[Game] Kings at Nuggets, 1/7/2022 6pm PT/9pm ET

[AleksandarN]

The Nuggets are a good team cause they lucked into Jokic not cause of Malone and if you think Cousins had elite BBIQ i seriously don't know what to tell you, he was one of the dumbest ever all-stars in the history of basketball. Again one 15 game stretch apparently is a large enough sample size to prove Cousins/Malone were good but 20+ games without Fox is not a large enough sample size to say the Kings are better off without Fox. What was the Kings overall record with Malone for his full tenure (36%) which is lower than Luke Waltons 42% (worst coach of all time apparently).

Don't even compare Malone and Walton. Malone is a great coach he is a player's coach. He helped develop Jokic and Murray. It is part of the reason why players love him from Cousins to Jokic. Contrast that to Karl.

 

[ESP47]

And I know people hate the “it’s the coaching” excuse, but I can only wonder what we would be like if we ran a scheme like successful teams that utilized lots of cutting…..in other words, what if we had a coach like that. I watch Memphis having success and watch them run their stuff. I’d just like to see that from the Kings

It's either coaching or all our players are just dumb and have zero feel for the game. I'm going to go with coaching here.

If a player had the ball on the block, the Nuggets were instantly cutting to the rim without hesitation. That almost never happens with our team.

 

[EIM86]

Don't even compare Malone and Walton. Malone is a great coach he is a player's coach. He helped develop Jokic and Murray. It is part of the reason why players love him from Cousins to Jokic. Contrast that to Karl.

idk man Bill Waltons Son was a pretty solid coach. But first, gotta look at the tape

 

[mac]

I'm not someone who already dislikes Buddy. I've defended him on many occasions throughout his time in Sacramento -- during his contentious contract negotiations, after he signed the big contract when many thought he was overpaid (he's not), when he complained about being benched, when he started handling the ball more at Luke Walton's request -- and I have no problem with him as a person either. I also don't think he's single-handily ruining the team and I like how he's stepped up his defensive effort this season even if he's still only adequate. I actually think he's improved as an outside shooter this year despite the lower percentages. It's just that he's taking insanely difficult shots on a regular basis. And there have been games where he's the only reason we even have a chance to win.

What I can't stand anymore are all the things you've mentioned -- how he no longer can hit a jumper from inside the arc, his inability to finish at the rim. Also the fact that he barely gets himself to the free throw line despite being one of our better shooters. I don't think I'm exaggerating about his passing and dribbling skills being horrible. I think he's regressed in almost every area except for defense and three point shooting. He used to be a basketball player who could shoot and over the last season and a half he's become a shooter who sometimes plays basketball.

In his defense, I think it probably has a lot to do with what the coaching staff wants from him. His instant catch and release jumper is a huge weapon and I think he would be a great fit on certain teams but after accounting for his defense he's either our fourth or fifth best guard depending on whether Terance Davis is on a hot streak or not. If we wanted to use him rationally as a spot-up shooter and use screens to free him up he would still be a key part of our offense but that's not what Luke Walton wanted and apparently it's not what Alvin Gentry wants either. Now he's a guy we throw the ball to and ask him to create shots for himself and others and that's just not his skillset. And this madness has gone on so long that I have little hope of him self-correcting on the Kings, even with a different coaching staff.

Hopefully that paints a clearer picture of my feelings about Buddy. I want him gone as much for his own sake as for ours. He doesn't want to be here, Monte already tried to trade him, and his presence on the court is standing in the way of our other guards stepping up into bigger roles. Not because he's demanding shots but because they all want him taking them and he's just not getting open enough because he's abandoned every other part of the floor except the three point line.

Man look at this video and tell me what on earth happened. Perhaps bulking was not the best option for both him and Fox.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

Man look at this video and tell me what on earth happened. Perhaps bulking was not the best option for both him and Fox.

He had a more balanced game in those seasons. More mid range mixed in, to keep the defense honest

 

[coolhandluke]

When was the last time a player on the Kings cut toward the rim in a half court set?

All they do is stand outside the perimeter and watch the ball.

