Its Time! part deux

[OptimusRhyme]

I don't know if it just seems this way to me but the Kings look like a deadly team with every player back (Martin, Artest, Bibby).
I don't think most of us really realize how good this team can be, even this year.
Too me those injuries to Martin, Bibby & Artest were a blessing to this team.
It gave Beno, Salmons, Garcia a chance to prove that they are high level players and starters on most teams. "IF" coach Theus does this right I can see us making that final run for the playoffs and doing some serious underrated damage in the playoffs.(This would be huge experience for the team for upcoming years)

Think about the stamina point of view.Having this many skilled players on a team meens our Defence, Offence & Hustle will all be improved because we can just run the hell out of teams.

Quick substitutions after all out hustle on offence & defence will be the key to this team, we can out run any team in the league. Think about Artest/Bibby/Martin going all out for 5 minutes then subbing in Beno/Salmons/Garcia and them going all out for 5 continue the pattern.

We can keep a fast paced game on O & D with this team, we will always have fresh legs on the floor and most teams will not be able to handle that especially going down the stretch at the end of a game where our biggest problem this year has been.

We have 7 players capable of 20 + points any night (Martin, Artest, Bibby, Salmons, Garcia, Beno, Miller) so the scoring is there for us.

We have the defensive leader (Artest) most teams dont have. When Artest triggers the defence attitude in this team our zone d has proven to be very effective and we have all the tools to run it to perfection (Quick subs, fast smart players, willing players, Coach Theus).

Something very important that most people don't realize we have is the undderdog attitude ( record 14-21). This team is out there to prove they are not what that record indicates we are, we are much much better.
The undderdog attitude meens the players have nothing to loose when they are out there because they are already a semi-loosing team. They can only go up, and that is what they are going to do. They have nothing to loose because we have already been loosing.
This isn't just basketball im talking about its a normal principal in life that can apply to bball.

When you see the worst and you are used to the worst you can truly see how bad things are getting.Then one day the best finally comes out, you appreciate the best so much more because you've seen the worst and this makes the best even better. Which in our case is playing better basketball and getting the good feeling back of winning instead of loosing.

Its time for this team to show the world, the league and all of us loyal fans what they are truly capable of & I honestly believe thats great things.

This team has been through the worst so the best is yet to come, and it will come. Its time!



I apologize for posts in my other thread if people took offence to them. I will post appropriately in this thread so there is no need to close it.

Back to the original post in my thread I want to know peoples feedback on my view on things.

 

[AriesMar27]

uhh... what kind of offensive rhythm would they have being subbed every 5 minutes?

 

[LoungeLizard]

I don't know if it just seems this way to me but the Kings look like a deadly team with every player back (Martin, Artest, Bibby).

.500 record deadly

 

[OptimusRhyme]

uhh... what kind of offensive rhythm would they have being subbed every 5 minutes?

It dosen't have to be every 5 minutes that was just an example, its just the fact that our best players on the team(which just happen to be PG,SG & SF) can get a rest and not worry about our team going downhill when they are on the bench because there will be quality players coming in for them.
This meens our top players can play harder then normal when they are in and not worry about their energy as much because their energy will benefit greatly with the depth and quality we have behind them.
We should be able to spread the minutes more accordingly when everyone is back and our players play on the court should show the impact of that.

Quality not Quantity if we can win without our stars playing 35 mins + a game more props to us because there is still alot of bball to be played this season, our top players will get the rest they deserve and the team wont suffer.

 

[piksi]

.500 record deadly

from the moment that they start playing together and without any more injuries

 

[OptimusRhyme]

.500 record deadly

Thats the first part of the season, when I said deadly I meant the Kings team thats going to take the court for us once everyone returns. This is the now part of the season things have changed we have grown. We built an identity without the best players on this team, we had no direction at the start of the year now we do have direction, we know our offence schemes and defensive schemes better and have gained a ton of confidence since the start of the season. We have found the teams diamonds in the ruff while the top 3 have been out and most teams never find those players as fast as we did and most diamonds in the ruff don't grow as much as I have seen Salmons, Beno and Garcia grow since the beggining of the season.
I agree with you that we have not been a deadly team so far this season but you can't deny that we have grown as a squad without the top 3 and thats pretty impressive.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

from the moment that they start playing together and without any more injuries

I geuss we will let the Kings decide that.

Oh yah and back to the Kings have no post presence topic.
Im geussing Reggie is going to give Artest at PF a chance since he let Cisco play there last game and Cisco was very effective.
Ron Ron at the powerforward position will drive other teams nuts, we will be able to utilize his stregnth and low post scoring more effectivly down low. He would also create alot of double teams down there freeing up our shooters/slashers.
Plus with Ron on PF we will be alot quicker on defence and the zone will be more effective.

