[Grades] Grades v. TWolves 11/10/10

[Circa_1985_Fan]

He also had like 4 or 5 S-T-U-P-I-D turnovers in 9 minutes. We had 19 turnovers and would have 30 if he was left on the floor.



Very true. I cant agree more with you, Jackson brings energy and hustle off the bench, something thats lacking in about every other big we have except for Dalembert.

Jackson has a little Paul Milsap in him down low...mixed with a little Michael 'The Animal' Smith.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

Far as I'm concerned...we're one impact veteran away...not to use him as an example, but I will since he's on the block...Carmelo Anthony, imagine a lineup of Evans, Beno, Anthony, Cousins, Dalembert.(we'd obviously have to give up a GRIP to get him, but Petrie's pulled off far worse robberies in the past) BTW...what ever happened to that other tall kid we had on the bench...White something???

Is Carmelo really on the block though? I thought Denver was going to do everything they can to keep him there.

 

[rainmaker]

Just what the hell game were you watching? The only thing he diid wrong was a couple of foolish turnovers. He had 7 points on 2 of 3 shooting and grabed 6 boards in 14 minutes of play. He's our future, and he needs to get some minutes. The only thing thats been preventing him from that, is foul trouble. Well last night entering the fourth quarter he had only one foul. I thought great! Now he can get out there and relax and just play. So where does he end up? Sitting on the bench. I'd like to remind Westphal that the huge poster outside ARCO isn't of him. Its a poster of Cousins. There's a reason the Kings put that poster up, and if Westphal doesn't recognize that reason, he'll be looking for job.

I'm sorry if I'm a little extreme right now, but I'm really angry at the moment. I said several times last year that this team had no idenity. Can you think of one thing it does well? Especailly if you remove Tyreke from the equation. They still have no idenity, and they don't appear to be developing one anytime soon. I think we can safely argue that the team has talent. I would argue that it has more talent than Minny does right now. But Minny comes in with the worse recond at 1 an 6 and takes us to the cleaners. They came in last in the league in offense, and second last in defense, and we made them look like one of the better teams in the NBA. I'll stop now until I cool off. All I can say is that its a good thing I'm not the GM of the Kings right now.

Bajaden, you're definitely not one to overreact, and I don't think you're overreacting here. I don't know what is going on with this team, and I hate blaming the coach, and it's still early, but I am seeing some warning signs.

It's one thing for the offense not to look smooth with such a young team, and a number of new players. But individually, guys look worse than last year. Not talking about the team concept here. That takes time. Working out the kinks in the offense takes time. But individually, Carl, JT, and Donte clearly look worse than last year. Carl doesn't seem into it. JT looks more confused than ever. And Donte's situation speak for itself.

Beno and Tyreke don't look to be as fluid of a pairing as they did the majority of last year. Guys just seem lost. Which brings me to my next point.

How can guys more clueless when we had played one game in the week leading up to the Minn game? They had ample practice time, multiple practices between games, and look more lost than ever. I didn't see a problem with the effort last night from anyone besides Carl, and I watched the game twice. What I saw was guys being timid, and unsure of themselves. I don't see guys being put in a position to succeed, and use their stengths.

I hate to single out one guy, but our co captain, Landry, is really having a negative affect on our entire frontline. With the way he's playing, it doesn't matter whether it's Cousins or Dally next to him, he's not helping either. I am behind moving Cousins to the bench in favor of Dally's defense ad rebounding. But Carls defense and rebounding is more of a concern, as well as his lack of any offense in the paint. Because of our commitment to Landry, JT is being forced to play out of position. Because of Landry's lack of rebounding, and in return JT playing fewer minutes and playing more on the perimeter, our frontline defense and rebounding greatly suffer. Then Cousins comes in and is paired with either Carl, which hasn't worked well because Carl is doing next to nothing on defense, or he's paired with Darnell, which I like on the glass and defensively, but makes it tougher to operate on offense.

The more we shuffle guys in and out of the lineup around Carl, the more his weaknesses show. Still, that's only one of our problems. Guys in general aren't playing up the level they were last year, let alone taking it up a notch. Guys look confused. Some confusion is expected. But how the hell does our offense look that much worse after almost an entire week of practice?

 

[pshn80]

Just what the hell game were you watching? The only thing he diid wrong was a couple of foolish turnovers.

I was at the game. Possibly I'm basing that on things the camera did not see. But I was completely with the coach on how he played Cousins. Forget his points and his few rebounds, it's his blind moves, drives, dribbles, and all the mess that goes with them and his total frustration that goes with them ..... and then his return to the game and repeating them all. He has tremendous potential and after his senior year is complete I expect him to be a star. Pardon me if the television cameras didn't quite show you this.

 

[TruckeeKingsFan]

I totally agree with Cousins should start over Landry. Carl has not shown me anything so far this year.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I totally agree with Cousins should start over Landry. Carl has not shown me anything so far this year.

Hell, if you're gonna put him on the side of a building you might as well start him!

 

[skte1ement]

I think our ideal head coach is already on our bench...last name: Elie.

