[Grades] Grades v. Spurs 1/20/12

[ParniValjak]

Corner turned?

Hopefully! Played well for most of this one except for that patch where our 15 point lead just disappeared in a blink of an eye.

What I like is that at certain times, all 3 of our "lead" guys were leading and causing issues. Cousins started beasting early and if it wasn't for getting his hands caught in the cookie jar for 2 quick fouls, he would have continued to get it done as Spurs had no answer for him.

The Cousins goes to the bench and Thornton continues taking over. Once Thornton was out, Reke just flat our beasted for a while there. He has been threatening a triple double for some 4 or so games now.

If Cousins can stay on the court for longer (quit reaching in) we could start developing something here. I must say it help enormously having right sort of players around the big 3. JT starting over Hickson has been a breath of fresh air. Salmons has struggled but did a half decent job and the rest of the role players come in and give us something.

With a more settled line up, rotations and roles, things are starting to click but lets wait a bit longer here. I was impressed with our poise down the stretch in this one. We might finally be starting to learn how to close out games. Against a very good team too.

 

[pshn80]

Among all my other gripes...My biggest issue with Westphal (or as I liked to call him, Worstphail), was that he didnt do **** to develop any of our young players. Thats fine and dandy if you're a vet playoff team, but we are rebuilding...The future of the franchise lies in the improvement of our youngsters.

In his short time as HC, I'm already seeing strides in the improvement of Reke and Cousins (not to mention the entire team!).

If Smart continues to get Reke and Cousins to go beast mode on a regular basis, we're going to get a lot more Ws. Now its just up to GP to fill in the bench and get some more complimentary players going foward (yeah, I wont hold my breath).

Awesome win.

Westphal is gone.

 

[pshn80]

I can see the team making strides. We need our role players to increase their FG%, especially from 3. Tyreke and Thornton still have a tendency to go one on one a bit. If Tyreke is going one on one I'd rather see him keep driving it aggressively, because he's shown at least a decent ability to find open guys when he does that, as opposed to settling for outside shots. If the shot is there within the flow of the offense then fine, he should take it. I also think the extended minutes + running is taking a toll on Evans, even though he seems to be in pretty good shape. You can see when he's shooting FTs that he's completely drenched in sweat and doesn't have his legs in his free throw shot.

I actually prefer the Thornton that we had last season, who seemed more aggressive attacking the rim and settled less for outside jumpshots, not to mention a more willing passer. His floater that he's added by the way, is awful, and should never ever be used. The only thing it's good for is giving him a sure offensive foul. His floater has no arc whatsoever, and I think he'd be better off just pulling up for a shot.

As for Coach Smart, I want to see Salmons and Hickson get less minutes. He also needs to stop trying to run the offense through Salmons, because it's just going to be a mid range fadeaway shot. We were lucky that he made 2 of these to tie the game, but it's not good offense and Salmons is not even close to being one of the players I'd give the ball to to create a shot 1 on 1. JT is playing very well and should be brought back into the game earlier. Hickson is a black hole on offense. If we're going to use him for outside shots I'd rather he take a step in because right now his baseline shots are almost at the 3 point line.

Garcia had a few wtf moments upon entering the game. Jimmer .... well it was nice watching him hit his first 3.

Less Salmons, better Jimmer, less Hickson, Tyreke and Thornton continuing to get used to moving the ball and we'll see great strides in our team. The best part is this is without Hayes and Cousins isn't playing anywhere near his potential. Once Cousins develops some proper post game and our backcourt get used to the offense we'll be in good shape. Bench needs to be improved though.

You want less Salmons in order to win bigger? All they can offer me is a win and they did it.

 

[Arkitect]

Team played probably it's best quarter of basketball this year in the first quarter. Solid D and excellent passing. Kind of fell back on the one-on-one after that, but you can tell the guys are starting to learn how to play together. I am loving Reke's focus on defense this year. I think in order for him to make "the leap" he needs to up his FG%, but he is going to be a first or second team defender within a couple of years regardless. I would be okay with DMC as our top guy on offense and with Reke as our top guy on defense. The potential is there.