 

[Jerryaki]

I agree with you that we have not been a deadly team so far this season but you can't deny that we have grown as a squad without the top 3 and thats pretty impressive.

agreed, i'm glad for the team having played hard and with effort every night.

i disagree in thinking that bibby + artest coming back instantly means the chemistry is great and our current players continue to be productive. i actually think the bench guys' productivity will get stunted, much like when salmons got put on the bench after ron came back.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

agreed, i'm glad for the team having played hard and with effort every night.

i disagree in thinking that bibby + artest coming back instantly means the chemistry is great and our current players continue to be productive. i actually think the bench guys' productivity will get stunted, much like when salmons got put on the bench after ron came back.

Thats when Reggie steps into the picture, I don't expect Ron Ron & Bibby to come back and be given so many minutes that it disrupts the players production and chemistry. If he knows what he is doing he will gradually bring them back(most likely off the bench at first) while maintaining our teams style and flow with our current squad. Slowly mix them back into the team and dont be easy on them make them work and understand the teams concept and playing style to get their minutes back.
I don't see a problem with all this because Bibby, Ron Ron & Kmart are all solid proffesionals and they will understand where Reggie is coming from. Plus while injured they have been watching the games they already have a pretty good understanding of the style of play and chemistry this team has so it will be easier for them to adapt to it.

 

[fnordius]

Wearing other teams down with a 10 player rotation is a solid, proven idea. We used it quite effectively back in the good ol' days.

However, it took having a roster loaded with players who were always ready to pass, and did it very well. In positions where one almost never found a good ball handler, we had Chris, Vlade and Brad, each one of them exceptional in that way. Bibby wasn't really pass-first, but with those bigs, Doug Christie, Hedo, and the gang, that didn't matter much. There were too many offensively skilled players for other teams to cope with, double-teaming regularly resulted in a quick pass and a score. I SO miss that!

We still have Brad, along with two shoot-first PGs, Kevin, and several players known for tuning out the rest of the team while they try iso plays or engage in jumpermania. In place of great ball handling, we have the worst assist-TO ratio in the NBA. And that's not from doing one or the other badly, we're 29th in assists and 29th in turnovers. Very, very bad at both.

I still think that having a deep team, and actively rotating them, is a great approach. It can get you a solid edge over competition, even if you don't have as much star power. But I don't think our team has the ball handling to do it.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

Wearing other teams down with a 10 player rotation is a solid, proven idea. We used it quite effectively back in the good ol' days.

However, it took having a roster loaded with players who were always ready to pass, and did it very well. In positions where one almost never found a good ball handler, we had Chris, Vlade and Brad, each one of them exceptional in that way. Bibby wasn't really pass-first, but with those bigs, Doug Christie, Hedo, and the gang, that didn't matter much. There were too many offensively skilled players for other teams to cope with, double-teaming regularly resulted in a quick pass and a score. I SO miss that!

We still have Brad, along with two shoot-first PGs, Kevin, and several players known for tuning out the rest of the team while they try iso plays or engage in jumpermania. In place of great ball handling, we have the worst assist-TO ratio in the NBA. And that's not from doing one or the other badly, we're 29th in assists and 29th in turnovers. Very, very bad at both.

I still think that having a deep team, and actively rotating them, is a great approach. It can get you a solid edge over competition, even if you don't have as much star power. But I don't think our team has the ball handling to do it.

Good post! I agree that our team is weak at handling & passing the ball but that should be fixed or at least improved when Bibby returns to the point. Udrih is a solid crafty handler/passer but he makes bad descisions at times, you have to remember these players aren't used to the amount of minutes they have been getting, they are very inexperienced. Ast's & T/O's should get better for us when our main starters return.
I think it has alot to do with inexperience, but it is definetly a problem we have to work on and I think they can fix it with enough work.
Also with all our best scoring weapons returning more double teams will come like you said which will make passing easier for everyone and make opposing teams work alot harder on defence.

 

[Entity]

The original post is somewhat correct we are a deadly team if every team played small ball 1-5 because we could actually fill each spot and have subs. Bibby, Beno, Marin, Cisco, Artest, Salmons, Douby, Jones is a pretty good collection of guards and small fowards. Fact is as good as Brad is playing we still lack the dominance down low. You don't have to dominate the paint the whole game but, we can't even dominate for 5 min. Sure we have cuts to the basket but, we need a 50% to 60% shooter down low in closing out games. Watch the Spurs for instance. Tim Duncan may not have 15 points in the first 3 quarters but, in crunch time in a close game they know Tim is going to give the 60% in the paint were as a shooter from 15ft and out is not going to hit that percentage. Now alot of shooter hit them at times but its not as high of a percentage for the year as it would be 5ft and in.

