[Game] Kings @ Hawks, 10/31/16 - 4:30 PM PDT

[Im Still Ballin]

As much as some of us feel we let this one slip, we were on the opposite spectrum against the Wolves. We have exceeded expectations starting 2-2. Need to cool the jets about Joerger being the "savior". Both our two previous coaches have produced better than 2-2. Let's reel it in, hope for the best, and see how things turn out.

 

[Kingsfan23]

I hope Skal starts getting WCS' minutes, and that's the reason he's in the active now. A young player of ours whose future I'm behind

 

[Bricklayer]

I think people are rather dramatically underestimating Atlanta in this thread. And specifically Atlanta's defense, because that's the key. They have middling talent, are about as fun to watch as Jerry Reynolds on a nude beach, but they came into this game leading the league in Opp Pts Allowed: 85.5 adn DRTG 84.0.

They are tough hombres on defense. In fact early in the year the league's best. And they added Howard. And the refs didn't help.

 

[VF21]

The Kings lose and, of course, it's all Cousins' fault.

 

[Suicide King]

The Kings lose and, of course, it's all Cousins' fault.

Must have been his 34 fouls and 19 turnovers

 

[funkykingston]

I love the job Joerger is doing so far. But as Slim pointed out, he's been in Atlanta for four years without wholesale roster changes. Carroll leaves, Bazemore steps in. Horford leaves, Howard arrives. Schroeder grows as a player, making Teague expendable.

That's a concern I have with Joerger. Gay, McLemore, Lawson, Collison and Casspi are free agents this summer. Tolliver's contract isn't guaranteed for next season and with one year left Boogie could potentially force his way out.

Growing as a team will likely require not just a stable front office and coach but a roster that isn't being constantly being rebuilt too.

It will be interesting to see what direction the team takes this summer.

Meanwhile I'm just happy to see a team compete each night for as long as this roster is together.

 

[VF21]

Must have been his 34 fouls and 19 turnovers

Yep.

I'm just so beyond tired of people who use Cousins as their go-to scapegoat for any loss. There's plenty of blame to go around for the loss...BUT I'm still focusing on a team that didn't give up, kept trying to fight back, and just came up short against a tough Atlanta Hawks team.

 

[k_dubb90]

A win would've been nice but ATL is one of the better teams in the league. I will be expecting a win against MIA. Besides Whiteside and an overrated dragic this team is heavily undermanned

 

[SLAB]

The Kings lose and, of course, it's all Cousins' fault.

Unfortunately, is that at all surprising? It's like people smile with glee waiting for Cousins to do something wrong. It sucks.

 

[dude12]

I'd like to see Lawson score a bit more.....or rather anyone else score more. Has to be Lawson cause Afflalo just doesn't get enough looks. This team could use DC to help fill that other scorer.

 

[Im Still Ballin]

Cousins was bound for a terrible game sooner or later. Just the law of averages. He's a very up and down sort of player. Not as consistent as you'd like a franchise player to be. But then again, true franchise players are rare in themselves. Expect a strong return against Miami.

 

[funkykingston]

They are tough hombres on defense. In fact early in the year the league's best. And they added Howard. And the refs didn't help.

My understanding is that tough hombres are going to be kicked out of the country. Or is that bad hombres?

I'm pretending your Jerry Reynolds comment was never made.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I think people are rather dramatically underestimating Atlanta in this thread. And specifically Atlanta's defense, because that's the key. They have middling talent, are about as fun to watch as Jerry Reynolds on a nude beach, but they came into this game leading the league in Opp Pts Allowed: 85.5 adn DRTG 84.0.

They are tough hombres on defense. In fact early in the year the league's best. And they added Howard. And the refs didn't help.

I bet you a hundred dollars that there's nobody reading this thread who's watched more Hawks games than me, the last five years. I am not underestimating them. They are a good team: they are a disciplined team, that plays good defense, and they don't often beat themselves... But, we had them tonight, and we let them off the hook, with poor play, particularly by the meal ticket. This was the rare game where most of the rest of the team showed up, and Cousins let them down.

 

[VF21]

Cousins was bound for a terrible game sooner or later. Just the law of averages. He's a very up and down sort of player. Not as consistent as you'd like a franchise player to be. But then again, true franchise players are rare in themselves. Expect a strong return against Miami.

