Kings @ Clippers Game Thread

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piksi

Hall of Famer
#1
almost over
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On April 15th 2005 Kings went to LA a and trashed Lakers 115-106 to improve to 49-30 for the season. Lakers sucked themselves into lottery and we helped them. It was the game in which Pedja scored 14 points in the first 8 minutes before hurting one of his random body parts and having the leave the game. What Pedja started - Mobley and Bibby finished. Since Kobe didn't play - the game was kinda boring but it was the happy ending. Bibby lead the Kings 26/5/7/2, Mobley had 23/4/10/1, KT had 15/9/3, Pedja had 14/1as/1st. Off the bench Evans had 16/6/3/2, Corliss had 11/5/2/4.

Mike Bibby and Cuttino Mobley helped the Sacramento Kings pick up a key victory, which may have come at a big price. Bibby scored 26 points and Mobley collected 23 and 10 assists as the Kings posted a 115-106 victory over their once-bitter rivals, the Los Angels Lakers. Sacramento (49-30) remained fifth in the Western Conference, one game ahead of Houston and Denver, who are both 48-31 and play Saturday at Houston.

"I don't think it matters who we play," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "We just have to win. If we win we're going to get what ever the high seed we get."

Kings leading scorer Peja Stojakovic scored 14 points before leaving with 4:22 remaining in the first period when he strained his left groin. He did not return and his status for Saturday's game at Phoenix is uncertain.

"It's tough with Peja not out there," Bibby said. "Peja opens up a lot for everybody else. When he's out everyone steps their game up."

"I don't know what it is," Adelman said. "I know they said that it was a pull. They said it was mild. I don't know what that means so we'll just have to wait and see."

Without Stojakovic, Sacramento still led comfortably after Bibby's jumper made it 94-78 with just over a minute left in the third period.

"We were a little more aggressive," Bibby said. "I'm not always looking to score, I'm looking to pass just as much. I just go out and take what they give me."
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After a much needed lin which Kings got in style the record now is 32-47 which just kepr us in the mix for high lottery position mainly because our competition isn't going to win either and most of those teams have much more experience when the tanking is the name of the game. With 4-15 in the last 19 games Kings have stabilized themselves around 7th position for the lottery. With 3 lins in the final 3 games Kings could with a little luck get to the 5 position. Today POR vs. SEA and CHA vs MIl - could get us in the better position. Tomorrow - it will be hard to gain any ground but Sonics play the Lakers and we can hope - right?;)
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It has been that kind of the season. Fans of other teams occupy ARCO these days more than anyone would like to see it. It is disturbing mostly because it is the time of the year when ARCO used to pick up some decibels and the opponents fans couldn't hear themselves think. Spirits are down and it is hard to blame anyone who would rather stay away from the tanking. Not every "stomach" can take it. It is much easier to sit next to TV. You have more options. For example, last night I decided that watching Lakers lose is much more appealing than watching Kings lose. You can do other things also. For the next 3 games anything is allowed. Whatever helps You get trough the finish line.
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3 games left and all 3 are linnable but it won't be a given due to the motivations. Clippers game is easy. They need it badly, they play at home and they have Jason Hart. The resistance shouldn't be too strong. Hornets game will be close. Tonight they play in Houston and if they lose - they will be eliminated which means that they will shut down CP and with Mason, Chandler and Pedja being already sidelined - it might require a lot of sucking to get the lin. Also Muss might decide to finish the season - strong. Then we finish with the Lakers and they need it bad. So it would be very easy if of course those wouldn't be Lakers.
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It is a dilemma. It wouldn't be if those weren't Lakers. It should be simple. We lose, we get more lottery balls and a better player. That is our main and really only priority. On the other hand there is a part of me that would love to see Lakers miss the POs too. Seeing Kobe cry again would be very satisfying. The question is - would that satisfaction be worthy of 2 spots in the lottery ? There is that dilemma. We all wish that circumstances were different. Let's say that both teams needed this game. ARCO would be exploding, it would be nationally televised and it would be "must see TV" just like it used to be and just like we hope that it will be again someday - soon. It is a game in which we can't really lose because it is either a lin or eliminating Lakers from the post season. Something has got to give.
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Ron has been behaving great since we have been eliminated. He is playing like crap which is helping our cause right now. He is also keeping his mouth shut. I don't expect it to last too long but at least for the next 3 games or so.
Cisco on the other hand has been playing really well and while it is hard to estimate the value of performances in the "garbage time" - it is encouraging to see it. Now, it is a matter of keeping that confidence high for the next season and also hoping that the "new coach" will continue to give him minutes.
SAR on the other hand had his best game of the season last night. Timing sucked but that is a theme of SAR's career. Good player on a bad team. Miller had triple double and the we pulled him to allow SAR his best game of the season. what is next ? Potapenko with a triple double against the Lakers:eek: ?
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Not even a year ago most of us were hoping to stay away from Don Nelson as a coach. A little did we know how things would turn out. Compared to Musselman - Don Nelson is a genius. We would played more attractive and we would have won more games. We might have even gotten into the POs. Don Nelson might never win a ring but he knows what he is doing and at least we would have had an offense. On the other hand - I am pretty sure that Don has never heard of the power point.
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Warriors embarrassed us last night but that was expected. We did the same to them so many times. No big deal. It is the lin that counts and everything else is just secondary. They needed it and we didn't. Anything else is just a consequence. Finally, Brad Miller didn't play. I hope that it stays that way for the next 3 games.
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AWARD TIME

Matt Barnes gets another TDM award. We are used to this one too.