Also if we turn it over 20 times a game that is 20 possesions we get nothing. lets say you cut that in half then hit 50% of those shot that is at least 10 more points a games then you could get into 3pt or and1 situations increasing that number.

Bottom line we need a low post go to guy late and we have GOT to cut down on our turnovers. If we do 1 of those we could be a bubble team in the playoffs if we do both we could be a contender.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

The original post is somewhat correct we are a deadly team if every team played small ball 1-5 because we could actually fill each spot and have subs. Bibby, Beno, Marin, Cisco, Artest, Salmons, Douby, Jones is a pretty good collection of guards and small fowards. Fact is as good as Brad is playing we still lack the dominance down low. You don't have to dominate the paint the whole game but, we can't even dominate for 5 min. Sure we have cuts to the basket but, we need a 50% to 60% shooter down low in closing out games. Watch the Spurs for instance. Tim Duncan may not have 15 points in the first 3 quarters but, in crunch time in a close game they know Tim is going to give the 60% in the paint were as a shooter from 15ft and out is not going to hit that percentage. Now alot of shooter hit them at times but its not as high of a percentage for the year as it would be 5ft and in.

Also if we turn it over 20 times a game that is 20 possesions we get nothing. lets say you cut that in half then hit 50% of those shot that is at least 10 more points a games then you could get into 3pt or and1 situations increasing that number.

Bottom line we need a low post go to guy late and we have GOT to cut down on our turnovers. If we do 1 of those we could be a bubble team in the playoffs if we do both we could be a contender.

All true but what do you think about utilizing Ron Ron down low, I think he would take the challenge in stride and become a vicious low post threat, plus he wouldn't be jacking up all those contested 3's on the perimeter if we keep him down low.

 

[Entity]

All true but what do you think about utilizing Ron Ron down low, I think he would take the challenge in stride and become a vicious low post threat, plus he wouldn't be jacking up all those contested 3's on the perimeter if we keep him down low.

Well yeah its a great idea for now as a quick fix. Ron is capable to do it at times but, not a long term fix. In fact I am guessing you will se alot of it to the point Justin is never seen and Mikki is reduced to 25 min a game just to get the most out of our swingman conglomorate.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

Well yeah its a great idea for now as a quick fix. Ron is capable to do it at times but, not a long term fix. In fact I am guessing you will se alot of it to the point Justin is never seen and Mikki is reduced to 25 min a game just to get the most out of our swingman conglomorate.

Yeah thats exactly what I was thinking.
On defence we wont be too shabby either because we don't usually play man to man its usually a 2-3 zone or a 3-2 zone so there will always be a second defender coming to help ron if the other team trys to take advantage of his height on the block.

 

[Entity]

Mikki is usually the guy running at the open shooter so if we do go smaller and play the zone maybe the smaller quick guys can force them to make another pass or put in on the floor or what have you. having Ron has its advatages in a small ball game.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

Mikki is usually the guy running at the open shooter so if we do go smaller and play the zone maybe the smaller quick guys can force them to make another pass or put in on the floor or what have you. having Ron has its advatages in a small ball game.

Yea thats also what i was thinking. Plus when there is an opposing dominant rebounder at PF Ron can drag them out to the 3 point line which frees up space for our cutters and more offensive rebs! If they don't cover ronny out there he simply knocks down the three!

 

[Gary]

You can have TOO many scorers... For example take the Team USA against countries w/ maybe 1 or 2 players which are NBA capable. How do they keep beating us? Because they have and know their roles. Once the Kings start playing their roles then we will be harder to stop. In order to do this we need to get rid of a couple of our log jam players, and get us a PF.

 

[Superman]

Optimus, I love your screen name. I love your enthusiasm. But the Kings suck, dude. We aren't going to finish the season above .500; we probably won't go .500 after we get the starters back.

Our best bet is to move Brad this season, package Kenny Thomas with him. Move Mike before he opts out (or just as bad, opts in), and move Ron as we move the other two so he doesn't flip the switch on us. Then we finish with under 30 wins, have a shot at the top three in the Draft, and can get this rebuild started. So far, all we've done to rebuild is draft Spenser Hawes.

In short, GO KINGS!