Injuries a blessing in disguise?

[kingkung]

God knows that it's the only way Adelman would ever play his young guys.

Peja, Bonzi, and Shareef are all better players individually, but they work on totally different wavelengths. K-Mart, Cisco, Thomas (and Bibby) together are all on the same wavelength, playing energetic, fast-paced, stop-and-pop basketball. Being young as they are, they're not always going to have games like this, but this certainly gives us something to look forward to in the future, no doubt. We're not as talented individually, but we've found an identity, and it's very similar to that of the old Kings team we knew and loved. I'd watch this team over the other one any day.

Here's to hoping Adelman keeps these guys in, even after our starters recover from their injuries. But knowing Adelman, the chances that'll happen, are, I'd say close to 0%.

 

[piksi]

well, there is no reason why we shouldn't have a solid bench

 

[ONEZERO]

Fire Adelman If He Doesnt Play These Guys When All Health Is Restored

 

[piksi]

Fire Adelman If He Doesnt Play These Guys When All Health Is Restored

he will play them - a little

 

[kingkung]

On a related note, imagine what would've happened if the starters' injuries happened during the Gerald Wallace years. Would he now be getting 15-7-3-2-3 a night on the Sacramento Kings?

 

[piksi]

On a related note, imagine what would've happened if the starters' injuries happened during the Gerald Wallace years. Would he now be getting 15-7-3-2-3 a night on the Sacramento Kings?

nope

 

[kingkung]

nope

Care to explain, or am I supposed to guess?

 

[piksi]

Care to explain, or am I supposed to guess?

GW can't shoot

 

[kingsfan52miller]

thats going to be sad, if when bonzi, shareef and peja come back these guys get no minutes..they have earned at least 20 a game

 

[piksi]

thats going to be sad, if when bonzi, shareef and peja come back these guys get no minutes..they have earned at least 20 a game

Martin will get 20 but Cisco won't

 

[kingkung]

GW can't shoot

The numbers I mentioned are the numbers he's getting for the Bobcats as we speak. He's a freaking (very) borderline all-star.

 

[piksi]

The numbers I mentioned are the numbers he's getting for the Bobcats as we speak. He's a freaking (very) borderline all-star.

in a different system

 

[bozzwell]

in a different system

I agree with that. GW was permanently in RA's dog house because even when he made plays it was freelancing.

It is not coincidence that RA griped about "standing in the corner" and two days later Cisco and Kevin start raining 'em from corners in the next game. Even when Kevin did cut to the basket it was well timed (hold it, hold it... GO! ). GW never seemed to be able to get out of the dog house. He is still very good player and an exceptional athlete, just not here.

 

[kingkung]

well, there is no reason why we shouldn't have a solid bench

How about a bench of Peja, Bonzi, and Shareef?? There's a solid bench for ya. Improbable, sounds ridiculous, but if we continue not to suck with our young guys starting (like we did in the first 20 games) then maybe that's the bench we should have.

 

[piksi]

How about a bench of Peja, Bonzi, and Shareef??

never going to happen and maybe not even then

 

[kingkung]

never going to happen and maybe not even then

I know. Read my first post.

 

[kupman]

How about a bench of Peja, Bonzi, and Shareef?? There's a solid bench for ya. Improbable, sounds ridiculous, but if we continue not to suck with our young guys starting (like we did in the first 20 games) then maybe that's the bench we should have.

I have been saying this for awhile. At least with Peja and perhaps SAR. Piksi is right, probably will never happen, but it is my opinion that we would be better if it did. Peja would be most useful if used only as scoring punch off the bench. I do not think that he plays hard enough or offers the electricty that he use to offer to deserve a starting spot at this point. But then again, I will be surprised if he is still here afterthe trade deadline.

 

[bibbinator]

Part of the reason we're able to win with Kevin and Cisco playing major minutes is that the other teams haven't figured us out yet. SAR and Bonzi will make us better when they return because SAR can score at will in the paint, a n ability in short supply for this team, and Bonzi contributes much, not the least of which is adding some toughness to our bunch of soft boys.

Peja is the problem. We can't keep designing plays to set him up for a 3, which he misses too often, and then fail to get the D rebound. That's just idioicy. I hope RA doesn't play a luke warm Peja for 40+ minutes against the Lakers, unless they are trying to keep his numbers up to maximize trade value.