We very well could be in the same rebuild position as OKC time wise, but it is like if they switched the draft order of Durant and Westbrook.

 

[Spok22]

I saw the last minute of this game in the airport right before I left for LA. I was expecting a blowout and even when i saw that we were close in the last minute i still wasnt expecting a win.

Good thing i recorded it.
GOOOOOOOOOOO KIIIIIIIIIIINGGGSSS!!!

 

[ArcoKings]

Reke was a beast tonight. Almost got a triple-double! The team is improving little by little. The W tonight in S.A. should be a confidence booster for the team. It is hard winning in that arena. Go KINGS!

 

[Tetsujin]

I can see the team making strides. We need our role players to increase their FG%, especially from 3. Tyreke and Thornton still have a tendency to go one on one a bit. If Tyreke is going one on one I'd rather see him keep driving it aggressively, because he's shown at least a decent ability to find open guys when he does that, as opposed to settling for outside shots. If the shot is there within the flow of the offense then fine, he should take it. I also think the extended minutes + running is taking a toll on Evans, even though he seems to be in pretty good shape. You can see when he's shooting FTs that he's completely drenched in sweat and doesn't have his legs in his free throw shot.

I actually prefer the Thornton that we had last season, who seemed more aggressive attacking the rim and settled less for outside jumpshots, not to mention a more willing passer. His floater that he's added by the way, is awful, and should never ever be used. The only thing it's good for is giving him a sure offensive foul. His floater has no arc whatsoever, and I think he'd be better off just pulling up for a shot.

As for Coach Smart, I want to see Salmons and Hickson get less minutes. He also needs to stop trying to run the offense through Salmons, because it's just going to be a mid range fadeaway shot. We were lucky that he made 2 of these to tie the game, but it's not good offense and Salmons is not even close to being one of the players I'd give the ball to to create a shot 1 on 1. JT is playing very well and should be brought back into the game earlier. Hickson is a black hole on offense. If we're going to use him for outside shots I'd rather he take a step in because right now his baseline shots are almost at the 3 point line.

Garcia had a few wtf moments upon entering the game. Jimmer .... well it was nice watching him hit his first 3.

Less Salmons, better Jimmer, less Hickson, Tyreke and Thornton continuing to get used to moving the ball and we'll see great strides in our team. The best part is this is without Hayes and Cousins isn't playing anywhere near his potential. Once Cousins develops some proper post game and our backcourt get used to the offense we'll be in good shape. Bench needs to be improved though.

We won... I think...

 

[ElRey]

Another Ugly Defensive Win, but I'll take it! Just wondering how good this team can be once the offense starts clicking and guys start making shots.

 

[swisshh]

Smart talks a mile a minute in his postgames.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Another Ugly Defensive Win, but I'll take it!

Not a damned thing wrong (or ugly) with a defensive win, in my book. AFAIC, they're the best kind.

 

[swisshh]

I found this game to be more appealing to watch than most of the games this season.

 

[jalfa]

My favourite two things from this win were a) that whoever brought the ball up looked at Keith Smart and then ran an actual honest to god play, if they do this every game and don't break too many of them (looking at thornton and salmons here) the offense *will* improve dramatically. b) the defense looked flat out competent out there, doubles, rotations, everything. the only reason (aside from the smallballing) that the Spurs still got some open looks was that there's probably no better team in the league at swinging the ball until an open man is found, once there was a double team.

Some other things: fastbreaks actually look good now, which is grand, considering the Kings' potential as a running team. Thornton still has trouble working in a real offense, which is kind of troubling, but hopefully changes at some point. Sometimes I get the feeling that the Kings guards hoist up shots, because they fail to get Cousins the ball, then see that he has position for the oreb and just hope that he'll get it, if they don't hit their shot. On a similar note, I just wish Cousins would slip screens less (a trait i hat in big men) and set more effective ones. Anyway, especially in the first half, you could see the set offense improving a lot, which is awesome, considering that Smart had what, 4 practices or something? If they progress at that rate, they'll be unbeatable by the end of the season

 

[mac]

We won... I think...

