did you see the numbers he was putting up with his defense before he got sick. This is all done with 1 shooter on the whole team. Shooting is extremely important today and we surround the best post player with 1 shooter. You say he's no lebron but if cousins had wade/bosh/and those veteran players cousins gets a ring. I'm guessing you think anothy davis is a god like most people? There's no doubt on my mind if you put cousins on that roster with holiday/Evans/ asik/Anderson he leads them to a better record than they have now.
Let's not get it twisted Gay is the only player on this team outside cousins who would start on a majority of other teams. Collison/Ben wouldn't be starters on 80% of teams and only landry would see more than 15mpg on any other teams bench. Sessions/Nik/DWill/ Evans wouldn't play 10+mpg anywhere else and we still had a very good record to start and would have won 40+ games that's cousins domination right there.
 
#51
15 games vs 5 years......who know's that 9-6 start could have been a fluke hell even that 76ers team last year with Turner/MCW/Young last year came out 6-6 and beat defending champions Miami. It could have been a number of things tbh maybe all those teams took us lightly since we are a scrub team (we beat the likes of Portland/Suns last year as well and the Bulls) but now that we are playing other scrub teams who look at us as a possible win we simply can't compete unless there entire starting 5 is out like Minny.

Maybe this is the real/old Sacramento Kings.
I really refuse to see it that way. Bacuase game in and game out the Kings came to fight. Even when the team lost, they never blew us out (except for the Warriors in the 1st game), for 15 games the team fought and wanted to win, this was the missing link all these years - a winning attitude that came with Malone.
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#52
If cousins isn't in sacramento in 2-3 years we won't be making the playoffs for the next 10+years. Cousins is a top 5 player did you see the numbers he was putting up with his defense before he got sick. This is all done with 1 shooter on the whole team. Shooting is extremely important today and we surround the best post player with 1 shooter. You say he's no lebron but if cousins had wade/bosh/and those veteran players cousins gets a ring. I'm guessing you think anothy davis is a god like most people? There's no doubt on my mind if you put cousins on that roster with holiday/Evans/ asik/Anderson he leads them to a better record than they have now.
Let's not get it twisted Gay is the only player on this team outside cousins who would start on a majority of other teams. Collison/Ben wouldn't be starters on 80% of teams and only landry would see more than 15mpg on any other teams bench. Sessions/Nik/DWill/ Evans wouldn't play 10+mpg anywhere else and we still had a very good record to start and would have won 40+ games that's cousins domination right there.
A lot of people thought Kevin Love was a top 5 player before he went to a team that had good talent......Also again excuses about the roster tell me who on the 18-17 Bucks who are missing 3 starters (Parker/Larry/Ersan) would be a starter on "most" NBA team's as you like to say? Is Zaza/Greek Freak/Middleton/Knight/Rookie PF/Henson better than what we have?

I really refuse to see it that way. Bacuase game in and game out the Kings came to fight. Even when the team lost, they never blew us out (except for the Warriors in the 1st game), for 15 games the team fought and wanted to win, this was the missing link all these years - a winning attitude that came with Malone.
A lot of bad teams come hard out of the game the Lakers last year without Kobe were 9-9, it's what bad teams do they come out hard that about 20-30 games they realise who they are that's the difference between good and bad teams.
 
#53
That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard, what we will go from a 30 win team trying to win to a 20 team win trying to tank? The Kings will not be finished that's rubbish, I don't want Cousins to leave Sacramento but if it's to hard for him (which it clearly is atm) here maybe he's just not the guy for the job to turn this thing around. Lets not act like this is Lebron James leaving Cleveland now........
wow.
 
#55
High pick&roll, 3pointers and DMC missing his jumpers but kept shooting them really hurt us. The defensive effort was ok in the first quarter and Jt was a big part of it.
People need to stop acting like we are playing jazz run and gun. Our offense is almost the same.
What we lack is defense and that's where it comes down to effort. And this starts with DMC. I would prefer to see 25 Minutes of DMC hustling andplaying great D than 30+ Minutes of DMC not running back on D, playing bad pick&roll defense and shaking his head in disgust all the time.
We need a coach that holds him accountable. Corbin doesn't seem to be able to do that.

First quarter defense was a step into the right direction.
 
#56
Why are people talking about Cousins as if he is in trouble or wants to leave? Did i miss anything other than a bunch of assumptions by fans here?
You must have seen his demeanour in the games? He hangs his head after almost every opponent basket, he hands his head after almost every miss or turnover. These kind of things are nothing to do with fatigue or his illness, if you assume him not bothering to get up and down the court is.

He's big on loyalty, I think he'll give this situation every chance he can to develop positively but he's also an ambitious professional, if this thing is going nowhere, no one would blame him for making noises about leaving. That said, we're all PO'd at this situation and he might afford a bit of loyalty to his teammates by at least pretending he has his head in the game.

If his illness is persisting to the point where he can't get up and down the court or show on pick and rolls then Corbin needs to sit him down.
 
#57
You must have seen his demeanour in the games? He hangs his head after almost every opponent basket, he hands his head after almost every miss or turnover. These kind of things are nothing to do with fatigue or his illness, if you assume him not bothering to get up and down the court is.

He's big on loyalty, I think he'll give this situation every chance he can to develop positively but he's also an ambitious professional, if this thing is going nowhere, no one would blame him for making noises about leaving. That said, we're all PO'd at this situation and he might afford a bit of loyalty to his teammates by at least pretending he has his head in the game.

If his illness is persisting to the point where he can't get up and down the court or show on pick and rolls then Corbin needs to sit him down.
18 points and 15 rebounds. I could see why he might be having a hard time with what is going on. But I don't think he is the problem here. I hope Cousins can hang in there because I think things will get better at some point. Not sure if it is soon or after the season but it will.
 
#58
18 points and 15 rebounds. I could see why he might be having a hard time with what is going on. But I don't think he is the problem here. I hope Cousins can hang in there because I think things will get better at some point. Not sure if it is soon or after the season but it will.
I didn't suggest he was the problem I'm saying his on court demeanour is a problem. I would still say the same thing if he scored 80 last night. It's like if I sit next to you at work and tut and shake my head every time you make a typo, how does that foster a "winning" environment.

This situation is ridiculous we all know that and I'm not surprised the players are beyond pissed off but turning on each other really isn't the solution, they should make it an us vs them, us vs the world type situation.
 

Spike

Subsidiary Intermediary
Staff member
#59
It certainly isn't us vs. the world. The world was on their side, believing in them. The Kings were a feel good story at the start of the year.

Us vs. them can't happen, because Corbin is a direct reflection of what management wants. Do you think Corbin would allow that to happen? Us vs. them would quickly become us vs. coach.

Read all the quotes. Players are trying to buy into something that they know is a failure, after working with something that was successful. You want them to go whole hog into a losing style of play?
 
#60
It certainly isn't us vs. the world. The world was on their side, believing in them. The Kings were a feel good story at the start of the year.

Us vs. them can't happen, because Corbin is a direct reflection of what management wants. Do you think Corbin would allow that to happen? Us vs. them would quickly become us vs. coach.

Read all the quotes. Players are trying to buy into something that they know is a failure, after working with something that was successful. You want them to go whole hog into a losing style of play?
I want them to come together as a group instead of fighting each other, leaving each other out to dry on defense and chastising each other on the court.

If it needs to be us vs coach so be it, the other players haven't caused this problem management have. And no I didn't suggest I want them to "go whole hog into a losing style of play" but if they continue to show the kind of effort on defense I won't need too.