 

[kupman]

SAR is a good player, but I don't think he is a good fit with us. His inside play tends to bog down the offense. We are better without him on the floor because the lane is more open allowing for cutters to the basket. If I were coach I would stick with KT. He plays as well as SAR and players - especially Miller and Bibby - seem to perform better with KT on the floor.

I think everyone agrees that Peja is a significant issue. Are there any dissenters?

 

[bibbinator]

SAR is a good player, but I don't think he is a good fit with us. His inside play tends to bog down the offense. We are better without him on the floor because the lane is more open allowing for cutters to the basket. If I were coach I would stick with KT. He plays as well as SAR and players - especially Miller and Bibby - seem to perform better with KT on the floor.

You need a guy like SAR to be competitive against slower, strong defensive teams like Detroit. Not every team is going to let us run around the way PHX did. But if you get SAR standing under the basket with a good pass, and he'll get it 90% of the time. Big, productive bodies, like SAR, are also indispensible in playoff games, should he ever be on a team that gets there.

For a team like PHX though, I'd rather see KT and the faster guys put in the minutes over SAR. The Kings have a lot of interesting options, if RA will play them.

 

[thesanityannex]

The Kings have a lot of interesting options, if RA will play them.

That is the only problem.

 

[SacTownKid]

Here is one of the reasons that Shareef doesn't "fit". You can't slow down your offense when you don't play defense. If we begin to play some sort of defense then I think he could fit well.

 

[hey_gripboy]

wen the starters come back, k-mart being our six-man? any thoughts???

 

[thesanityannex]

wen the starters come back, k-mart being our six-man? any thoughts???

as long as he gets 35 minutes.

 

[Sparky]

On a related note, imagine what would've happened if the starters' injuries happened during the Gerald Wallace years. Would he now be getting 15-7-3-2-3 a night on the Sacramento Kings?

I remember a comment from Adelman during the GW years. He said something like "If he doesn't get it in practice, why should I think he will get it during the game?", which I took to mean that GW is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

 

[kennadog]

I remember a comment from Adelman during the GW years. He said something like "If he doesn't get it in practice, why should I think he will get it during the game?", which I took to mean that GW is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Yep, and the rumors were that he was not willing to work very hard either. Not like Kevin who has and is working very hard to improve and all the coaches say so.

 

[Sparky]

Yep, and the rumors were that he was not willing to work very hard either. Not like Kevin who has and is working very hard to improve and all the coaches say so.

You're right about that. BJax made some comments about offering to work with GW to show him what it takes. You can play kings ball if you are not super sharp but are willing to work (Hedo), and you can play if you are lazy but smart (Vlade, Miller) but dumb AND lazy just won't cut it.

 

[kupman]

You need a guy like SAR to be competitive against slower, strong defensive teams like Detroit. Not every team is going to let us run around the way PHX did. But if you get SAR standing under the basket with a good pass, and he'll get it 90% of the time. Big, productive bodies, like SAR, are also indispensible in playoff games, should he ever be on a team that gets there.

For a team like PHX though, I'd rather see KT and the faster guys put in the minutes over SAR. The Kings have a lot of interesting options, if RA will play them.

I think you make a very good point. How about this as a formula - give KT most of the minutes when you expect that it will take more than 100 pts to win and give SAR most of the minutes when you think that less than 100 pts will get the win.

 

[playmaker0017]

You people have very short memories.

When Shareef, Bonzi and Peja were completely healthy - our bench allowed other teams to dominate us night in and night out. We'd lose the lead, the momentum and the crowd. When Shareef, Bonzi and Peja were healthy - Mike Bibby couldn't hit a shot. Is that their fault that Mike was taking 15-20 shots and not hitting any? No, not really. He's getting the same looks he got before, but now he's hitting them.

Our starters usually played well enough to win.

Is the current lineup better than before? Not really. They are getting shelled by good teams. They are beating teams who were on the slide (Clippers, Celts) or with as many starters out as we have (Rockets, Magic). The only good win of the bunch was Phoenix ... who just played abysmal basketball.

Are we scoring more points? Not really. Are we allowing more points? Not really.

The issue we had before wasn't "slow" basketball. It wasn't lack of cohesion on the floor. It was plain and simple - our bench was not playing up to snuff and the current "prime" player that is leading the team was playing like rarified butt.

I don't blame Reef, Peja or Bonzi for Bibby's inability to hit the shots he is now hitting.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Well, of course you don't...

That would require you to entertain the possiblity that Abdur-Rahim could have been part of the problem...