Is Doug Christie Hurt, Old or Just Lost a Step

[Purple Reign]

It may be just me, but I have notice that in this latest Kings mini slide (2-3 out of the last 5, and 8-4 in the last 12, all wins coming against sub .500 teams) that the play of Doug Christie has not been at the level we all have come accustomed to. In fact I think that it is Christie not Bibby that makes this Kings machine flow on both offense and defense. On offense he is the point man, although Bibby holds the title. Between Doug at the top and Chris in the post, the offense flows through them, and Peja, Brad and Bibby feeds off of what they do. Here are some numbers to chew on:

In the last 12 games the Kings are averaging 15 turnovers a game!!!! .

Christie - 3.4 TO's per game
Webber - 3.5 TO's per game

The other statistic that jumps out at me is that in the last 5 games (NOT COUNTING NEW ORLEANS), the starting backcourt is shooting 48 percent, averaging close to 40 pts per game (39.7).

I think either Christie is not healthy or has gotten old quick. His energy level is flat and in my opinion he is not the shut down defender he once was. On top of all of that, he got kicked out of a game which is totally out of character. That maybe stating the obvious, but If the Kings are going to do anything this year, it is only because Doug Christie is playing at a high level on both sides of the floor. To me this is so unlike him.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

With Vlade gone Christie has had to become more of a passer IMO, I think hes trying to do more then he has to making him turn the ball over.

 

[vj9999]

DC steps it up when he's needed the most. Last year around this time a lot of people here were ready to get rid of him, but after the playoffs he was everyone's hero.

I doubt he ever recovered from his foot problems and he plays on pain killers.

In my opinion, DC is one of those players whose stats don't mean too much. It is his presence on/off the court that is more valuable than anything else. I guess that's why I would never make a good general manager

 

[VF21]

It could be a combination of factors, but I think primarily it's fumble fingers for the whole team AND some precision passes that aren't going right because of the receiver. Imagine DC as a QB. He knows the route a wide receiver is going to take, so he throws his pass to the spot where the receiver will be. If all goes well, it looks wonderful and the team gets a completed pass. If, on the other hand, the receiver is forced out of his pattern, misunderstands the cue, etc. OR if the QB slightly overthrows the ball or is wrong on his timing, it looks... well, ugly. Very ugly. And very ill-advised.

Kingsgurl said it best when we were talking about it after the game last night. She thinks DC has fallen in love with the precision pass and it's a romance that is doomed if both parties aren't on the same page.

As far as him getting kicked out of the game goes, I think that was bulldooty. I watched it as it happened; I watched it several times afterwards. I do not think he should have been assessed that second technical but I think the official was trying to keep something from escalating between Wade and Christie. In all honesty, watching how Wade took DC down in that collision, I have more than a nagging feeling that Wade did it on purpose, taking the chance that DC would say something and might draw the technical.

Doug may, in fact, be slowing down. But I'm not quite ready to throw the dirt on him quite yet and I certainly wouldn't want to trade him. If nothing else, I would like to see him stay to teach the younguns as much as he can about playing good defense.

 

[vladetomiller]

I watched that replay too, it didnt look that bad and Christie didnt seem to do anything that warranted a technical. However as i was watching the only reason i could come of was that, the whole time DC was saying something either to Wade or the official and the official was right in between. Maybe he said something that is not supposed to be said to another player or the official.

I dont think his defense has slipped, its the support that is lacking. Good defenders can only take away so much from good players, the rest is about leading them to spots that they dont want to be in and getting help from the teammates. Definitely DC is not getting any help from any one. Wade or Kobe will score on DC and we can only expect him to slow them down or bring their scoring lower

 

[HndsmCelt]

Bit of both I think: a bit of both...

 

[piksi]

Way I see this is - CD gives 100% of whatever he has at the moment or left at all in general. Every time You have a player like this - You have to appreciate the situatiom.

Is he playing great - no

Can he play better - yes

I would have DC on my team any time. However, I would not make him play
40+ minutes but that is whole different ballgame

 

[mcsluggo]

how could you possibly not think Christie's athleticism has slipped some???

I think his balls and his brains have improved ALOT over the last couple of years. He is actually becoming something approaching clutch <gasp>. But all the rest of his muscles have atrophied some.

 

[iheartBrad]

i thought he played well in last nights game...minus the unforced turnovers...::gag::

 

[Kev.in]

He has definitely lost a step. We don't get to see him drive and finish with a two-handed dunk anymore. There have been a couple of times when he got beat off the dribble and I thought he was going to recover and block the shot (and he thought so too, I think) but he came up just short and the guy scored.

 

[VF21]

He's lost a step because he's still recovering from plantar fasciitis. He has, however, still be able to dunk on occasion...even a little slower, he's still a good defender. Blocking shots isn't his primary role anyway.

 

[Bricklayer]

Perhaps all of the above.

Actually Doug had appeared to have lost a step last year, but then came through with an inspired stretch of play in the last few months of the season and the playoffs. Nonetheless, he was not as good defensively last year as he had been in years before.