Kings play pickup basketball while the other teams play professional basketball. No amount of talent or hustling can cover for fundamentally flawed schemes. One can argue that Luke's hiring was a huge blunder that's on par with passing on Luka. Sigh, that's three years washed down the drain.

 

[kb02]

It's either coaching or all our players are just dumb and have zero feel for the game. I'm going to go with coaching here.

If a player had the ball on the block, the Nuggets were instantly cutting to the rim without hesitation. That almost never happens with our team.

Nuggets cut to the rim, because they know Jokic will get them the ball if they’re open. The Kings have 2 to 3 black holes (Fox, the 4 spot, Holmes…) on the court most of the time. There is no cutting, because black holes don’t pass.

 

[Livinthedream]

Nuggets cut to the rim, because they know Jokic will get them the ball if they’re open. The Kings have 2 to 3 black holes (Fox, the 4 spot, Holmes…) on the court most of the time. There is no cutting, because black holes don’t pass.

In truth, some Kings players pick and choose who they pass to when the teammate is open. There is a lack of trust, which is why there isn't consistent ball movement. And to your point, why players aren't continuously cutting to get open.

The mindset is, I won't give him the ball because he might not make the shot. The mindset should be if when you get the ball, we expect you to make the shot.

 

[kb02]

In truth, some Kings players pick and choose who they pass to when the teammate is open. There is a lack of trust, which is why there isn't consistent ball movement. And to your point, why players aren't continuously cutting to get open.

The mindset is, I won't give him the ball because he might not make the shot. The mindset should be if when you get the ball, we expect you to make the shot.

Culture. Gotta get rid of the cornerstones of that no-trust, no pass, no cutting culture.

 

[Turgenev]

Man look at this video and tell me what on earth happened. Perhaps bulking was not the best option for both him and Fox.

If anything our offence just looked better. Shots from different spots on the floor. More movement with more than one thing happening at a time. It is a highlight package, so it isn't going to show everything. And our record wouldn't have been any better. But it didn't look like Kings basketball. If you made a highlight package from this season I feel it would be hard to get much more than Buddy coming off a well anticipated screen up top then throwing up a well contested three pointer.

 

[sactowndog]

If anything our offence just looked better. Shots from different spots on the floor. More movement with more than one thing happening at a time. It is a highlight package, so it isn't going to show everything. And our record wouldn't have been any better. But it didn't look like Kings basketball. If you made a highlight package from this season I feel it would be hard to get much more than Buddy coming off a well anticipated screen up top then throwing up a well contested three pointer.

Whatever people felt about Bogi and Beli they were two of our better shooters who teams could not leave unattended at the 3 point line. The team 3 point percentage has fallen in Monte’s time here.

 

[sactowndog]

Nuggets cut to the rim, because they know Jokic will get them the ball if they’re open. The Kings have 2 to 3 black holes (Fox, the 4 spot, Holmes…) on the court most of the time. There is no cutting, because black holes don’t pass.

I agree with this post except Holmes. He does pass when given the chance.

 

[hrdboild]

Man look at this video and tell me what on earth happened. Perhaps bulking was not the best option for both him and Fox.

It's not like Dave Joerger was some offensive genius or anything, but that team at least looked like an NBA team on the floor. It only took about 3 weeks to see that Luke Walton's offense was not going to work and yet here we are 2 1/2 years later still running it. Is it really any surprise that everyone on the roster has lost value since he took over?

I understand that fans get tired of the same old excuses and we've already fired so many coaches without seeing any improvement but when the guy determines who plays and who doesn't play (he's the one who benched Buddy and Bagley) you kindof have no choice but to do what he says. Maybe what this team needs, or at least guys like Fox, Buddy, and Barnes who have been around for awhile, is to spend a solid week watching tape from the pre-Walton era so they can remember who they used to be.

 

[KainLear]

It only took about 3 weeks to see that Luke Walton's offense was not going to work and yet here we are 2 1/2 years later still running it. Is it really any surprise that everyone on the roster has lost value since he took over?

Hopefully, this is the last season we see this offensive ever again.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

New game thread up!