[Grades] Grades v. Spurs 4/6/11

[Bricklayer]

Er...seems to be a rather opaque ceiling we keep bumping into. The great teams, or teams playing great, we have run into have put us in our place -- Chicago, Denverx2 (althoguh there we were competitive), Spurs. Everybody else we're beating or scaring, but the elite teams...well let's just call it a good lesson and get to the grades.

It belatedly occurred to me that:
a) this was a blowout
b) blowouts mean girls; and
c) that the SKDT is currently involved, and still alive in the annual dance team contest over at NBA.com.

So I'm gonna spiff up this thread some.


Offical Boxscore

Garcia ( C- ) -- quick layup off the opening jump ball, but then went back to missing long jumpers as he still isn't shooting worth a damn from outside, and worse yet, seemed to be looking to chuck shots rathee than move the ball and wait for open ones. Tried to belie that in the third when he knocked down two threes, but there were the only ones on the night, and there was no defense back the other way as we got run out of the building.

Arielle

Cousins ( B ) -- there are obviously still things to work out, including making sure he is not frozen out by an excessively guard-centric offense (remember again there has never been a successful team with 2 20ppg guards in the same backcourt). But in the last few games DeMarcus's raw totals have not gone up, but his efficiency has skyrocketed. The reason? He's not pressing as much. Drove by McDyess early, but then kind of faded into a support role for most of the first half. Was able to get his hands on a couple of blocks and had a big one handed tip follow late in the half as we surged to take the lead (yes, we played competitively for a half). But there were too many possessins when he did not even touch the ball, and when he did, he looked reluctant to attack even though he did not have to deal with Duncan this time (the advantage of having Daly out there with him). Took a couple of tough shots to start the third, but settled back and started knocking down his jumpers. Wrapped things wiht a 3pt play in the early 4th, but the game was already spiraling by then and there was nothing further. never felt like he had any great impact in this one, but 15pts 11rebs 3ast on 7-11 shooting with 0 TO is rock solid.

Brittney

Dalembert ( B- ) -- was having trouble finishing over the Spurs inside, even if they were guys he should have been able to take. but worked his way into a productive outing anyway, and was teaming with Cousins to dominate the offensive glass down the half. Most of our defensive woes started with our little people, who just did not get it done. But Daly wasn't able to have any significant effect as a shotblocker either as the Spurs did most of their damage from the perimeter and on the break. 12pts and 10rebs of solid play again as we got double doubles out of both our bigs. But like Cousisn never felt like he wa having a huge impact on the game.

Carly -- as a side note, dear photograpehr dude/dudette, go easy on the photoshopping/airbrushing of those bellies. They look almost painted. Think natural.

Thornton ( D ) -- still a bit of a question here how comfortable Marcus has been as "one of" the weapons rather than the only weapon. Shooting has all of a sudden gotten shaky, and in games like this he has been pressing. Was missing makeable shots in the early going, inside and out. Hit his only three of the ngith early. But generally held very much in check, challenged whenever he drove, and not doing the other things tonight. A couple of games ago he grabbed 7rebs and had 7ast. This time it was 1reb and 2ast and looked more selifhs and incomfrtable out there than we have seen him. No real burst of life either, as he was just silent as we got blown away, and finished with only 9pts on 11 shots.

Gina

 

[Bricklayer]

Evans ( C ) -- well the unquestioned highlight of this one you can see here:

I didn't know he had that, did you? Otherwsie he was the only Kings player under 6'11" to give us much of anything, but it was hardly a stellar game. Hit a three against the clock early before coming up with that monster dunk -- by FAR the best we have ever seen from him. Had another aggressive drive +1 down the right as he was kind of the guy who was going to keep us close early...maybe. Not as good a job passing -- we had 21 assists tonights and 8 players had between 9-15 shots, so it looks balanced, but the bal wasn't hopping -- but was doing a nice job overall. Ran almost a weave with Beno late in the half. But things started to break donw late in the first half when he had two turnovers driving and trying to dish down inside in the final minute. And in the third, don't know whether the legs went on him (and us) or what, but the defense just totally collapsed, and in a classic sign of a young team that is not established yet, as things went south and we couldn't get anything going, eh reverted to forced one on one drives to try to pull us out of it, fo course int he process only making things worse. Added a nice alley oop off the drive to Dalembert late, but it was way too little too late, and he sat the rest of the way.

