sactowndog
All-Star
exactly how are you going to do that? The opportunity was this summer before signing Sabonis to the max. Monte instead choose to run it back with this team.
[Game] Indiana Pacers @ Sacramento Kings, 1/18/2024, 7:00p PST/10:00p EST
- Thread starter QWERTYLICIOUS
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exactly how are you going to do that? The opportunity was this summer before signing Sabonis to the max. Monte instead choose to run it back with this team.
Nobody did. But now they are. "What are the Kings going to do about it?" is the question that needs to be answered.
Well, trading Williamson to make room for Stojakovic was a critical part of taking the next step in the previous era. The big challenge is finding the
Barnes is basically this decade's Big Nasty except, twenty years ago, players like Big Nasty were still valued by GMs.
DynaPamm
Bench
Ok I’m the ride home listening to them I forgot that we are exactly where we were last year. I was actually shocked maybe because of these last four losses? I didn’t feel or see the faster pace like normal. Not that we were terribly sluggish but I don’t see them grabbing the ball and go with the hustle at all. Free throws are one of my biggest thorns. Hueter was on point tonight and was happy to see Sasha again out there for sure. I always have been confident when Monk gets to the line but not so much these last 2 games I dunno if they’re rushing to make their FT but it’s just not the same confidence I usually have. I agree with alot I’m reading out here so i won’t repeat what’s been said…. Some changes and allot of practice for the next 3 days and can’t wait for the trade dead line to be over with. I can’t help but think it’s not playing inside their heads. Hoping to see a win Monday for sure
TaxMan
Starter
A significant upgrade over 2024 HB is not saying much. Doesn’t need to be a star if Keegan takes another step.
sactowndog
All-Star
Fox needs to sit and let that shoulder heal. It’s clearly bothering him.
sactowndog
All-Star
again forwards are expensive and you don’t have your pick. Monte should have traded Barnes two years ago, didn’t, and then didn’t spend the money when he needed to in order to get a Brooks or someone else. Now we have minimal to no cap space.
so again how do you propose to upgrade the forward spot?
Showtime
Starter
Playing Keegan and Sasha and Lyles at the wing.
NewArena
All-Star
It’s funny. When the Kings were playing well, certain members were never in these threads and the national media couldn’t be paid to discuss the team. Now I’m certain everyone will suddenly wanna have roundtable discussions about em 
please get it together, Kings! I still believe in this squad.
please get it together, Kings! I still believe in this squad.
18 for 32 from the line? Seriously guys? I was going to complain about giving up 126 points to the Tyrese-less Pacers but when we're smoking that many free throws it seems we would have found a way to lose regardless. I know this makes me captain obvious, but after 2 close losses that was not the bounce-back performance we needed right now.
NewArena
All-Star
Yea. Between that and Fox clearly not 100% mentally and physically, they need to either pull the trigger or announce that they won’t be doing anything of significance. Enough is enough. That Siakim rumor must’ve been closer to being done than we even know, cuz everyone seems so distracted.
TaxMan
Starter
You’re right. It’s a lost cause.
maybe I’m not remember clearly after all these losses, but i think it was about a week ago we were apparently pretty damn close to landing siakam (which Amick confirmed this morning). It’s not like the last off season has condemned this front office to this exact same team for the next several years….
TaxMan
Starter
I agree. Maybe the analytics say something different, but sure as heck seems to me with the eye test that Sasha is a passable defender and likely better than HB at this point. He doesn’t have any athleticism but neither does HB anymore. Sasha moves his feet well, is usually in good defensive position and is actually quite handsy and disruptive. Lots of deflections. Again, maybe I’m looking for positives when he’s out there but I really don’t see him as a defensive liability. In fact I feel like he improves our team defense. I’d love to see him get a few games out there starting.
People fell for this stupid brooks joke driven by Klutch/ESPN cause he dared stand up to lebron, could’ve had him for cheap
Showtime
Starter
It isn't just Sasha might be better currently depending on numbers, it's that we have a known quantity in HB and an unknown in Sasha. As many posters have brought out, Sasha doesn't seem to have a refined fit for the NBA. Timing, position, decision making, etc. This can come in time if he gets experience. Essentially, he could become a very good rotational player, but the only way we will know that is if he plays. Meanwhile Barnes is who he is and always will be. He's not suddenly going to get an MIP year next year. So from a team standpoint, the Kings aren't good enough and stacked with talent to let a potential good player be wasted because of a known sub-par one. That's why it's poor coaching.
I am still under positive emotions cause of his outburst in Bucks game and the followed laptop story so i will still say nothing against Coach , but playing favorites over players in better shape has never never never been a strong coaching move ...
Even Kesslar Edwards at this moment will bring much more to the team then HB as starter ...
Dime Dropper
All-Star
Welp. The team is floundering. Let's see if they have the character to get things back on track.
I only watched the first quarter of this one, but Fox looks tired. Either he's playing through an illness/injury, or he's just exhausted. Because he looks like he's half-assing it.
I only watched the first quarter of this one, but Fox looks tired. Either he's playing through an illness/injury, or he's just exhausted. Because he looks like he's half-assing it.
Defensively, this just seems to be who we are no matter configuration we put out there. So for me, the FT shooting was especially poor tonight and cost us this game. Yeah, defensively that didn’t help but we have been winning games with the same defense.
Sac just needs to get through this. What was interesting was when they pressed full court, Indiana crumbled like we crumbled against Phoenix. I know in the NBA it would be incredibly difficult to extend this type of pressure for a full game or even half a game as players would become worn out but maybe it’s a thought to use your bench more in full court press teams as much as we could physically handle. I thought our athleticism came out at the end.