A terrible game? TERRIBLE? Good grief.

 

[jcwkings]

Atlanta is not that good, they are just well coached and dont beat themselves. We have more talent but we beat ourselves, really multiple times tonight. Sometimes I wonder if Cousins even realizes he is the best player on the floor by a wide margin and all he has to do is play basketball and his team has a high chance of winning. Instead he was chirping and tussling with Schroeder and freakin Kris Humphries. Good lord.

 

[Double-K]

I think people are rather dramatically underestimating Atlanta in this thread. And specifically Atlanta's defense, because that's the key. They have middling talent, are about as fun to watch as Jerry Reynolds on a nude beach, but they came into this game leading the league in Opp Pts Allowed: 85.5 adn DRTG 84.0.

They are tough hombres on defense. In fact early in the year the league's best. And they added Howard. And the refs didn't help.

Definitely didn't need this image, but thanks to you, I do now.

 

[VF21]

I bet you a hundred dollars that there's nobody reading this thread who's watched more Hawks games than me, the last five years. I am not underestimating them. They are a good team: they are a disciplined team, that plays good defense, and they don't often beat themselves... But, we had them tonight, and we let them off the hook, with poor play, particularly by the meal ticket. This was the rare game where most of the rest of the team showed up, and Cousins let them down.

...sigh...I guess I must have watched a different game than some of you. Oh well.

 

[Im Still Ballin]

A terrible game? TERRIBLE? Good grief.

For his standards? Yes. Blame is irrelevant. We lost. On to the next one.

 

[funkykingston]

I bet you a hundred dollars that there's nobody reading this thread who's watched more Hawks games than me, the last five years. I am not underestimating them. They are a good team: they are a disciplined team, that plays good defense, and they don't often beat themselves... But, we had them tonight, and we let them off the hook, with poor play, particularly by the meal ticket. This was the rare game where most of the rest of the team showed up, and Cousins let them down.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Yep.

I'm just so beyond tired of people who use Cousins as their go-to scapegoat for any loss. There's plenty of blame to go around for the loss...BUT I'm still focusing on a team that didn't give up, kept trying to fight back, and just came up short against a tough Atlanta Hawks team.

Cousins is definitely not my "go-to" scapegoat for any loss. It's very rare that I look at a loss, and think it's his fault. I don't really think that this loss was his fault. But I do think that we needed a bigger performance from him than we got. And, in the absence of putting up big numbers, I would have settled for him keeping his composure and staying in the game, rather than spending so much time on the bench, and forcing the defense to have to account for him.

 

[Im Still Ballin]

Rudy with another solid game. Like his energy.

 

[Suicide King]

Cousins is definitely not my "go-to" scapegoat for any loss. It's very rare that I look at a loss, and think it's his fault. I don't really think that this loss was his fault. But I do think that we needed a bigger performance from him than we got. And, in the absence of putting up big numbers, I would have settled for him keeping his composure and staying in the game, rather than spending so much time on the bench, and forcing the defense to have to account for him.

Cousins is definitely not without blame. Team needs to let this one sting, wake up tomorrow on a mission to beat Miami.

 

[Larry89]

Mclemore looking great

 

[dude12]

Cousins is definitely not my "go-to" scapegoat for any loss. It's very rare that I look at a loss, and think it's his fault. I don't really think that this loss was his fault. But I do think that we needed a bigger performance from him than we got. And, in the absence of putting up big numbers, I would have settled for him keeping his composure and staying in the game, rather than spending so much time on the bench, and forcing the defense to have to account for him.

Those were some rough calls on him and others.....and yet they didnt get the calls back in return.

 

[Kingz19]

Well, the encouraging thing is that the Kings never broke...a game where all the bounces and the calls are going against them...and add a horrible game by Cousins you would expect a blowout. Kings gave themselves a chance to win but just made too many mistakes at the very worst times.

I'm pretty pleased with how most of the guys played. Our bench did a great job with the soon to be typical exception of Willie Cauley Stein.

Cousins performance made no sense. Just about everything he got on offense was basically put on a platter for him. He was settling for jumpers all game. He bailed out Howard and Millsap...both outplayed him. Cousins had no significant impact on the game at any point. Tired..or banged up from getting fouled so much the last 3 games..he obviously was a step behind the entire game and in mostly unwilling to attack at all. It seems all the role players successfully filled their roles and Rudy had a great number 2 guy game...but the guy they are complimenting didn't show up.