Danielle


Bench

Thompson ( C ) -- did a nice job on the glass after entering, but offensively it was the same Jason stuff -- missed tip, grab o-reb, missed tip and so on. Nor could he get his jumper going until Beno spoon fed him one in the 2nd quarter. Was back in in the third farily quickly to replace DeMarcus, but it was more of the same. Missed jumpers, think there was ablown layup in there etc.. Give him a little grading credit for the effort on the boards as always, but all the fumbling and lack of touch you normally associate with Jason was there as well, and you would have to squint pretty hard to call this a good effort.

Heather

Greene ( C+ ) -- up, down and all around offensive game for Donte again, that generally got better as it went along. Unfortunately on the other end was where we needed the help, and he wasn't able to make any noticeable impact. Airballed his first corner three and was missing his early shots again. Then in the second no hesitation and just drained the same shot, before missing another. You can just never predcict with Donte. Gave us a little slice of life late in the third when he hit a corner three, then answered a Manu three with another of his own. And he was one of our most willing pasers on the ngiht, including hotting a cutting BVeno with a nice assist from the corner. It was not a worthless effort. But he still missed twice as many as he made, and he wasn't able to help where we needed it the most, and where he is usually the most realiable.

Katerina

 

[Bricklayer]

Udrih ( C- ) -- gave us a little bit of passing of the bench, and got one of his slashing drives across the lane to go, but as much as anything the lingering image of Beno in this one was of him missing repeated wide open threes set up by Reke. I wince at those, because this is still a young team, and when you are trying to get a young team to play right positive reinforcement is key. If you do everything right, set a guy up perfectly, and he just keeps bricking the shot anyway, eventually kids are going to say well screw this, and go try to take care of business on their own, and that seemed to eventually happen here. Best that can be said about Beno's defense is that on this afternoon it actually wasn't much worse than any of the other guards.

Katie

Casspi ( INC ) -- got to play the final 6 minutes of the blowout, but really barely involved out there. Impossible to say if any of that was related to the recent articles or not.

Kelly

Taylor ( INC ) -- barely in long enough to be an excuse for another girl

Laura

Jeter ( INC ) -- another excuse for a girl outing

Lauren

 

[Bricklayer]

Jackson ( INC ) -- slightly more active than the other just an excuse for a girl outings -- hit a shot, got to the line -- but it was still only a couple of minutes of garbagetime. So, onto the girl.

Lisa

Toenail fungus ( F ) -- yuck!

Michelle -- sorry Michelle for putting you under toenail fungus, it was nothing personal.

Dwarf planet Pluto ( A ) -- thx for being such a sport about that whole stripping you of planethood thing

Nicole

Jenn ( A ) -- I hear you have been bumped up to management status now. Well thx for being such a sport over the years, and of course for that one set of indiscrete pics a few years ago. This may be a last chance at a shoutout, so here it is.

Sasha

 

[rainmaker]

I was disappointed in the ball movement from the begining, especially with Cisco shooting 5 shots right out of the gate. We were too perimeter oriented for my liking. Also was disappointed in the defense from Tyreke/Thornton. The effort wasn't there, especially from Tyreke. I don't usually call out Tyreke for his defense, but I saw him give up on at least 6 plays. And when I say give up, I literally mean as soon as the screen was set, he stopped defending. Didn't go over, didn't go under, didn't try to fight through, or chase his man to the basket. He literally just stopped. I thought Thorntons effort was better on that end, but he really loses sight of his man off the ball sometimes.

But SA is one helluva team. 3rd best in the league IMO, behind LA and Chi.

 

[Asaf]

But SA is one helluva team. 3rd best in the league IMO, behind LA and Chi.

