Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Artest ( D ) -- Spurs seemed to have him solved on offense, and struggled considerably in the first half. And then the moment of the game came at the end fo the first half when Ron came down funny on his ankle, and hobbled off with some assistance to the training room. Came back out to start the second half, but was not himself, and hurting rather than helping half the time. Could not move on defense the way he is supposed to. And I think frustrated at the way the team was playing as well as his own inability to deliver on his earlier boasts/promises. Did not want to come out, and reentered to struggle on down to the end of the game. Most inappropriate way to end the season for Ron after revitalizing the franchise.
Thomas ( D+ ) -- active start, played some solid defense on Duncan, but also made some sloppy errors. And once again disappeared completely therafter, neither getting, nor earning more than a handful of minutes as Rick went wiht Kevin instead.
Miller ( D- ) -- started better than he has been, grabbing a couple of rebounds and finishing inside on a moderately aggressive continuation, but then he just disappeared oince again, missed everything, disappeared ont he glass and continued his puzzling complete ineffectiveness. Its amazing that in two weeks Brad might have played himself right out of Sacramento. There were questions about him before, but such an abject and prominent failure in the playoffs...? Only managed a grand total of 18min + avoids yet another F by virtue of the short burst of decent play.
Bonzi ( B+ ) -- got the LeBron treatment on offense, where he was constantly double teamed. Made some mistakes, but still our steadiest player. Was trying to help too much and let Bowen free for several 2nd half three pointers that really hurt. Kept battling and scrapped and garbagemanned his way to a strong game. Just to top off the night appeared to tweak a hammie in the late going -- battled through it of course, but appeared to be in significant pain. Not the SuperBonzi of recent games, but a more reasonable level of strong, scrappy game. Unfortunately the rest of the team was so flat that nothing less than an MJesque performance could have rescued them. Our best player once more, but the Spurs weren't going to let him deliver a carry the team on his back type of performance.
Bibby ( C+ ) -- struggled to find his shots in the early going, but after hitting a prayer in the corner up against the shot clock, he settled in and began to hit his shots, was all he was doing though. In ugly fashion, began to herk and jerk to life in the 3rd and give us a little life as the Spurs were trying to put the sleeper hold on us. But it never really led anywhere, and down the stretch he was yet another king who looked hurt, hobbled, and defeated.
Martin ( B- ) -- hit an early shot, but then disappeared for the rest of the hald, came up with a little offense at the end fo the third quarter on a dunk off a nice Bibby pass and a three, but at the other end wasn't able to slow Parker, who was just having his way with us. Finished up with another 11pt 4reb in 30+min performance. Kind of the story of the series for Kevin, and right on the numbers he was putting up most nights.
Reef ( B- ) -- was really pressing early and turned the ball over again and again. finishing the first half with 3pts 2rebs 5TOs and 3fls. Was trying, but just not playing smart. Played moderately well in the second half, and the effort was there if nothing else. Liked that he at least tried, but effectiveness was dubious. Two steps ahead, one step back stuff.
Cisco ( B- ) -- hit an early shot, and actually earned some minutes this time with some hustling defensive type of plays. Second half looked decent, but was not effective. Did nothing terribly wrong, just not enough right.
Hart ( INC ) -- came right in and scored on an early layup, short, but solid first half stint. Did not return until garbagetime.
Price ( INC ) -- garbagetime
Corliss ( INC ) -- garbagetime
Potapenko ( INC ) -- garbagetime, continues to show touch on his shots
Adelman ( C ) -- Wow, were we ready to play here? Sloppy sloppy. A disappointing way to end the year, not so much in that we lost ot the better team, but that we didn't bring our A game in so doing. They found answers for Ron, and slwoed Bonzi enough he was not able to dominate and inspire. And such was the state of the rest of the team that without our engines chugging at full speed, the rest of the guys just kind of fell apart. Was this Rick's last game as a coach for the Kings? 300+ wins and 8 straight playoff appearances later? Might have been. Rick surprised and suddenly went deep into the bench in the early going of the deciding game. Odd, but suspect it was in response to the lack of poise shown by the main guys in the early going. Game just felt weird. No rhythm or flow early, and we were neither in full fledged collapse, nor capable of any sort of run. Just struggling slong. But the struggles really hurt us -- we at no point got inspired. Never got the crowd into it. Never capitalized on it being on the home floor. Just a strangely indifferent and sloppy effort given the game. Rick went 9 deep into the bench, and while a few guys gave him ok games, not one gave him a real spark. Bonzi was our best guy again, but they were swarming him, and he sort of grunged his way to a strong game, but not an inspirational one. And nobody else stepped forward. Rick himself never found the answers, although wiht nobdoy giving him a game, I have no idea what they would have been. Thigns that had been working, no longer were as the Spurs adjusted and squeezed. And oour execution was never good enough to make a counterattack.
