Kings-Cavaliers PBP for Jan. 9

[VF21]

Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

Not a lot of banter today. It's really hard to get excited about too much right now... I still love this team and I hope they can manage to turn themselves around, but I'll admit my hope is much stronger than my faith right now.

Anyway, let's see what the Bee had to say about tonight's matchup:

http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/104988.html

Cleveland (21-12) at Kings (14-17)
By Sam Amick

KINGS OUTLOOK - The chance for a home winning streak as the perfect prelude to a long road stretch already has been blown thanks to the last two overtime losses. The Kings, though, are well aware that they continue to play somewhat cohesively and are ready to see their effectiveness rewarded with a victory. In light of the way they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland, bear in mind that had the Kings been 3-0 in overtime games instead of 0-3, their 17-14 record would put them seventh in the Western Conference .

CAVALIERS OUTLOOK - Arco Arena always will be special to LeBron James, who made his NBA regular-season debut there Oct. 29, 2003. The 18-year-old scored 25 points on 12-for-20 shooting in an immediate sign that he was for real. Now in his fourth season, James has led the Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference standings and is the only player averaging at least 26 points, six assists and six rebounds. Cleveland, however, has lost to the Kings in 10 of the last 11 meetings, the Cavaliers' last victory coming Dec. 6, 2005, at Arco (102-97). The Cavs are just 6-9 on the road, but their last two road victories came last week against Boston and Milwaukee.

KEY MATCHUP - Ron Artest vs. LeBron James -- The last round in this matchup March 1, 2006, went to Artest, with an assist from his teammates. James had 19 points but scored just three in the second half and made just 7 of 21 shots as the Kings won 97-90. The Kings hope for the same containment-by-committee approach tonight.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Kings - Bibby, Martin, Artest, Thomas, Miller

Cavaliers - Snow, Hughes, James, Gooden, Ilgauskas

My main concern is still the lack of continuity from the top all the way down to the end of the bench. I firmly believe there has to be some kind of concrete definition of roles before players will start to show consistent performances.

There isn't a quick fix solution out there, regardless of how much we the fans may want one. If you read any of the other threads around here, you'll see that there are a number of fans who have posted pretty good assessments of what the team needs. That's the easy part...

The tough part for us as fans is to watch in the dark without having any idea of what Petrie and Co. are planning on doing. I do still think there is some kind of plan to all of this. I know that's not the popular opinion of some of the people whose takes I really respect, but the only way any of this makes any sense is if there's some master plan...

 

[Wuster]

I'll be at ARCO cheering on the Kings, so I guarantee a WIN!!

 

[VF21]

It appears as though Justin Williams MIGHT be in uniform tonight. I think I may have caught a glimpse of him behind Grant and Jerry just before they cut to commercial...

 

[VF21]

Shareef starting tonight at the PF position for the Kings...

 

[VF21]

Confirmed - Justin Williams IS suited up.

 

[VF21]

Tip to the Cavs.

James miss; Artest board.

Kings offense a little sluggish, get it inside to Artest but Z knocks it oob. Inbound to Bibby... for two.

2-0 KINGS

Gooden inside to Z, who is fouled by Bibby.

They show Scot Pollard in a suit on the sidelines with a mohawk...

Z at the line.

Makes first; and second.

2-2

 

[VF21]

Kings miss; Cavs board.

James miss; Snow board. Hehehehe. Snow... board...

Hughes miss; Gooden board. Gooden miss; Martin board.

10;19 left

Martin mid-range jumper for two.

4-2 KINGS

Z for two.

4-4

 

[VF21]

Bibby miss; Cavs board.

Cavs for two.

6-4 Cavs

Miller for two.

6-6

9;00 left

Gooden for two.

8-6 Cavs

 

[VF21]

Miller miss; Reef board. Reef miss, Martin board, Reef for two.

8-8

Hughes miss; Miller board.

Bibby to Martin, who is fouled by Hughes. Non-shooting. Still Kings ball.

Kings inbound, MIller fouled by Z. Still Kings ball.

Artest three goes down to the net and pops back out. Cavs board.

Hughes inside, shot rolls around and pops back out. Miller board.

Bibby to Artest inside for two.

10-8 KINGS

 

[VF21]

James miss with Artest all over him; Kings board.

SAR out to MIller for two more.

12-8 KINGS

James able to drive inside for two.

12-10 KINGS

Bibby for two.

14-10 KINGS

6;15 left

Z miss; Gooden tips the rebound but Martin snags it.

Kings ball.

 

[VF21]

SAR hook short; Cavs board.

Z from the baseline for two.

14-12 KINGS

5;27 left

Bibby for two on nice assist from Artest.

16-12 KINGS

Gooden miss; Artest board.

Nice spacing and ball movement by the Kings. Martin able to cut inside and grab two off the glass.

18-12 KINGS

Time out and commercial.

4;31 left

 

[VF21]

Cavs ball.

James able to use his power to back Artest down. He spins and gets two off the glass.

18-14 KINGS

4;01 left

BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!!!!!!!!

21-14 KINGS

Hughes inside, loses the ball. Martin on the breakaway, James with him and blocks the shot.

Cavs for three

21-17 KINGS

Miller for two.

23-17 KINGS

Jones for three.

23-20 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Bibby starts to cut for the basket and is fouled by Damon Jones.

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Marshall miss; Kings board.

BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!!

26-20 KINGS

Guy with the funny hair for two.

26-22 KINGS

Bibby miss; Cavs board.

James turnover; Martin snags it.

1;06 left

Good ball movement by the Kings; Miller for two more.

28-22 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Cavs miss; Hughes and Bibby chasing the ball down the court. Bibby shoved but no call. Kings ball.

