[Grades] Grades v. Thunder 12/6/2015

[Bricklayer]

There are no words. So I have decided to speak in internet meme:

Boxscore

Stats: 36min 20pts (8-18, 2-6, 2-2) 7reb 3ast 3stl 0blk 3TO
Summary:
Gay ( B ) -- before The Fumble, Rudy had put together a good solid game for us out there. On a night in which our #1 wasn't functioning like a #1, Rudy didn't pick up the slack, but he functioned well in his #2 sort of role. he mixed good plays and bad through much of the first half, scored through traffic, and notably kept taking the ball away from a very sloppy Durant (Boogie wasn't the only superstar having a crap game). He got fouled on an alley oop attempt with 1.5 secs to go in the half and hit both FTs to leave us down only 3 at the break. He began the 3rd stepping into a three, kept poking balls away from Durant even as our offense diedin the quarter, and when we fought back in the 4th, his stop and pop from Rondo at the 5:40 mark gave us a first lead. Unfortunately with Cousins sucking, we went to Rudy for the game winner instead, set up a 1-4 flat for him even and said go do it...and in amazing Kings fashion Rudy flat lost the dribble on the drive and gave it right back to the Thunder for the win. Wasn't poked away. He just began his move, and left the ball, and there just weren't enough SMH emoticons in the world.

Stats: 28min 11pts (4-9, 2-4, 1-4) 4reb 0ast 0stl 1blk 1TO
Summary:
Casspi ( C+ ) -- got a 2nd foul on Ibaka eaaly in what could/should have been a pivotal play, but then missed both FTs. But after a Cuz steal leaked out and got the dunk on the break, and scored on a nice upfake and drive. But he was missing his threes, and in the early third began to get worked on the other end of the court by the Thunder's superior size. He would come back to hit two threes in the late 3rd/early 4th as we mounted our comeback and get up around his season averages, but the impression lingers that he was more dynamic as a bencher than he's been as a starter thus far.

Stats: 36min 13pts (5-20, 0-3, 3-9) 10reb 0ast 3stl 1blk 1TO
Summary:
Cousins ( ) --

Stats: 20min 2pts (1-2, 0-0, 0-0) 1reb 0ast 0stl 0blk 1TO
Summary:
McLemore ( ) --

Stats: 36min 7pts (3-9, 0-1, 1-2) 9reb 10ast 3stl 0blk 1TO
Summary:
Rondo ( ) --

placeholder...

 

[Bricklayer]

Bench

Stats: 26min 16pts (6-13, 1-6, 3-3) 4reb 2ast 0stl 0blk 4TO
Belinelli ( ) --

Stats: 15min 10pts (4-5, 0-0, 2-4) 3reb 0ast 0stl 3blk 0TO
Koufos ( ) --

Stats: 33min 16pts (4-10, 2-4, 6-6) 2reb 5ast 2stl 0blk 2TO
Collison ( ) --

Stats: 10min 0pts (0-2, 0-0, 0-0) 1reb 0ast 0stl 0blk 1TO
Anderson ( ) --

placeholder...

 

[kingsboi]

good job, good effort I guess? 0_o

 

[DeMoN]

fire george karl

 

[rainmaker]

And the losses keep piling up.

Are these next three against Utah, NY and Hou before our road trip not must-wins? Go on the road at 7-18 or 8-17, there could be some real tough times ahead.

 

[Gliesian]

The culture hasn't changed. We need to actually change it in order to win and not choke. But we can't change it unless we win... That brutal early schedule effing sux.

 

[Return To Glory]

 

[Bricklayer]

The culture hasn't changed. We need to actually change it in order to win and not choke. But we can't change it unless we win... That brutal early schedule effing sux.

The thing is...

Vlade come in new, except end of last year
Karl ditto
most of the assistants
Rondo (with years of losing since he last won), Belinelli, Koufos all off big winners
Casspi came from Houston, Collison from the Clippers, Cauley-Stein from Kentucky
this is why people like to dump on Cousins, the tricky malaise that always lingers with us, sometimes its so obvious, but even when its not, it seems to be there. We can never gain any traction. Something always goes wrong. We never win the big game, start a streak or anything else. The wrong guy is hurt, we blow the lead, for 10 years now. Its a remarkable streak really. We're as bad news bears as the old Sterling Clippers of the pre-Blake era..