Their record says they are the best, and I tend to believe the record (and my eyes. They have played some spectacular basketball this season) until proven otherwise in the playoffs.

 

[vikinginferno]

I can't say I didn't see this coming, second game of a back to back against one of the best teams in the league. I think the first half showed what we are capable of, but the second half showed that we are still pretty far away from being a great team.

 

[kingzallday]

 

[kingsboi]

Can't say I expected a 30 point loss. This is the second time out of three games we got destroyed by San Antonio. I don't know why, but the Kings just can't match up and ever and I mean EVER beat the Spurs. I think the last time Sac beat the Spurs was back in 07 with Bonzi & Ron Ron. That's a four year drought of domination. Now, I don't expect them to beat them when they were winning 15 and 20 something games, but come on...it's getting really annoying watching us get owned every time we face this team. Can someone please fill me in on how we lost by this much? Looking at the box score, only 9 TO's. It doesn't help Spurs shot 12-19 on three's and 60% FG to our 39%. Cousins was very efficient. Why didn't he get more shots up? Tyreke was so so, Thornton was just off. Was he getting good looks? Forcing shots?

 

[ESP47]

Can't say I expected a 30 point loss. This is the second time out of three games we got destroyed by San Antonio. I don't know why, but the Kings just can't match up and ever and I mean EVER beat the Spurs. I think the last time Sac beat the Spurs was back in 07 with Bonzi & Ron Ron. That's a four year drought of domination. Now, I don't expect them to beat them when they were winning 15 and 20 something games, but come on...it's getting really annoying watching us get owned every time we face this team. Can someone please fill me in on how we lost by this much? Looking at the box score, only 9 TO's. It doesn't help Spurs shot 12-19 on three's and 60% FG to our 39%. Cousins was very efficient. Why didn't he get more shots up? Tyreke was so so, Thornton was just off. Was he getting good looks? Forcing shots?

We were letting them do lay up drills all game long. Especially Ginobili and Parker. We gave Hill wide open looks at corner 3's and baseline jumpers all game. All 3 of our bigs did their job on the glass but their back court destroyed us when it came to rebounding. Thorton wasn't forcing, just wasn't hitting. Tyreke started out great and then started forcing.

Honestly, I think that was about as good as a game on the offensive side as we want from Cousins right now. He went 7-11 from the field with no turnovers at all. When we try giving him the ball and letting him go at it in the post to get shots, he always ends up dribbling into 3 guys and turning the ball over while going 3-14 with 5 TO's. I see no need to get Cousins any more shots than he got. We have more efficient 1 on 1 scorers on the team and Cousins needs to know when to score and when to pass the ball and let another guy like Thorton or Beno get a better shot.

 

[mac]

We were letting them do lay up drills all game long. Especially Ginobili and Parker. We gave Hill wide open looks at corner 3's and baseline jumpers all game. All 3 of our bigs did their job on the glass but their back court destroyed us when it came to rebounding. Thorton wasn't forcing, just wasn't hitting. Tyreke started out great and then started forcing.

Honestly, I think that was about as good as a game on the offensive side as we want from Cousins right now. He went 7-11 from the field with no turnovers at all. When we try giving him the ball and letting him go at it in the post to get shots, he always ends up dribbling into 3 guys and turning the ball over while going 3-14 with 5 TO's. I see no need to get Cousins any more shots than he got. We have more efficient 1 on 1 scorers on the team and Cousins needs to know when to score and when to pass the ball and let another guy like Thorton or Beno get a better shot.

They were also simply on fire shooting outside. Some of the shots were open, some were contested. Tyreke looked like he didn't even want to play defense. On a Spurs inbounds play, Tyreke wipes his sweat, and when he looks up Ginobili had already ran out to receive the pass and got an open look at a 3.

I agree that we simply relied too much on our outside shooting. And is it just me, or does our team really need to learn to screen properly? I rarely ever see the opposing guards having to fight through screens - our screens seem more for show than for any real purpose.