And your point is? I'm glad we won, but if you think beating a Ginobili-less Spurs team that essentially had Tony Parker, Danny Green and Gary Neal as their main guys by 2 points is a great feat then you and I think very differently. Point out something specific in my post that you disagree with, and we can go from there.

Be my guest then, continue to put the ball in Salmons hands in crunch time. Just don't whine when we lose because all you get are 1 on 1 fadeaway shots that are more likely to pop out than go in.

 

[Bricklayer]

And your point is? I'm glad we won, but if you think beating a Ginobili-less Spurs team that essentially had Tony Parker, Danny Green and Gary Neal as their main guys by 2 points is a great feat then you and I think very differently.

Um, oddly nobody else had managed to do that yet, and you are talking about a third in the Western Conference 10-5 team before that game, having won 4 of its last 5 and previously undefeated at 9-0 at home.

 

[mac]

Um, oddly nobody else had managed to do that yet, and you are talking about a third in the Western Conference 10-5 team before that game, having won 4 of its last 5 and previously undefeated at 9-0 at home.

Yes but again, go back to what I said in my original post. Is the way we played in the last few minutes a reliable way for good teams to win? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we got the win, and I acknowledged the strides that the team has made. I pointed out several things that I feel we still need improvement on to be a real good team, and the responses I got was ... "we won the game". So if you're content with playing the way we did in the 4th as opposed to playing the entire game like we did in the 1st, moving the ball etc. then ok go ahead.

We basically lucked out because Salmons made some tough shots and Tyreke actually made a jumpshot. On the last play Green had a good look but Cousins did a good job of forcing him out just a little bit. They could have tipped the ball in as well. We will not be so lucky every game, and we need to continue to improve. That's basically what I said in my first post, but apparently the team doesn't need to improve because we beat the Spurs by 2 points. Hoorah.

 

[TaxMan]

Yes but again, go back to what I said in my original post. Is the way we played in the last few minutes a reliable way for good teams to win? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we got the win, and I acknowledged the strides that the team has made. I pointed out several things that I feel we still need improvement on to be a real good team, and the responses I got was ... "we won the game". So if you're content with playing the way we did in the 4th as opposed to playing the entire game like we did in the 1st, moving the ball etc. then ok go ahead.

We basically lucked out because Salmons made some tough shots and Tyreke actually made a jumpshot. On the last play Green had a good look but Cousins did a good job of forcing him out just a little bit. They could have tipped the ball in as well. We will not be so lucky every game, and we need to continue to improve. That's basically what I said in my first post, but apparently the team doesn't need to improve because we beat the Spurs by 2 points. Hoorah.

You're right. I HATE wins like this. They are icky and make me depressed.

 

[King Baller]

You guys boo Santa Claus? A win is a win. Two wins in a row is cause to celebrate for this team THIS YEAR.

KB

 

[Kingster]

Actually, Thomas made two key plays toward the end of the game - he took a charge from Parker, and he stole the ball from Parker on a strip. Remember when Parker used to just KILL this team, just obliterate it? It's a much better defensive team that it used to be.

Reke had the best game I've seen in a couple of years.

Thornton played poorly. Still forcing it, or selfish, depending upon your point of view.

Kings small ball team is > Spurs small ball team

I don't know if this team has turned a corner, which would imply it's straight up from here. I just think that it's another positive step. I continue to like what I see from Smart.

 

[Warhawk]

You're right. I HATE wins like this. They are icky and make me depressed.