 

[DeMoN]

Rudy has proved his entire career that when your franchise depends on him making a play. He will send your team down a volcano.

 

[pshn80]

Winning is very difficult for the Kings. Home or away it's hard. As a team they have a lot of pluses but not winning. And it's sort f a combo of offense and defense. It's sort of a combo of the coach and the team but mostly the team. Unfortunately the main contributor is Cuz followed by Rudy with others following and contributing to the lack of success. If we fired the coach the team would simply lose under some other coach. My suggestion particularly on offense is design it so scoring is left primarily to members other than Cuz. Let his scoring be added on top but rely on the rest. When Cuz gets healthy and n shape it can be his team again.

 

[andjel]

And the losses keep piling up.

Are these next three against Utah, NY and Hou before our road trip not must-wins? Go on the road at 7-18 or 8-17, there could be some real tough times ahead.

They are. For anything meaningful, now probably all 3 are must wins.

 

[hrdboild]

Winning is very difficult for the Kings. Home or away it's hard. As a team they have a lot of pluses but not winning. And it's sort f a combo of offense and defense. It's sort of a combo of the coach and the team but mostly the team. Unfortunately the main contributor is Cuz followed by Rudy with others following and contributing to the lack of success. If we fired the coach the team would simply lose under some other coach. My suggestion particularly on offense is design it so scoring is left primarily to members other than Cuz. Let his scoring be added on top but rely on the rest. When Cuz gets healthy and n shape it can be his team again.

I couldn't disagree more. Cuz is one of the top 5 scorers in the league and you want to treat him like a roleplayer? If he's not healthy, get him healthy. If it's a mental thing and not a physical thing than somebody in the Kings organization needs to step up and ask DeMarcus what's wrong. A week ago he scored 31 against Dallas. A week before that he had back to back 30 point, 11 rebound, 3 block games on the road. When he's focused and ready to play he's one of the best players in the league. Something is bothering him right now and as an organization we need to fix it.

I know I'm going to take flak for this, but calling him a headcase doesn't help anybody. It doesn't help DeMarcus, it doesn't help the team, and it certainly doesn't help us -- the fans of the Sacramento Kings. If he's got somebody else's name on the front of his jersey go ahead and tear into him if it makes you feel better (this is a general comment to the community, not aimed at you specifically pshn80) but as long as he's wearing a Sacramento jersey he's family as far as I'm concerned and family doesn't abandon family when they're hurting.

 

[Gliesian]

The thing is...

Vlade come in new, except end of last year
Karl ditto
most of the assistants
Rondo (with years of losing since he last won), Belinelli, Koufos all off big winners
Casspi came from Houston, Collison from the Clippers, Cauley-Stein from Kentucky
this is why people like to dump on Cousins, the tricky malaise that always lingers with us, sometimes its so obvious, but even when its not, it seems to be there. We can never gain any traction. Something always goes wrong. We never win the big game, start a streak or anything else. The wrong guy is hurt, we blow the lead, for 10 years now. Its a remarkable streak really. We're as bad news bears as the old Sterling Clippers of the pre-Blake era..

Ya this is pretty much it. I think Cousins poor play may be mostly due to depression, bc that's what it looks like. All we need is a few games against a bunch of crap teams, them some lucky breaks against good teams... can't we just get lucky SHEESH. Then we can turn this thing around.

 

[theclash4u5]

Ya this is pretty much it. I think Cousins poor play may be mostly due to depression, bc that's what it looks like. All we need is a few games against a bunch of crap teams, them some lucky breaks against good teams... can't we just get lucky SHEESH. Then we can turn this thing around.

crap teams? We already beat the Lakers and Nets. Other than the 76ers, who else do we need to play that is a "crap team"? We are a crap team....

 

[hrdboild]

On a lighter note...

I'd like to think there's an alternate world where today's game ends this way instead...

......... ...and we're now 22-0.

 

[King Baller]

Rudy on an iso from out beyond the three point line when the game is on the line? That is the best Karl has?

 

[Blob]

Just when you think this team could not pee you off any more.... tonight happens.