Other awards have been "suspended" to avoid hypocrisy. If we ned then to lose and we support losing - then we can criticize it.
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Clippers are next and they shouldn't have a hard time beating us. It really doesn't matter who plays and who does what as long as the guys stay healthy. The TDM will go to Jason Hart.
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#2
Well, as disappointing a year it has been I have a 10 yr old that thinks Mike Bibby is the greatest ("why don't people like Mike Bibby anymore") :confused: Actually I envy my son's blind support of both the Kings and Mike. He will be at the Clipper game Sunday with his Bibby jersey on, carrying his basketball card and bringing a picture we took up at Arco last year just hoping to get it signed by his hero....ahhhhh youth, I can find joy in that.

Let's Go KINGS! :D
 
#3
Seeing Kobe cry again would be very satisfying. The question is - would that satisfaction be worthy of 2 spots in the lottery ? There is that dilemma.
For the Lakers to be facing elimination, 3 very unlikely events must occur:

1) The Warriors have to beat Dallas
2) The Clips have to beat the Suns
3) Seattle, minus Ray Allen, has to beat the Lakers

If any of those fail to occur, the Lakers aren't in danger because both the Clips and the Warriors have terrible division records and will lose any tie.

Only then would our beating the Lakers put them out of the playoffs. So relax, it won't come to that. Crying Kobe can be what we have to look forward to in the postseason this year.
 

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#4
Is there a chance that by beating them we can drop them to the 8th position where they would have to play the Mavs in Round 1? That would be best case scenario for me. :D
 
#5
Is there a chance that by beating them we can drop them to the 8th position where they would have to play the Mavs in Round 1? That would be best case scenario for me. :D
Yes, but we really DON'T want to go there. Here's why:

Right now, Seattle and Portland are tied with 31 wins. They play each other tonight. They're both in full tank mode, and have pulled their stars for the season, so let's assume that Portland wins because it's a home game for them. Now Portland has 32 wins. For the Lakers to be faced with the #8 slot, Seattle has to beat them. Now Seattle has 32 wins also.

Because we are already tied with 3 other teams at 32 wins (with Philly trailing the pack with 33), this could bring about a situation where we were tied for 5th-10th, and the one win could put us into 10th-11th. Depending on how the coin flips went to break ties, it would be possible that we could drop from 5th to 11th draft position.

Winning one game and dropping a couple of draft positions may be worthy of debate, but dropping by 6? YUCK.
 
#7
Is there a chance that by beating them we can drop them to the 8th position where they would have to play the Mavs in Round 1? That would be best case scenario for me. :D
If the Warriors were to make the playoffs, I would love to see Mavs Vs Warriors in Round 1. I would really love to see this matchup.
 
#9
Unfortunately, the Warriors can't make it into the playoffs without hurting us.

Clippers games: Sac, Phoenix, NO/OKC

Obviously we want to lose to the Clips, we don't have a team stake in the other two, so let's say the Clips lose both of those, going 1-2 to finish the season.

Warriors games: Minnesota, Dallas, Portland.

The Warriors can win against Dallas without hurting us. If they lose to Minnesota, that takes Minnesota out of our tie for lottery position. If they lose against Portland, Portland will either drop into a tie with us, or (if Portland beats Seattle tonight) might even fall behind us in the lottery race.

Because the Warriors have a worse divisional record than the Clips, if they both go 1-2 to finish the season, that means the Warriors are eliminated. So the only way the Warriors can go to the playoffs is, in one way or another, at our expense.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#10
Unfortunately, the Warriors can't make it into the playoffs without hurting us.

Clippers games: Sac, Phoenix, NO/OKC

Obviously we want to lose to the Clips, we don't have a team stake in the other two, so let's say the Clips lose both of those, going 1-2 to finish the season.

Warriors games: Minnesota, Dallas, Portland.

The Warriors can win against Dallas without hurting us. If they lose to Minnesota, that takes Minnesota out of our tie for lottery position. If they lose against Portland, Portland will either drop into a tie with us, or (if Portland beats Seattle tonight) might even fall behind us in the lottery race.

Because the Warriors have a worse divisional record than the Clips, if they both go 1-2 to finish the season, that means the Warriors are eliminated. So the only way the Warriors can go to the playoffs is, in one way or another, at our expense.
That's a shame but bottom line for me - Kings fan - is I really don't care who makes the playoffs and who doesn't. The bottom feeders aren't gonna get past the first round IMHO.

At this point, my playoff hopes are with Detroit. GO C-WEBB!!!!

:)
 
#12
That's a shame but bottom line for me - Kings fan - is I really don't care who makes the playoffs and who doesn't. The bottom feeders aren't gonna get past the first round IMHO.

At this point, my playoff hopes are with Detroit. GO C-WEBB!!!!

:)
Yeah, I'll be following our former players' teams I think...casually...but still will peek at a game every once and a while...well, with the exception of the Clips games of course, I mean...c'mon, how much of All-World PG Jason Hart can you take in one sitting, anyways?:D
 

gunks

Hall of Famer
#24
Cause our coach is Muss...He thinks getting a win will save his job.

Or maybe its cause our GM is Petrie...He doesnt care about a high draft pick because all the top guys are bigs and he knows his precious combo guards and swingmen are all gonna be picks 11 and lower.
 
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