Yep. Sucks. Would be nice to be able to trot out our second string and beat the Heat by 40. Winning by two against a VERY experienced team coached by Pop who was 9-0 at home until last night isn't anything to be excited about. At all.






mac, we all know we need to keep improving. You are just stating the obvious. But many of us are pretty excited to have just beat two good teams in a row, one on the road, with a replacement coach who has had less than a half-dozen practices in a compressed schedule with the youngest team in the league.

Chill out and enjoy the moment!

 

[Kingster]

Um, oddly nobody else had managed to do that yet, and you are talking about a third in the Western Conference 10-5 team before that game, having won 4 of its last 5 and previously undefeated at 9-0 at home.

When did Ginobli get hurt? Also, TJ Ford, their backup pg went down with injury. Knowing when these guys went down may give a clearer picture. (Those aren't rhetorical questions, by the way. I don't know the answers).

 

[Glenn]

I don't know the proper term for where the Kings stand now as a team but I sure didn't expect them to win these two in a row. "Turned a corner" sounds good for now. At the least it implies a lessening of the crap and playing with more of an identity and confidence. The team is still young and will play like a young team. Identity and confidence won't magically make them seasoned vets. I am not worried about Thornton as he is young. I don't recall complaints about his selfishness last year but then my memory may have failed me. At the least these kinds of comments didn't appear daily. I am not worried about Jimmer as he is young. I am worried more that he feels an incredible weight on his shoulders to perform at his college level in the NBA and that's just not possible. I also think we have seen the absolute worst from Salmons and that can't go on forever. I'm not saying I want him on the team but I AM saying I expect more production from him.

So, some kind of corner has been turned. I like that the scoring burden is placed where it should be. I hope Tyreke's body doesn't break down and in particular I am talking about his feet. He is putting in too many minutes. Not saying I'm not enjoying it. Smart seems to have plan for Boogie that is working. It seems odd but then ...

 

[ppine]

I liked the defense, the improved intensity and sense of urgency last night against the Spurs. The Kings are pushing the ball much better. Coach Smart has already figured out how to best utilize the talents of Cuz and Tyreke. It is remarkable to see Reke drive and dish, and then have the open mid-range jumper. You can almost tell by his enthusiasm when hitting the 15 foot shot that Smart has explained to him that will be open after his opponents see him drive a few times. Cousins impresses me and he is trying to play like an adult. He has so much competitive fire that it is a challenge for him. I can relate and played the same way, with much less size talent, but the same mental outlook.

This game was the most fun to watch of any this year except the Lakers at home. I hope Smart continues to go deep into the bench every night. The Kings have no All-Stars, but have some legit NBA good players. Their bench is experienced and is required to play intense defense and run on offense. I like his comment about the luxury of a team that can rebound and run. Can you say- FAST BREAK? I best way to improve on the worst shooting percentage in the league is fast break lay-ups.

 

[ElRey]

I don't know the proper term for where the Kings stand now as a team but I sure didn't expect them to win these two in a row. "Turned a corner" sounds good for now. At the least it implies a lessening of the crap and playing with more of an identity and confidence. The team is still young and will play like a young team. Identity and confidence won't magically make them seasoned vets. I am not worried about Thornton as he is young. I don't recall complaints about his selfishness last year but then my memory may have failed me. At the least these kinds of comments didn't appear daily. I am not worried about Jimmer as he is young. I am worried more that he feels an incredible weight on his shoulders to perform at his college level in the NBA and that's just not possible. I also think we have seen the absolute worst from Salmons and that can't go on forever. I'm not saying I want him on the team but I AM saying I expect more production from him.

So, some kind of corner has been turned. I like that the scoring burden is placed where it should be. I hope Tyreke's body doesn't break down and in particular I am talking about his feet. He is putting in too many minutes. Not saying I'm not enjoying it. Smart seems to have plan for Boogie that is working. It seems odd but then ...

If they could somehow win tonight's game, THEN I would say they turned the corner. Remember who got blown out by Memphis the last time we played them.