I am not in charge of grades but anything higher than an F for Cousins is generous...his effort was terrible and his disposition was worse...our comeback started when he went to the bench late 3rd and early 4th and we started to look like a team.

He actually did something right around 3:00 mark that led to the play of the year in which he drop stepped and pump faked out of low block and instead of forcing like he does 7 or 8 times out of 10 he threw cross court pass (smart and simple and winning and team-oriented basketball) which resulted in swing pass to Rudy in the corner for wide open 3. Rondo came flying in for the rebound and left handed behind the back bounce pass to Marco for 3 and 7-point lead.

90% of the time the team that makes this play at that stage of the game wins the game but 90% of teams are not your 2015-16 Sacramento Kings.

After that we missed flying dunk by Rudy, a stupid lob dunk attempt by Cousins when all he had to do was catch the ball and go back up strong (instead of trying to finish in one motion), a careless missile pass by Marco in the corner where Rondo and DC were standing together with 20 on the shot clock... then two missed FTs by Cousins not even close (CHOKE!).....and the last play of the game with Rudy going one-on-one against Adams and forgetting the ball (OOPS!) then panicking and falling and throwing it away (CHOKE!).

How does a "professional scorer" like Rudy not even get a shot off on a 1-4 play set against a 7'O 270 pound center??? SMH.

The Thunder had no business winning this game and we win this game if Cousins doesn't act like the world is ending for 30+ minutes. The guy is an amazing talent but he doesn't respect his opponent he doesn't play hard on defense when he is not "getting his" and he was pissed at the refs the moment he steps on the floor.

When this is your leader's disposition it is hard to overcome adversity and the ebbs and flow of the game because wherever something goes wrong as is bound to happen, he acts like a catastrophe occurred. This has to wear mentally and emotionally on everyone involved despite their efforts to play on and brush his antics aside.

"The measure of a man is not how he responds to success. It is how he responds to adversity."

 

[Entity]

Demarcus puts it all on himself. Said he is playing like "crap" his words said it several times. That's some growth for ya right there

 

[chief bromden]

I've been reading a lot of posts after watching the entire game, which has been therapeutic. Thanks hrdboild for helping to create a fantasy ending for tonight. So many failures in the last two minutes. Predictable as they were, their clothing remained a mystery until revealed second by second on the hardwood runway. A true and masterful 2 minutes of bumbling and fumbling only leads one to question if wasn't planned that way. Honestly, it is easy to blame someone, or some people, when heartbroken ... but tonight was so beautifully a Kings' defeat that it can't be duplicated (until Tuesday anyway)

Only half kidding, but at least they held the Thunder to under 100

 

[KingsCitizen]

This is badly on Rudy and DMC.
The bench carried the team to be competitive.

But a missed clear as day dunk, missed clear as day alley-oop from Rondo.
2 missed critical free throws, a fumble.
That's 4 opportunity that could have added 2 pts to clinch a win.

I might be in the minority, but Karl is slowly bringing the rest of the team to a better pace in this game.
Except Rudy and DMC kept shying away from the spot light.
I hope Rondo's patience is longer before he put a rope on Rudy or DMC's neck or maybe his. (insert: quadruple face palm)

 

[Gliesian]

crap teams? We already beat the Lakers and Nets. Other than the 76ers, who else do we need to play that is a "crap team"? We are a crap team....

We tread water until Dec 30th, when we play the 76ers, then the Suns. Then we get lucky and beat Thunder and the Mavs. That's a 4 game winning streak.

What im saying is that we're not a crap team. One thing goes right at the end of the game today and we are having a totally different convo. We just need to get out of the funk by playing less talented teams than us, followed by a bit of luck.
The losing mentality recedes and we stop choking our much deserved wins away due to lack of confidence.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Demarcus puts it all on himself. Said he is playing like "poopoo" his words said it several times. That's some growth for ya right there

He says a lot of decent things after the fact. The problem is the decisions of what kind of attitude to have, while the actual important things are happening. He needs to man up and meet a challenge with something that teammates can respect. A team wide text with an excuse after the fact, isn't going to help much

 

[c-webb1s#1]

We tread water until Dec 30th, when we play the 76ers, then the Suns. Then we get lucky and beat Thunder and the Mavs. That's a 4 game winning streak.

