Kings-Heat PBP for Dec. 7

[VF21]

Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

Cold day here in the forest. Spent a good part of the day preparing for the storm that is supposed to blow in tomorrow. The snow level is projected to be above me but you can't bank on that this time of year. I'd rather have extra firewood on hand, along with my lanterns and portable radio, just in case.

If you haven't read the article from today's USA Today, be sure and do so. Nice piece about our "Prince."

Tonight we're the second game on the TNT broadcast. What that means is we'll probably be starting late... I am, as most of you know, a total Survivor addict. Tonight's episode includes one of the people I dislike apparently chopping off part of her finger with a machete so I don't want to miss that. I'll do the PBP once Survivor is over...

Let's hope tonight Arco is very kind to our Kings. Word was Artest was at the arena early, already out on the court and practicing, so hopefully he'll be in the lineup. We need him...

Going to go put the coffee on ... and fix dinner. I'll be back sometime during the first quarter.

 

[VF21]

So far so good... our game isn't on yet because the Dallas-Detroit game isn't over. Not much time left, though...

Survivor, on the other hand, has fully lived up to my hopes.

 

[VF21]

Okay, perfect timing. I got to see the Reward Challenge AND the Immunity Challenge on Survivor. Tribal council will be a slam-dunk, IMHO, so I think I can just go ahead and get started with the PBP...

TNT switching over to Arco...

 

[VF21]

Bibby, Martin, Salmons, KT and Miller on the court for the Kings

Miller tips to Bibby.

 

[VF21]

Martin over Wade doesn't go; Wright board.

William inside to Zo, miss. Miller board.

Kings turnover, Heat ball.

 

[VF21]

Williams to Zo, back out to Jason. Over to Wade, then to Haslem - good for two.

2-0 MIA

Martin drives inside, Zo in the way. Miss; Zo board.

Two more for the Heat.

4-0 MIA

10;20 left

Non-shooting foul on Wright. Still Kings ball.

Miller inside to Salmons, who can't handle it. Heat board.

Heat miss; KT with the board. Runs the court, drives inside and draws the foul.

KT at the line. Makes first; they show Artest in uniform on the bench. KT makes second.

4-2 MIA

Salmons forces Wade into traveling; Kings ball.

 

[VF21]

KT half-hook is short; Zo board.

Zo turnover; Kings ball.

Salmons flies inside, shot blocked by Zo. Heat ball.

Miss; Kings ball.

Bibby shot won't go; KT with the o-board.

KT inside, kicks out to Salmons, who misses a three. Heat board.

Heat passes inside, KT with the interception. Passes the length of the court to Martin, who goes inside and draws the foul from Zo.

Martin to the line.

Makes first; and second.

4-4

 

[VF21]

Martin takes the charge from Wright, Kings ball.

Bibby to Martin, miss but KT snags the board. Back out to Bibby, who cannot hit. HEat board.

Wade with another turnover. Kings ball again.

7;36 left

Miller turns the corner, dishes to KT who gets the two.

6-4 KINGS

Williams long miss, Bibby board.

Bibby pass inside to KT - shot blocked by Zo.

Still Kings ball. Miller works past Zo and gets the lay-up.

8-4 KINGS

6;37 left

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Heat miss.

Kings miss.

24-second violation on the Heat. Kings ball.

5;33 left

 

[VF21]

Miller jumper off the rim; Jason board.

Zo hook in and out; ball oob. Kings ball.

Miller off the glass won't go; Zo board.

Heat shot knocked away; Kings ball.

Salmons works inside, nice spin against Jason and up for two.

10-4 KINGS

Wade beats Salmons and gets the dunk.

10-6 KINGS

4;02 left

Bibby drives inside, fouled by Jason. Mike to the line.

Makes first; Musselman yelling "No shot blocking. Attack the rim!!!" Mike misses second. Heat ball.

11-6 KINGS

Three from the corner for the Heat.

11-9 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Kings ball. Poor ball movement. Doug Collins, the master of understatement, calls it "ugly offense."

Artest in for Martin.

Heat ball.

Heat miss; KT board.

Bibby sweet dish inside to cutting Miller for two.

13-9 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Kapono from the other corner for two more.

13-11 KINGS

Bibby to Miller, three won't go. Heat ball.

Wade for two off the glass.

13-13

1;54 left

 

[VF21]

Wade guarding Artest, he's called for foul. Non-shooting. Still Kings ball.

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

1;43 left

Listening to Marv and Doug trying to explain the Kings is like listening to a 5-year old trying to explain quantum physics ... in pig Latin.

Ah, it was a shooting foul.

Artest at the line for two.

SAR in for Miller.

Artest makes first; and second.

15-13 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Kapono to Wade for two.

15-15

Salmons easily gets around Kapono for two off the glass.

17-15 KINGS

Heat ball. Foul on Salmons. First foul for the Kings. Still Heat ball.

Kapono for long two. Someone might want to think about watching him...

17-17

Kings ball.

Payton in.

Bibby to Salmons, jumper over Kapono won't go. Wade board.

Payton against ARtest for two.

19-17 MIA

 

[VF21]

Kings ball. Artest called for palming. Heat ball.

Wade inside, kicks way out to Payton for three.

22-17 MIA

Salmons at the buzzer - no good.

End of the first quarter.

 

[VF21]

Heat ball. Miss; Kings ball.

Price, Artest, KT, SAR and Martin on the court.