Thomas ( D+ ) -- active start, played some solid defense on Duncan, but also made some sloppy errors. And once again disappeared completely therafter, neither getting, nor earning more than a handful of minutes as Rick went wiht Kevin instead.
Miller ( D- ) -- started better than he has been, grabbing a couple of rebounds and finishing inside on a moderately aggressive continuation, but then he just disappeared oince again, missed everything, disappeared ont he glass and continued his puzzling complete ineffectiveness. Its amazing that in two weeks Brad might have played himself right out of Sacramento. There were questions about him before, but such an abject and prominent failure in the playoffs...? Only managed a grand total of 18min + avoids yet another F by virtue of the short burst of decent play.
Bonzi ( B+ ) -- got the LeBron treatment on offense, where he was constantly double teamed. Made some mistakes, but still our steadiest player. Was trying to help too much and let Bowen free for several 2nd half three pointers that really hurt. Kept battling and scrapped and garbagemanned his way to a strong game. Just to top off the night appeared to tweak a hammie in the late going -- battled through it of course, but appeared to be in significant pain. Not the SuperBonzi of recent games, but a more reasonable level of strong, scrappy game. Unfortunately the rest of the team was so flat that nothing less than an MJesque performance could have rescued them. Our best player once more, but the Spurs weren't going to let him deliver a carry the team on his back type of performance.
Bibby ( C+ ) -- struggled to find his shots in the early going, but after hitting a prayer in the corner up against the shot clock, he settled in and began to hit his shots, was all he was doing though. In ugly fashion, began to herk and jerk to life in the 3rd and give us a little life as the Spurs were trying to put the sleeper hold on us. But it never really led anywhere, and down the stretch he was yet another king who looked hurt, hobbled, and defeated.
Martin ( B- ) -- hit an early shot, but then disappeared for the rest of the hald, came up with a little offense at the end fo the third quarter on a dunk off a nice Bibby pass and a three, but at the other end wasn't able to slow Parker, who was just having his way with us. Finished up with another 11pt 4reb in 30+min performance. Kind of the story of the series for Kevin, and right on the numbers he was putting up most nights.
Reef ( B- ) -- was really pressing early and turned the ball over again and again. finishing the first half with 3pts 2rebs 5TOs and 3fls. Was trying, but just not playing smart. Played moderately well in the second half, and the effort was there if nothing else. Liked that he at least tried, but effectiveness was dubious. Two steps ahead, one step back stuff.
Cisco ( B- ) -- hit an early shot, and actually earned some minutes this time with some hustling defensive type of plays. Second half looked decent, but was not effective. Did nothing terribly wrong, just not enough right.
Hart ( INC ) -- came right in and scored on an early layup, short, but solid first half stint. Did not return until garbagetime.
Price ( INC ) -- garbagetime
Corliss ( INC ) -- garbagetime
Potapenko ( INC ) -- garbagetime, continues to show touch on his shots
Adelman ( C ) -- Wow, were we ready to play here? Sloppy sloppy. A disappointing way to end the year, not so much in that we lost ot the better team, but that we didn't bring our A game in so doing. They found answers for Ron, and slwoed Bonzi enough he was not able to dominate and inspire. And such was the state of the rest of the team that without our engines chugging at full speed, the rest of the guys just kind of fell apart. Was this Rick's last game as a coach for the Kings? 300+ wins and 8 straight playoff appearances later? Might have been. Rick surprised and suddenly went deep into the bench in the early going of the deciding game. Odd, but suspect it was in response to the lack of poise shown by the main guys in the early going. Game just felt weird. No rhythm or flow early, and we were neither in full fledged collapse, nor capable of any sort of run. Just struggling slong. But the struggles really hurt us -- we at no point got inspired. Never got the crowd into it. Never capitalized on it being on the home floor. Just a strangely indifferent and sloppy effort given the game. Rick went 9 deep into the bench, and while a few guys gave him ok games, not one gave him a real spark. Bonzi was our best guy again, but they were swarming him, and he sort of grunged his way to a strong game, but not an inspirational one. And nobody else stepped forward. Rick himself never found the answers, although wiht nobdoy giving him a game, I have no idea what they would have been. Thigns that had been working, no longer were as the Spurs adjusted and squeezed. And oour execution was never good enough to make a counterattack.
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