What im saying is that we're not a crap team. One thing goes right at the end of the game today and we are having a totally different convo. We just need to get out of the funk by playing less talented teams than us, followed by a bit of luck.
The losing mentality recedes and we stop choking our much deserved wins away due to lack of confidence.

I like your optimism, however, I must chime in a bit on some things that worry me.

1. We have serious chemistry issues in regards mostly to the fact that we have only played 1/4 season with each other. Not sure how long its going to take for us to gel completely. I Have been seeing some improvements though.

2. Cousin's back is seriously not well right now. If you have ever played basketball with a back injury of any sort you will know it messes everything up in regards to shooting and agility. Maybe it wouldn't be such an issue if DMC played a more traditional game, but with his new style of play under GK it does indeed mess him up big time. This is why he is bricking 3's and free throws and his drives to the lanes are no longer affected. Now I could be totally wrong about this, its just my opinion. Hopefully it's not a lingering issue throughout the season.

3. SG slot is very hot/cold with cold being the temp most nights. I have faith they can get it together eventually, its just the timing of WHEN they will that worries me...WE NEED TO WIN NOW!

4. The defense is absolutely atrocious! It's not a secret I know, but it has to get better if we are going to make a push for the playoffs! I'm not talking about top 10 in the NBA but maybe 15-20? Just something that isnt embaressing on a nightly basis.

5. At least Kayte Christensen has been on point, she's looking even more gorgeous than ever! Even improving a lot with her segments during the game.

 

[jdbraver]

Rudy on an iso from out beyond the three point line when the game is on the line? That is the best Karl has?

What did you have? must be a sure thing. Let's hear it...

 

[VF21]

Demarcus puts it all on himself. Said he is playing like "poopoo" his words said it several times. That's some growth for ya right there

He is playing through the injuries because he does not want to be off the floor. Combine an Achilles problem and a nagging muscle strain in your back and you've got some serious deficiencies to overcome.

 

[VF21]

He says a lot of decent things after the fact. The problem is the decisions of what kind of attitude to have, while the actual important things are happening. He needs to man up and meet a challenge with something that teammates can respect. A team wide text with an excuse after the fact, isn't going to help much

Dang. You just won't cut him a break at all, will you?

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Dang. You just won't cut him a break at all, will you?

He continually acts that a spoiled little kid, over and over again. Completely unprofessional and nothing close to a team leader

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

He says a lot of decent things after the fact. The problem is the decisions of what kind of attitude to have, while the actual important things are happening. He needs to man up and meet a challenge with something that teammates can respect. A team wide text with an excuse after the fact, isn't going to help much

Which part of Cousins saying that he played like **** is supposed to be an excuse?

 

[VF21]

He continually acts that a spoiled little kid, over and over again. Completely unprofessional and nothing close to a team leader

Fair enough. My contention is that he shouldn't be the team leader. I think Rajon Rondo is the one we should be depending upon in that situation...

I feel sometimes like I defend DMC because it seems some around here are so hellbent on attacking him. He's not all bad. It's like how some attacked Kevin Martin because he wasn't assertive enough, or he didn't defend enough, etc. Each of these guys is unique. They have their strengths and weaknesses. We can't expect them to be the perfect player, but it seems like we always want to try.

I know I'm probably not making much sense. I'm tired, the stupid meeting went way too long, and I'm just sad we lost another game we could have won.

Maybe things will look better in the morning.

 

[PurpleHaze]

Demarcus puts it all on himself. Said he is playing like "poopoo" his words said it several times. That's some growth for ya right there

Couldn't bare to watch OKC game in its entirely, just dipping in time-to-time. After seeing from the jump that Kings were still in slacker mode after Tex-Mex poopoo saw about half the contest until settling in for final 7 minutes or so of climatic misery. If this debacle continues that will likely be my M.O. for rest of the season - only occasional dip ins. Have to justify my Comcast cable bill somehow or cut the cord to never look back! Now the real rub. Each time dipped in TV camera was seemingly focused on DMC with his negative sour-pus face dominating the screen. I'm getting sick and tired of seeing it even though readily acknowledge his tremendous basketball talent. He might be changing in fits and starts but still has very long way to go as any kind of team leader, IMO.