And now, with another year under his belt, a nagging injury (which is part of aging), he may have lost another step. Its normal. A huge problem for us, but normal. Like most aging players he'll have nights where he looks great -- where he looks almost as good as he ever did. But then there will be others where the legs are going to be less than fresh and he just won't be that effective. He's going to be 35 by the playoffs this year -- that's obviously nearing the end for any guard in the NBA.

The real question for us isn't whether he's lost something -- I take that as a given. Its whether he can find an extra gear and kick it up when needed as he did last year during the playoffs.

 

[hoops4kings]

I agree he's lost a step and that the question is if he'll step up during the playoffs like he has the last 2 years. Doug's not your average 35 year old athlete. He keeps himself in extra good shape usually. Maybe there's more to that foot injury than we all know.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Doug needs to get his head outta his *** like he has in the past...I know he's older, and playing through pain, but its nothing he hasnt done before...and if he cant do it to the BEST of his abilities, TELL SOMEONE. This team cant afford anymore sub-par performances from guys that get the nod in the starting lineup for sake of reputations from their past. I'm pulling for Doug, dont get me wrong, but if he cant do it anymore like he used to, he cant do it, and he needs to say something.

 

[BigWaxer]

His numbers are a tad down for December this year -vs- the last 2... Most stat catagories he looks pretty much the same give or take 1 or so.

There is one stat that really jumped out over the last 3 years.

Dec 2002 FT 18-26 .692
Dec 2003 FT 43-49 .878 (he had 2 monster games this year) without those 2 he had 25 attemps
DEC 2004 FT 16-18 .889

His scoring is down from the last 2 years, His assists are up, TO about 1 per game more and rebounds are down about 1 for the month of Dec.

So maybe the last few games are just bad games but he seems to be playing close to his normal game. Of course the stats don't really show his "D". The last starter I am worried about is DC. He has proven time and time again he will be there for us.

He had 7To's last game. He just had a bad game. The rest of Dec he had about the same as the other players and was consistant with his Dec averages.

 

[VF21]

Doug needs to get his head outta his *** like he has in the past...I know he's older, and playing through pain, but its nothing he hasnt done before...and if he cant do it to the BEST of his abilities, TELL SOMEONE. This team cant afford anymore sub-par performances from guys that get the nod in the starting lineup for sake of reputations from their past. I'm pulling for Doug, dont get me wrong, but if he cant do it anymore like he used to, he cant do it, and he needs to say something.

Sub-par performances? Whoa... Doug isn't getting the starting nod IMHO because he's washed up and RA just doesn't want to sit him down. He's getting the starting nod at the 2 because he's STILL the best guy we have at that position.

Doug Christie has NEVER put himself in front of the good of the team and he never would. If you recall, he was injured and in the locker room when Pedja went down. DC came back out and FINISHED the game with major contributions. DC has heart, he has dedication, etc. You do him a big disservice to even imply that he's some old plow horse that needs to be put out to pasture.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

I understand that, but if he isnt what he used to be, shouldnt that be addressed, nonetheless?? Doug, minus his quickness and agility...is just average. We cant afford average anymore.

 

[VF21]

He's not doing THAT badly, IMHO. Remember, he sat out the pre-season. He's had good games and he's had bad games. So has pretty much everyone else on the team. He's still able to move pretty well, at least judging by the games I've seen so far. Kingsgurl would be in a much better position to say...

I think people are panicking way too early. As I said in another thread, I personally am not going to make any real assessments about the team for a while longer. If, on the other hand, things haven't levelled out by the home stand where we play the Blazers, the Cavs, the Spurs and the Nets, then even I will have to admit to some worry, concern, etc.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Doug actually seems to be moving pretty well out there, all things considered. He is getting up there in age, but he is still a one man zone defensively for much of the game, just everywhere on the court. Bobby was the one with the most notable drop-off in defensive ability that I saw. I couldn't believe how often he was getting burned by players who never would have been able to do that to him last year.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Concern is one thing...how about our team's upper management be more than concerned and take a more pro-active stance with this team...we're still not THAT far from a title...but we inch farther and farther away with each day and month of just 'spinning our wheels'...that does nobody any good.

 

[VF21]

How do you know what the upper management has/is/will be doing?

It's clear you are less inclined to be optimistic about this team than I am and that's fine. Just for the record? During the 2001-2002 season, when we arguably had one of our best teams ever, we had 9 losses by Dec. 30. Care to see how many we have right now?

I know the team is MUCH better than how they're playing right now. I would rather see them play poorly early and work on getting better than come out with the idea they have nothing to work on and little room for improvement.

We shall simply have to agree to disagree...

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

We also were waiting the arrival of Webber, coming off n anke injury, too. That had alot to do with that record. But there is no comparisons to that team and this team, there just isnt, in my mind.

 

[BigWaxer]

Just for the record? During the 2001-2002 season, when we arguably had one of our best teams ever, we had 9 losses by Dec. 30. Care to see how many we have right now?

HEY VF you trying to out stat me tonight? Man that is better then any stat I tossed up today...

Everyone breathe, exhale everything is gonna be okay. Lots of games left and nobody knows what the upper is doing. And honestly can anyone here question Petries moves, thinking and so on? He is one of the best GM's in the league. He knows a lot more then us Monday morning QB's