 

[kingsboi]

Ahhh okay so it was one of those games where the Kings decided to play zero defense for whatever reason. When they want to play defense they actually aren't too bad at it but I don't know how it doesn't pee some of their teammates off that their getting lay up after lay up. If they make contested three's then that's just their night but if their wide open then I don't really know what to say. These guys need a kick in the rear when it comes to having some sort of accountability on who their guy is and making it as tough as possible to score.

 

[SCKingsfan]

Let's not forget the 1st half: I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the kings dominated the spurs for some stretches. Take away that last minute and they are up 5 + going into half time. The confidence was there. Not great D, but not bad. Offfense was about the best i've seen in a couple of years, despite Spurs strong D. Spurs were playing great and still down by 5.

Not sure exactly what turned the tide; happened at the end of the half and ballooned in 3rd quarter. Multiple breakdowns, on D and O.

And I thought Tyreke had no lift - dang!

 

[ESP47]

They were also simply on fire shooting outside. Some of the shots were open, some were contested. Tyreke looked like he didn't even want to play defense. On a Spurs inbounds play, Tyreke wipes his sweat, and when he looks up Ginobili had already ran out to receive the pass and got an open look at a 3.

I agree that we simply relied too much on our outside shooting. And is it just me, or does our team really need to learn to screen properly? I rarely ever see the opposing guards having to fight through screens - our screens seem more for show than for any real purpose.

I've been saying that about screens since day one. Our bigs don't actually ever set screens, they just run out there and go through the motions. Theres a reason why other teams guards get a few uncontested drives and lay ups a game while we get almost none. Why Westphal hasn't corrected this is beyond me. It's a mix between our bigs not setting hard screens and our guards running around them so the defender and squeeze right through.

 

[Kingster]

Can't say I expected a 30 point loss. This is the second time out of three games we got destroyed by San Antonio. I don't know why, but the Kings just can't match up and ever and I mean EVER beat the Spurs. I think the last time Sac beat the Spurs was back in 07 with Bonzi & Ron Ron. That's a four year drought of domination. Now, I don't expect them to beat them when they were winning 15 and 20 something games, but come on...it's getting really annoying watching us get owned every time we face this team. Can someone please fill me in on how we lost by this much? Looking at the box score, only 9 TO's. It doesn't help Spurs shot 12-19 on three's and 60% FG to our 39%. Cousins was very efficient. Why didn't he get more shots up? Tyreke was so so, Thornton was just off. Was he getting good looks? Forcing shots?

The Kings get beat because San Antonio plays smart, disciplined, unselfish basketball. They play the best team ball in the NBA. They could care less about stats. They just care about winning. And they have very good talent as well. Because they are smart and experienced SA can put out 75% of the energy the Kings do, but get 125% more production.

 

[IfAt1st]

I've been saying that about screens since day one. Our bigs don't actually ever set screens, they just run out there and go through the motions. Theres a reason why other teams guards get a few uncontested drives and lay ups a game while we get almost none. Why Westphal hasn't corrected this is beyond me. It's a mix between our bigs not setting hard screens and our guards running around them so the defender and squeeze right through.

Absolutely agree, and have mentioned it many times throughout the year.
And I'll go further:

The Kings WILL NOT be a winning team in this league until they can execute plays that are impossible to stop by swarming defenses (like what you see in the 4th qtrs).
2 plays that are impossible to stop a player from getting a shot off are screens, and pick-and-rolls.
EVERY team in the NBA runs them, and almost every team is effective with them from time to time at getting an open shot.
Except the Kings.

No, those spastic, clumsy, completely ineffective attempts every game that masquerade as a pick-and-roll do NOT qualify as effective.
The Kings big men simply don't know where/when to go, and the guards don't even bother letting them get to the spot, and then dribble past them to pry their defender off of them.
And other than the couple plays this year where they set up Cisco on a screen that leads to a catch and shoot (which worked alright until Cisco lost his shot), the Kings don't run set screen plays (single, or double-set screens).

Watching the Spurs play, it looked like a team game.
The Kings look like 5 guys out there.