I am not sure what Westphal's assistant's duties are, but if an assistant coach can't contribute to the development of players on the team I don't foresee him doing much better as a head coach.

 

[mr. moustache]

I am not sure what Westphal's assistant's duties are, but if an assistant coach can't contribute to the development of players on the team I don't foresee him doing much better as an assistant.

But what if you make him an assistant?

 

[bajaden]

He also had like 4 or 5 S-T-U-P-I-D turnovers in 9 minutes. We had 19 turnovers and would have 30 if he was left on the floor.



Very true. I cant agree more with you, Jackson brings energy and hustle off the bench, something thats lacking in about every other big we have except for Dalembert.

Most of his turnovers were in the first half. He wasn't the only one having turnovers, and at least his were caused by being aggressive. Tyreke had 5 turnovers. I suspose we should bench him as well. And please don't say how many more turnovers he would have had. Its an abstract arguement that can't be proven. The last 8 or 9 minutes of the game the Kings had trouble scoring the ball. Cousins could have helped in that area. The Kings said they wanted a low post threat. Well they had one. The only problem is that he was sitting on the bench. Apparently Westphal was trying to send a message to Cousins for dribbiling the ball down the court after a defensive rebound and then turning it over. Strange, I didn't see him do that to Tyreke last year when he made a mistake. Whatever!

 

[bajaden]

I think our ideal head coach is already on our bench...last name: Elie.

Ditto! How many times did the camera focus on Ellie last night and he was just shaking his head.

 

[bajaden]

I was at the game. Possibly I'm basing that on things the camera did not see. But I was completely with the coach on how he played Cousins. Forget his points and his few rebounds, it's his blind moves, drives, dribbles, and all the mess that goes with them and his total frustration that goes with them ..... and then his return to the game and repeating them all. He has tremendous potential and after his senior year is complete I expect him to be a star. Pardon me if the television cameras didn't quite show you this.

Look! I was a season ticket holder for many years, so I know you can see more at the game than you can on TV. I watched the game twice last night. I'm not going to deny that he had five turnovers. But he also had 6 rebounds in just 14 minutes. Sorry, but thats not just a few. That would average out to 20.8 rebounds per 48 minutes. He also had 7 points in 14 minutes. One of his turnovers was a travel. I watched in slow motion and it was a close call, but it was the right one. Two of his turnovers were from making post moves into traffic. He almost pulled off one of them despite being triple teamed on the play. His last two came after defensive rebounds and trying to dribble the ball instead of giving it up to a guard.

Now I'm not excusing the turnovers, but he also did a lot of things right. He blocked a shot that he didn't get credit for. He's stole the ball once and actually played good defense in the post several times. He and Jackson kept the Kings in the game in the second quarter. Both played well, and there is no reason to believe they wouldn't have done the same thing in the fourth quarter. He's going to make mistakes. Thats a given. But he has to play to get the experience he needs. So what frustrated me was that, finally he has only one foul, and he sits on the bench. We lost the game anyway. I would have like to see how it would have played out with him in the game.

 

[swisshh]

I will put it this way: The Twolves were perfectly happy with Cousins not getting minutes and the Kings not using their size advantage.

 

[rainmaker]

westphal on 1140 right now. 4:45.

 

[skte1ement]

westphal on 1140 right now. 4:45.

whatd he say?

 

[Ed2009]

Themes:

1.)Girls
2.)Beer
3.)Girls and beer
4.)Beer and girls

 

[Rockmeister]

Ummmm, okay. I'm entitled to my opinion. If they put a decent product on the floor then I would care more. Every game this year has been a bore fest (even the wins). I had way more fun watching them play last year. The arena is not going to get done so get used to the name Seattle Kings.

That's the spirit. <sarcasm>

 

[mac]

The biggest problem really, is that everyone expected the team to be significantly better. Last year we fought for games, played well for stretches and really hustled every game. So far in this early season not only have we not met expectations of improvement, but seem to have regressed in certain areas well. It's like half the bball iq got stolen from the team

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

The biggest problem really, is that everyone expected the team to be significantly better. Last year we fought for games, played well for stretches and really hustled every game. So far in this early season not only have we not met expectations of improvement, but seem to have regressed in certain areas well. It's like half the bball iq got stolen from the team

That's because Westphal doesnt know WTF to do with what he has...it's not his players' fault they too are running around with the 'where do I go now coach??' look. I think the Maloofs need to make an exectutive decision if the downfall continues and promote Elie to head coach...he seems to have learned well, and garnered respect amongst the players...or at least it SEEMS that way, and has fire on the bench, which is first and foremost. PW doesnt seems to have a clue and doesnt seems to being the energy out of his players. I know one change PW needs to make before he gets himself ousted is to make DMC start and Landry the 6th...it just makes and always has(this season)to make too much sense.

 

[pshn80]

of giving it up to a guard.

We lost the game anyway. I would have like to see how it would have played out with him in the game.

Despite my comments about understanding why the coach played him, I agree with your last comment. I would have enjoyed watching him in the last quarter of the game. But really looked unhappy out there.