 

[est.1999]

Didn't know that SA was 9-0 at home coming in to this game. Awesome.

 

[JB_kings]

Before tipoff of that game, you could have asked 1,000 Kings fans who they thought would win that game last night and it very well probably have went 100% Spurs. You hope to see the team play the best they can play each game and hope to see improvement. I see improvement from the team since Smart took over.

You probably won't find a bigger Salmons hater than me. He's a selfish shooter and an ok defender of big guards at this point of his career. The two shots he made were not that difficult. Most likely his defenders backed off from him so he would shoot because his perimeter shot is putrid. But seriously, all a coach could hope for with the game on the line is 3 straight fairly open mid-range shots for his shooters.

 

[pshn80]

Yes but again, go back to what I said in my original post. Is the way we played in the last few minutes a reliable way for good teams to win? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy we got the win, and I acknowledged the strides that the team has made. I pointed out several things that I feel we still need improvement on to be a real good team, and the responses I got was ... "we won the game". So if you're content with playing the way we did in the 4th as opposed to playing the entire game like we did in the 1st, moving the ball etc. then ok go ahead.

We basically lucked out because Salmons made some tough shots and Tyreke actually made a jumpshot. On the last play Green had a good look but Cousins did a good job of forcing him out just a little bit. They could have tipped the ball in as well. We will not be so lucky every game, and we need to continue to improve. That's basically what I said in my first post, but apparently the team doesn't need to improve because we beat the Spurs by 2 points. Hoorah.

I know somebody already said this but we won the game. That's what I watch for is to see them play like they can win the game. They did.

 

[Bricklayer]

When did Ginobli get hurt? Also, TJ Ford, their backup pg went down with injury. Knowing when these guys went down may give a clearer picture. (Those aren't rhetorical questions, by the way. I don't know the answers).

Ginobili got hurt in Game 5. The Spurs were 3-2 at the time, 3-0 at home and 0-2 on the road. Despite their history and Manu being their best player anymore, they haven't skipped a beat recordwise at least. Before us they were 7-3 since the injury, 6-0 at home.

Seriously, it would be almost imposible for us to have a good win in the Western Confernce if that is the standard. Win tonight? No Zbo. Beat the Nuggets? No Nene. The Clippers? No Paul. Dirk's got a bad knee. The Lakers have no heart. Or really either Conference. Bbeat Miami? No Wade. Chicago? No Rose. Atlanta? No Horford. New York? Don't make me laugh.

Any way you slice it we beat two Top 10 teams recordwise back to back. That ain't nothing.

 

[The_Jamal]

Ginobili got hurt in Game 5. The Spurs were 3-2 at the time, 3-0 at home and 0-2 on the road. Despite their history and Manu being their best player anymore, they haven't skipped a beat recordwise at least. Before us they were 7-3 since the injury, 6-0 at home.

Seriously, it would be almost imposible for us to have a good win in the Western Confernce if that is the standard. Win tonight? No Zbo. Beat the Nuggets? No Nene. The Clippers? No Paul. Dirk's got a bad knee. The Lakers have no heart. Or really either Conference. Bbeat Miami? No Wade. Chicago? No Rose. Atlanta? No Horford. New York? Don't make me laugh.

Any way you slice it we beat two Top 10 teams recordwise back to back. That ain't nothing.

Add in the Lakers win and we have 3 quality wins against playoff teams 16 games into the season. How many times have we been able to say that over the last 4 years?

 

[Arkitect]

Add in the Lakers win and we have 3 quality wins against playoff teams 16 games into the season. How many times have we been able to say that over the last 4 years?

Of our 6 wins, 3 have come against playoff teams. Most of our losses except Houston and Minnesota came against playoff teams. We have had a tough schedule to open the season which makes me think that we are better then our record indicates.

 

[roasthawg]

We're 6-10 and it's quite possible that we've found both a coach and an identity. We're doing surprisingly well considering where we were at just two games ago... the season is exciting again right now.