SAR miss; Posey board.

Kings shooting 23% - whooooo! /sarcasm

Heat miss; KT board.

Price passes cross court to SAR, who misses a perimeter jumper. Heat ball.

Payton drives inside for two.

24-17 HEAT

Kings are 29th in shot blocking. Who are we better than????????

ARTEST FOR THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!

24-20 HEAT

 

[VF21]

Payton passes inside to Zo, who lowers shoulder, pretty much barrels into SAR and draws the foul. Non-shooting. Still Heat ball.

Payton to Kapono for two more.

26-20 Heat

SAR dish to Martin, who puts it on the floor, drives inside, is smashed in the face but no whistle.

Doug Collins is starting to read Martins' body language...

Heat o-foul; Kings ball.

SAR doubled, kicks out to Price.

PRICE FOR THREE!!!!!!!

26-23 Heat

 

[VF21]

Payton miss; Miller board.

Miller bounce pass inside to SAR, who kicks back to Miller for two.

26-25 Heat

Walker inside, runs into Miller and drops to the floor like he was hit by a very large tank, drawing the foul and a few boos from the crowd who may not believe Walker is going to require emergency treatment.

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Cheryl Miller talking about fans arriving late, not being enthusiastic, etc. Blech...

Walker at the line.

Makes both. Thank God he's able to even shoot from the line. ( /sarcasm)

Kings ball. Artest tries to go inside, shot blocked by Zo. Heat ball.

SAR called for foul away from the ball. It was on Zo, who managed to get down the court and be in position to draw the foul. Still Heat ball.

Kapono miss; SAR board.

Price with the ball, running inside, draws foul from Payton. Non-shooting. Still Kings ball.

PRICE FOR THREE over Payton!!!

28-28

 

[VF21]

Heat bounce pass rolls out of bounds. Off Kings. Still Heat ball.

6;59 left

Wade inside to Zo for two.

30-28 Heat

Martin three shot goes in and pops back out. Heat ball.

Wade spins inside and gets two.

32-28 Heat

Zo with non-shooting foul. Kings ball. Ball knocked oob by Heat. Still Kings ball.

Not a very good possession by the Kings, Martin passes up a three, moves inside and the shot won't go. Heat ball.

 

[VF21]

Wade to Payton, out to Walker who spins past Martin for two.

34-28 Heat

Kings ball. Artest drives inside and draws foul from Posey.

5;26 left

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Once again, it doesn't look like a team out there. It looks like five guys who happened to come across a box of matching uniforms.

Kings miss; Heat board.

Walker misses the three; Kings board.

Martin for two.

34-30 Heat

Payton misses three from the corner; ball oob off Walker. Kings ball.

Payton out; Jason back in.

4;21 left

 

[VF21]

Martin three won't go; Posey and Miller fight for the board. I thought Miller had it but they call it a jump ball.

4;10 left

Miller knocks the tip to Price.

Artest works against Posey AND Zo and gets the bucket to fall.

34-32 Heat

Wade step-back jumper for two.

36-32 Heat

Price to Miller, who is wide open. Jumper is good.

36-34 Heat

 

[VF21]

Wade draws foul from Artest. To the line.

Makes first; (As much as I hate some of Howdy Doody's commentary, I have to admit I'm missing it right now. TNT is ALL about the Heat.) Wade makes second.

38-34 Heat

Martin misses three but KT sticks with it and tips it in.

38-36 Heat

2;48 left

Time out and commercial.

 

[VF21]

Heat ball.

Bibby in for Price. Posey misses three. Kings ball.

Bibby, Salmons, Artest, KT and MIller for the Kings.

Kings miss; Heat board.

Heat miss; Haslem grabs rebound. Falling oob, calls time out to retain possession.

Oh, that's not Marv. It's the other guy with Doug...

Doug is saying what he would tell Musselman to do. (Must refrain from further comment )

Heat ball.

 

[VF21]

Zo called for three-second violation.

Kings showed a zone for the first time...

Kings ball. KT called for three-second violation.

Heat ball.

Posey gets by Artest and gets two off the glass.

40-36 Heat

Bibby to Artest, back to Bibby. Over to Salmons - for two.

40-38 Heat

Much better ball movement that time.

Heat ball. Miss, KT hustles for the board. He has 10.

 

[VF21]

Miller misses from three. Heat ball.

Zo to the line on foul by KT, his 1PF.

They're talking about the hard minutes Zo is putting in while Shaq is out.

Zo makes both.

42-38 Heat

Kings ball. They try sending Salmons inside but he's met by three guys in black. Heat ball. Buzzer sounds.

End of the first half.

 

[VF21]

FYI - This current assemblage of players does NOT look like a team. There is no communication between the players, they don't even look like they know each other. It's almost as though they've become emotionless droids out there; simply jacking up shots at one end, or passing to another guy who is totally smothered but thinks he can put a soft shot up over Zo Mourning, or just waiting for someone else to turn over the ball so they can trot to the other end and hope the Heat make a mistake.

I love this team. I HATE what I'm seeing on the court. That isn't Kings basketball. I don't know who those guys are, but they aren't our Kings. I'm crossing my fingers and toes, realigning every single Kings item I have in my house and just praying they can find a way to win.

 

[VF21]

And yes, that previous post might be a tad emotionally driven. I KNOW they can play better basketball than what I've seen. The body language of several players just isn't filling me with very much confidence.