WCS is becoming groan status for me and funny how fans were worried about Vlade stacking so many big men when we needed guards...right now it seems we are very very thin on bigs. I kept thinking when Cousins and Kosta are in foul trouble and WCS is stinking up the floor..."well, atleast Vlade used two first round picks on big men. Surely one of them is good to put in atleast a couple of minutes. Nope. Not even good enough to suit up". I can't stand how WCS brings nothing on the boards, he's not really a game changer defensively despite a block here or there...when he has no energy and can't even finish the gimmies..he doesn't belong on the court. I'm not writing him off but he's definitely had an awful first week.

AA has been the odd man out. He could take more initiative but his one on one game is too redundant with Rudy..Kings need to try to run more plays for him. I'm sure Coach wants him to be a 3 and D guy..and not a guy that is looking to do a lot of iso's like he was in Orlando and New York.

Another note...I'm not a fan of Dwight Howard in the slightest but i eventually started rolling my eyes at Grant and Jerry making fun of him all game when it was clear fairly early in the first half that he was having the greatest impact on the game...and was outplaying Cousins and getting our whole team in foul trouble.

 

[Blob]

Atlanta is not that good, they are just well coached and dont beat themselves. We have more talent but we beat ourselves, really multiple times tonight. Sometimes I wonder if Cousins even realizes he is the best player on the floor by a wide margin and all he has to do is play basketball and his team has a high chance of winning. Instead he was chirping and tussling with Schroeder and freakin Kris Humphries. Good lord.

Too many turnovers, too many fouls, too many offensive rebounds allowed. I don't know what Willie is doing. Its like the game is brand new to him. He does nothing to establish position in the paint. He can't clear a defensive rebound to save his life. We did come back from a 9-10 point deficit three times to tie the game or lead and those comeback attempts take it out of you.

It looked like we were just a half step slow until the third quarter when we made our run, and that's often the internal body clock adjusting to the early tip off. All the loose balls and second chance points went to Hawks and that's sluggishness. Expect the guys to be a little more ready to play tomorrow with adjustment to East coast time.

It looks like Howard could experience a mini-rejuvenation not having to share the floor with Harden and maybe getting a few more post-ups. He was active. We could not keep him off the boards. Boogie did a good job on Millsap most of the night but he's a tough cover. I am not sure why Cousins didn't bomb that wide open three to cut the lead to 4 with one minute less. I guess he wasn't feeling it but he has to let it fly.

Good to see Ben make a few nice moves, including bank shot (which should have been an and-one) and lefty flip shot. He needs work more on that floating shot when he cannot get all the way too the basket, putting extra arc on it to get over defender and the soft bounce.

 

[FaStRmAn]

Well i'm sitting here at work glad I didnt get to watch this.... Perhaps they will do better in Miami...

 

[Livinthedream]

Well i'm sitting here at work glad I didnt get to watch this.... Perhaps they will do better in Miami...

Nah. It wasn't that bad. Foul trouble did us in. And we still hung in there until the end.

 

[jcwkings]

...sigh...I guess I must have watched a different game than some of you. Oh well.

I think you did, every other player for us had good games. Rudy was fantastic aside from the fouls, Ben was a good spark off the bench, Lawson and Temple were solid, Barnes was excellent in the second half, Koufos had a Koufos game, Afflalo was decent. Cousins looked disinterested in the first half, gave up offensive rebounds and allowed Howard to get position on him easily a few times. Started getting it going in the third and we were up six when he threw a lazy pass to Barnes which led to clear path foul and then a a three and like that game was tied. Gets in a tustle with Schroeder and hacks him on the arm four his fourth foul then running back on defense decides the great Kris Humphries needs a two hand grab and pull to get his fifth knowing Gay is already sitting with five. Ball game, bench came in and made a run but was only matter of time Hawks would takeover. Are we really going after Cousins with no merit or just calling it as we saw it? I want this team to succeed, and perfoemances like that are what separate a playoff team from a 35 win team.

 

[SomebodyDoSomethin]

I just hope these loses do the compound into negative energy for Cuz. I hope he views every game as brand new