Sac just needs to get through this. What was interesting was when they pressed full court, Indiana crumbled like we crumbled against Phoenix. I know in the NBA it would be incredibly difficult to extend this type of pressure for a full game or even half a game as players would become worn out but maybe it’s a thought to use your bench more in full court press teams as much as we could physically handle. I thought our athleticism came out at the end.
Stopped watching at halftime. The team is pretty predictable. If the game is close because the Kings are hitting outside shots while the other team is just straight line driving them to death for easy buckets, it's only a matter of time before our shots stop falling. Their shots won't stop falling for any significant periods of time because a layup is a layup.
Monk has the yips from the FT line and that's cost us 2 out of the last 4 games. He's gotta straighten that out. It's difficult enough watching Sabonis and Fox clank most of our FTs but he's always been the one of the guys you can count on from the line.
Monk has the yips from the FT line and that's cost us 2 out of the last 4 games. He's gotta straighten that out. It's difficult enough watching Sabonis and Fox clank most of our FTs but he's always been the one of the guys you can count on from the line.
GWD
Bench
I'm not quite as down on the players, either individually or as a group, as some on the forum. Their skills, qualities, and talents are actually quite good, IMO.
Seeing professional basketball as a chess-type game is instructive. There are pieces with certain characteristics and strengths that have to cooperatively engage to develop a winning strategy. Part of the challenge is to thrust and then parry the opposing player's (coach's) moves. If you get the win then you are brilliant. If you lose, don't blame the pieces.
Yes, sometimes pieces get pinned, neutralized, and underperform. In that case, the strategy needs to change.
Seeing professional basketball as a chess-type game is instructive. There are pieces with certain characteristics and strengths that have to cooperatively engage to develop a winning strategy. Part of the challenge is to thrust and then parry the opposing player's (coach's) moves. If you get the win then you are brilliant. If you lose, don't blame the pieces.
Yes, sometimes pieces get pinned, neutralized, and underperform. In that case, the strategy needs to change.
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All you gotta do is lower expectations - alot, and if need be skip watching.. The Celtics game was the hint. Brown is supposed to be a good defensive coach, so now's the time to earn that so-called reputation. Team is around a .500 team that has regressed from last year offensively without defense to start Gotta find other ways to win when your shooting or FTs are off, You wanna be a top 10 team, play top 10 defense - consistently, not half the game or a three-quarters of the game, or when behind - the whole game.. Foul-Out if you have to. There are 15 players suiting up.
Onus is on Brown to instill better buy-in and focus.
I just don't think this team is equipped with enough defensive personnel and most of the guys that can play defense are nearly unplayable on offense. Fox is disengaged on defense half the time. Huerter can't play D. Keegan is improving but still gets blown by regularly. Barnes has lost a step and Sabonis can't defend the rim. Hopefully a trade can be made that improves that side of the court without damaging the offense too much. Bringing in another defender who can't hold his own on offense will just be redundant.
The Warriors defense was fantastic with Brown running the show on that side of the ball. The Kings always seem to be out of position and always seem to just allow straight line drives right past them. I'm not sure if I can blame that on Brown. His track record speaks for itself but a coach can't make chicken salad out of chicken s***. Look at Pops right now.
Vinny Basketballerino
Starter
He can also rebound very well for his size. And he will give you hustle plays as well. There is no major liability in his game. I don't understand what the holdup is here but Monte and the staff have earned the benefit of my doubt.
A trade being in the works makes most sense (or had been in the works even if doesn't go through). But it looks like Coach has settled on a top 9/10 rotation and Sasha is in it. Maybe the philosophy was use the first thirty five games of the year to get everyone some run and see what you have, with the side benefit of showcasing for a trade. He was back and forth on Davion and Keon as well for apparently no reason. Similar with Duarte and Heurter.
I'm still confident Sasha is in our long term plans and I expect him to have a major role toward the end of the season and going in to next year.
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Think some feelings are going to have to get hurt and we need to start investing in our youth defensive personal: Keon/Kessler and maybe Colby Jones. Maybe they aren't NBA offensive players, but I'm pretty confident they're excellent NBA defenders and that just remains the biggest problem on the Kings roster. TJ McConnell blowing by Fox all game last night was seriously eye-opening; either he's operating at 50-60%, or he just doesn't care right now for some reason.
If it were me, HB goes on ice till the trade deadline and Keon/Kessler get actual consistent MPG roles off the bench, just to get real defense infused with our core. So something like:
Fox || Keon
Huerter || Monk
Keegan || Kessler
Sasha || Lyles
Domas || Len (Lyles)
And that gives you some flexibility to move guys around to play with each other. But enough is enough; it's time to get actual wing defenders on the floor
Kingster
Hall of Famer
I'm glad I didn't watch the game and spent my time doing something else. Maybe I watch the game fast with the DVD, maybe not. It seems we all are struggling to find a complete explanation for this mess. Part of it is probably due to certain talent needs, but part seems to be due completely to the mentality of this team as it is now constituted. I understand the former much better than the latter.
Yeah, the last game I watched was the Raptors game, and I think that's it. - like you say - spend time doing something else, or in other words, not worth the time. Was thinking there'd be some incremental improvement on defense this season - but its just not there half the season in.... Coaching and team do not have answers. Will be surprised if the team finishes above .500. Offense is great, but need more than that to win consistently. You cant take possessions off on either end. If you're tired, speak up, and request a substitute, or Brown needs to enact his own initiatives.
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