Artest jumper off the rim; ball oob. Cavs ball.

31 seconds left.

Thomas in for SAR.

James misses off the glass as he's still practically wearing a Kings #93 jersey; Cavs funny hair guy (he looks like Sideshow Bob) to the line on foul by Miller.

Misses first; misses second. Thomas board.

Bibby to Martin, who gets into the paint and is fouled.

Martin at the line.

0.7 seconds left.

Makes first; and second.

30-22 KINGS

End of the first quarter.

 

[VF21]

James on the bench to start the second quarter. Salmons in for Artest.

Kings ball.

BIBBY FOR THREE on nice dish by Martin.

33-22 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Snow off the glass for two.

33-24 KINGS

Bibby inside, ball knocked out of his hands. They play "hot potato" for a while and it goes oob off the Cavs. Still Kings ball.

Bibby to Miller, who drives the lane and earns a trip to the stripe.

Misses first; makes second.

34-24 KINGS

11;03 left

 

[VF21]

Kings showing full-court press. Z to Damon Jones for another three.

34-27 KINGS

Thomas running right-hander doesn't go but he gets his own rebound, sends it out to Mike...

Bibby for long two.

36-27 KINGS

Jones miss; Cavs board. Another miss; Miller or KT board.

Bibby drives inside, kicks out to Salmons, miss. Marshall board.

Cavs ball.

Jones miss; KT board.

Kings showing GOOD help defense.

Kings ball.

Bibby inside to Miller in the paint for the reverse and two more.

38-27 KINGS

8;58 left

Time out and commercial.

Brad looks like a streaking rocket compared to Z.

 

[VF21]

Scot Pollard's hair being laughed at by Mike Bibby.

Cavs ball.

Hughes miss inside; Salmons board.

Mo Taylor in, misses lay-up; Cavs ball.

Z jumper doesn't go; Cavs board.

Z with a third-chance bucket.

38-29 KINGS

Salmons, Bibby, Taylor, Quincy and Thomas on the court.

Lebron James coming back in for the Cavs. Artest immediately gets up and comes back in, Bibby taking a breather.

 

[VF21]

KT driving layup for two.

40-29 KINGS

7;14 left

Cavs miss; KT board.

Taylor off the glass for two on arguably the ugliest short jumper I've ever seen.

42-29 KINGS

James for two.

42-31 KINGS

And the nice ball movement by the Kings has slowed considerably...

Artest miss; Cavs board.

 

[VF21]

James bounce pass goes oob off Kings. Still Cavs ball.

5;51 left

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

James for two on the dunk.

42-33 KINGS

5;14 left

Martin in for Douby.

Frenetic ball movement by the Kings, Artest long three doesn't go but they snag the board.

Artest fallaway over James for two.

44-33 KINGS

Wesley miss; Cavs tip board right to Salmons.

KT shot deflected; James gets it.

3;46 left

James called for palming. Kings ball.

 

[VF21]

Taylor called for three-second violation. Cavs ball.

KT out; Miller back in.

James turnaround jumper for two.

44-35 KINGS

Alley-oop to Martin for two.

46-35 KINGS

2;43 left

Cavs ball. Whistle...

Time out and commercial.

Not sure what happened...

 

[VF21]

Artest inside, kicks out to Miller for two more. Artest with 7 assists.

48-35 KINGS

1;41 left

Ball oob off Z; Kings ball.

BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!!

51-35 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Hughes for three.

51-38 KINGS

1;00 left

Bibby, Martin, Artest, Taylor and Miller on the court.

NOn-shooting foul on Z. Still Kings ball.

Bibby miss, he goes for the rebound, takes a bad step and is limping.

Cavs miss. Kings ball...

Bibby still walking it off. Still KIngs ball. Partially knocked out of Brad's hands, he fights for it. Jump ball.

24.2 seconds left.

 

[VF21]

Miller tip to Taylor, who goes inside and draws the foul on the lay-up.

Taylor at the line. Makes first; Salmons and Price in for Martin and Bibby. I actually like seeing Taylor at the 4. Miller to the sidelines for some quick first aid on a knee scrape from his going to the floor fighting for the ball.

Taylor makes second.

53-38 KINGS

Cavs ball.

EXCELLENT shut-down defense by Artest on James, who cannot get a clear shot off.

End of the first half.

I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!

 

[VF21]

Kings ball to start the second half. Bibby to Miller, who works inside against Z and draws the foul. 3PF.

Miller to the line. Makes first; misses second. Gooden board.

54-38 KINGS

Z hook over Miller for two.

54-40 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Miller jumper for two.

56-40 KINGS

Snow inside for two.

56-42 KINGS

NICE ball movement by the Kings again, 5th player to touch the ball - Miller - for two more.

58-42 KINGS

James fadeaway for two.

58-44 KINGS

10;11 left

Bibby inside, kicks out to Kevin.

MARTIN FOR THREE!!!!!!

61-44 KINGS

Cavs call 20 second time out.

 

[VF21]

Cavs ball.

James playing one-on-one with Artest and not finding any kind of opening. Finally kicks to another Cav, they miss. Miller saves the rebound.

Kings ball.

Ball deflected into the back court; Miller runs it down but 24-second violation.

Cavs ball.

Hughes off the glass for two.

61-46 KINGS

Bibby three doesn't go; Z board.

 

[VF21]

Gooden for two.

61-48 KINGS

8;11 left

GO KINGS!!!!

Another Kings miss; Cavs board.

Cavs miss; Artest board.

Bibby pass - intended for SAR - stolen. Cavs ball.

Miss but Gooden gets the board.

Another miss but Z with the putback.

61-50 KINGS

Musselman calls time out.

7;12 left

Looks like another all-too-frequent third quarter brain fart by the Kings.