Kings corner: Kings mission is to get into a groove

[VF21]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14031304p-14863363c.html

Kings corner: Kings' mission in 2006: Get into a groove
Diary with Corliss Williamson
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, January 1, 2006

Happy New Year. We've got the injury bug floating around here right now. Fortunately for us, we've had some guys step up and play some good basketball.

There's a different approach. We don't have the same personnel out there, so coach (Rick Adelman) had to tweak the offense just a little bit. But I think guys are playing with great energy trying to keep the intensity up because of the absence of our players.

We're doing a great job of that right now and have to find a way to sustain that until they're back, and once they get back, continue to build on it. It remains to be seen whether that is realistic or not. In our mind, we feel like we can play this style of basketball and with this type of intensity.

Actually going out and doing it on a consistent basis, we haven't done that yet. That's what type of team we want to be, and that's where we have to get to - where we have that type of consistency night in and night out.

 

[Kings241]

this season is a lot like last season if you compare the injuries. Last year when Peja was out, Mike Bibby was shooting the lights out and the team was doing great but when Peja came back the team started to lose games again. We have to either trade Peja or create more plays to find him open for the 3pt shot. Peja is just too good to forget in the offense. Sometimes they give him the ball in the first half and he does great but then in the 2nd half he has to create for himself which he sucks at.

 

[VF21]

this season is a lot like last season if you compare the injuries. Last year when Peja was out, Mike Bibby was shooting the lights out and the team was doing great but when Peja came back the team started to lose games again. We have to either trade Peja or create more plays to find him open for the 3pt shot. Peja is just too good to forget in the offense. Sometimes they give him the ball in the first half and he does great but then in the 2nd half he has to create for himself which he sucks at.

Oh lord.

The team started losing when Peja came back? And it had nothing to do with a certain trade OR Brian Skinner suddenly jamming both thumbs and having to ride out most of the rest of the season?

I am as critical of Peja as anyone on this forum, but Peja is NOT the reason the team went in the dumper last year.

 

[Jerryaki]

sure, it wasn't entirely peja's fault, but he didn't really help matters either. he certainly deserves some of the blame.

 

[Bricklayer]

Its not necessarily Peja's fault more than anybody else's (well the hustle/rebounding stuff aside). But offensively, if Peja "wins" others lose. And vice versa. Its actually Geoff's fault. Too many guys who can only contribute when they are getting lots of shots. They steal from each other and have a prima donna attitude toward doing the other things. Which does not work. Peja is just unique in that he has the least ability to take care of himself out there and so reflects and perhaps epitomizes the offensive struggles.