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Jackson trying to find his game
Without going into specifics, he admits to being distracted.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Bobby Jackson, defended by the Grizzlies' Jason Williams on Friday, is shooting 36.1 percent from the floor and 10.3 percent from three-point range.
Head down, Bobby Jackson walked off the court slowly. Two or three of his teammates were already sitting on the bench as the coaches huddled before head coach Rick Adelman addressed the Kings during a timeout.
In a game the Kings would win 88-79 Sunday night at Arco Arena, they were struggling against the Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson's season-long subpar play continued, and to hear him Monday afternoon following practice, it might have intensified in another way.
Jackson once again will look to crack his self-described funk tonight against the Houston Rockets as the Kings try to finish their five-game homestand unbeaten.
The 2002-03 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is shooting 36.1 percent (35 of 97) from the field and 10.3 percent (3 of 29) from three-point range.
Despite Jackson's inabilities, the Kings (6-4) are looking for their sixth straight victory.
Jackson is accustomed to impacting a game when he steps onto the floor, but he's accustomed to making a positive impact, not a negative one.
"I've just got to keep plugging and taking the shots," he said. "A lot of the shots that I'm taking are wide open, I'm just missing. I think I'm fading back a little too much.
"But I also have a lot on my mind, too. I've just got to come to the game and leave what's going on outside of basketball out there and come ready to play."
Jackson's mannerisms Sunday prompted an inquiry about his mentality. It was evident that his unspecified problems were affecting him.
"(Sunday) was the first day that something happened to me that really affected me on the court," he said. "I can really be honest and say I didn't really feel like doing (anything). It was just on my mind the whole time.
"I'm not going to speak on it. Just some stuff that happens, some personal stuff, and already as an athlete, you have a lot of stuff to deal with. And then when something outside the game hits you and affects you on the court, you're not going to play well. And I can be honest, I didn't. I wasn't even worrying about playing (Sunday night).
"That's why I was frustrated, because my mind wasn't into playing. But I have to chalk it up as a (personal) loss and come back the next day. That's the good thing about the NBA."
Adelman, who said Jackson has to be more patient and take advantage of his opportunities at the offensive end, also said it's natural for a competitor as staunch as Jackson to be pressing as he struggles.
"I think he is, which is natural," Adelman said. "I think he's gotten some wide-open shots, but he's really struggling to get one to go down.
"But the one game he's had where he scored (20 points against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 16), he got to the free-throw line 10 times, so you've got to find other ways to do it rather than just making the jump shots."
Jackson never likes exiting a game, but now that he has been struggling, it's even worse.
"I hate coming out of the game, even though I'm shooting the ball (badly)," he said. "I've said before that if I'm not playing well, take me out of the game. But that's just the frustration of not being able to help the team, and not just with shooting, just with anything. I wasn't doing anything good (Sunday), and I was just frustrated by that."
The Kings hold an option on Jackson's contract for the 2005-06 season, the last one on his deal. But he says that is not a factor in his poor play.
"I don't think about the contract," the 31-year-old Jackson said. "That'll come. I'm the type of player that won't let that hinder the way I perform. I just go out and play. "I haven't played to my capabilities yet, and that's the good thing. I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can do. I'm shooting 35 percent and my numbers are down, but I know I won't play this way the whole year."
Jackson trying to find his game
Without going into specifics, he admits to being distracted.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Bobby Jackson, defended by the Grizzlies' Jason Williams on Friday, is shooting 36.1 percent from the floor and 10.3 percent from three-point range.
Head down, Bobby Jackson walked off the court slowly. Two or three of his teammates were already sitting on the bench as the coaches huddled before head coach Rick Adelman addressed the Kings during a timeout.
In a game the Kings would win 88-79 Sunday night at Arco Arena, they were struggling against the Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson's season-long subpar play continued, and to hear him Monday afternoon following practice, it might have intensified in another way.
Jackson once again will look to crack his self-described funk tonight against the Houston Rockets as the Kings try to finish their five-game homestand unbeaten.
The 2002-03 NBA Sixth Man of the Year is shooting 36.1 percent (35 of 97) from the field and 10.3 percent (3 of 29) from three-point range.
Despite Jackson's inabilities, the Kings (6-4) are looking for their sixth straight victory.
Jackson is accustomed to impacting a game when he steps onto the floor, but he's accustomed to making a positive impact, not a negative one.
"I've just got to keep plugging and taking the shots," he said. "A lot of the shots that I'm taking are wide open, I'm just missing. I think I'm fading back a little too much.
"But I also have a lot on my mind, too. I've just got to come to the game and leave what's going on outside of basketball out there and come ready to play."
Jackson's mannerisms Sunday prompted an inquiry about his mentality. It was evident that his unspecified problems were affecting him.
"(Sunday) was the first day that something happened to me that really affected me on the court," he said. "I can really be honest and say I didn't really feel like doing (anything). It was just on my mind the whole time.
"I'm not going to speak on it. Just some stuff that happens, some personal stuff, and already as an athlete, you have a lot of stuff to deal with. And then when something outside the game hits you and affects you on the court, you're not going to play well. And I can be honest, I didn't. I wasn't even worrying about playing (Sunday night).
"That's why I was frustrated, because my mind wasn't into playing. But I have to chalk it up as a (personal) loss and come back the next day. That's the good thing about the NBA."
Adelman, who said Jackson has to be more patient and take advantage of his opportunities at the offensive end, also said it's natural for a competitor as staunch as Jackson to be pressing as he struggles.
"I think he is, which is natural," Adelman said. "I think he's gotten some wide-open shots, but he's really struggling to get one to go down.
"But the one game he's had where he scored (20 points against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 16), he got to the free-throw line 10 times, so you've got to find other ways to do it rather than just making the jump shots."
Jackson never likes exiting a game, but now that he has been struggling, it's even worse.
"I hate coming out of the game, even though I'm shooting the ball (badly)," he said. "I've said before that if I'm not playing well, take me out of the game. But that's just the frustration of not being able to help the team, and not just with shooting, just with anything. I wasn't doing anything good (Sunday), and I was just frustrated by that."
The Kings hold an option on Jackson's contract for the 2005-06 season, the last one on his deal. But he says that is not a factor in his poor play.
"I don't think about the contract," the 31-year-old Jackson said. "That'll come. I'm the type of player that won't let that hinder the way I perform. I just go out and play. "I haven't played to my capabilities yet, and that's the good thing. I haven't even scratched the surface of what I can do. I'm shooting 35 percent and my numbers are down, but I know I won't play this way the whole year."