Put another way - the Kings have to look at their teammates, and react (guess) where they are going to make an assisted play. This leads to all those multiple errors and turnovers where they guess wrong (thought the teammate would be cutting to the basket when he didn't).

Other teams (like the Spurs) KNOW where there teammate is going to go. They don't have to look, they don't have to react - they move together with split-second timing.
That's basketball - not this 1-4 flat BS.

And it will require a STRONG coach that IMPOSES a system on the team, and repeats it until the guys can execute it in their sleep.

Gee, I wonder what coach is around/available that fits that bill?

 

[kingsboi]

The Kings get beat because San Antonio plays smart, disciplined, unselfish basketball. They play the best team ball in the NBA. They could care less about stats. They just care about winning. And they have very good talent as well. Because they are smart and experienced SA can put out 75% of the energy the Kings do, but get 125% more production.

I think there's more to it than that. Tell me another thing then, why haven't we beaten the Mavs in 8 or 9 tries either?

 

[Glenn]

It's amazing how the mood changes when we get dominated in one half by what might be the best team in the league. I agree with the complaints, however. I'd love to see a practice and see what they are practicing.

 

[Spike]

Good thing I waited to get home before checking the grades (I had a hunch.) Gina and Laura - wow. Michelle is making a strong play for my emotions as well. As for the game: meh. The Spurs are just gearing up for the playoffs, and we're the warmup. We're the D1AA school that won't make you bowl-eligible, but we'll take your money and the beating thank you very much.

Still, we showed some fight early, but slacked off on the defensive end a bit much. The Spurs are a well-oiled machine. They are the Ivan Drago of basketball. We'll get there. I feel we have the pieces in place. Hopefully we can keep Cousins and Evans together as long as Parker and Duncan; that would be sweet.

 

[Glenn]

Good thing I waited to get home before checking the grades (I had a hunch.) Gina and Laura - wow. Michelle is making a strong play for my emotions as well. As for the game: meh. The Spurs are just gearing up for the playoffs, and we're the warmup. We're the D1AA school that won't make you bowl-eligible, but we'll take your money and the beating thank you very much.

Still, we showed some fight early, but slacked off on the defensive end a bit much. The Spurs are a well-oiled machine. They are the Ivan Drago of basketball. We'll get there. I feel we have the pieces in place. Hopefully we can keep Cousins and Evans together as long as Parker and Duncan; that would be sweet.

Experience counts. Let's check their lineup and see how old they are.

 

[SCKingsfan]

Experience counts. Let's check their lineup and see how old they are.

I did that at the beginning of the game when the san antonio channel showed the starting line ups and the years of each player in the league. About a 7-8 difference, on average.

 

[Glenn]

I did that at the beginning of the game when the san antonio channel showed the starting line ups and the years of each player in the league. About a 7-8 difference, on average.

Over the hill and people that the Kings should never sign, in other words.

 

[Lockehead]

That posterization on Gary Neal by Tyreke is incredible. I cant stop rewatching it. At the very least, it shows what Tyreke is physically capable. If he is able to get into shape, maybe during the summer, to be able to do that whenever possible in the open court, it will make him VERY hard to stop.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Put another way - the Kings have to look at their teammates, and react (guess) where they are going to make an assisted play. This leads to all those multiple errors and turnovers where they guess wrong (thought the teammate would be cutting to the basket when he didn't).

Other teams (like the Spurs) KNOW where there teammate is going to go. They don't have to look, they don't have to react - they move together with split-second timing.

This is, for the most part, true, yet it seems to overlook the fairly important point that the core of the Spurs team has also been together for a decade, and have had the same coach running the ship for rather longer than that. It is completely true that the Kings do not currently have the level of cohesion that the Spurs do, but I'm not convinced that expecting the two teams to be at similar levels of development is entirely reasonable.

And, whether it is your preferred style or not, the 1-4 is, in fact, basketball.

 

[MoneyMike916]

Dance team is in the Finals against the Bobcats, yeahhhh!!!!