[Game] Kings @ Hornets - Tuesday, Dec. 17 - 4PT, 7ET (Return of the Fox)

They play to the level of their competition. Last seasons team didn’t really do that. They lost to almost all the teams better than them and consistently beat the teams that weren’t. They should be on a serious run right now but they are pretty much back at square one
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
Holmes's numbers don't necessarily show it but he's had his worst stretch of the season over the past week or so. Some of it may be him losing minutes to Bagley but he may also be losing minutes to Marvin because he's struggling.
 
Buddy with only 6 points certainly didn't help.
His minutes were strange and his role. He only took 8 shots up until that last stretch and sat for a huge chunk of minutes in between quarters. I think the coaching staff is figuring this out but for a team 25th in PPG with this much scoring talent getting that number way up is key to where this team goes in the grand scheme.
 
We are certainly better offensively with Fox and Bagley but at this point, I’m not sure we are a better team. Fox and Bagley’s Offensive contributions can be replaced but the defense contributions by CoJo and Holmes cannot be.
 
Charlotte couldn’t handle backcourt pressure when the Kings played them earlier this season either. Too bad just like last time we didn’t start until the game was out of reach
Walton certainly isn't a pressure defense coach. He has gone to some blitzing on the pick and roll here and there but he doesn't want to play zone and doesn't press very often. He wants them to help back and run out on shooters. Against a team like this that plays the same basic system instead with multiple smaller quicker guards that can drive and kick it can come back to bite you.
 
It’s so frustrating to see this team lose to a team (twice) that didn’t start a single player tonight that would start for the KINGS.

This team just has too many stretches in games where they just can’t score the ball. IMO there’s too much settling for 3’s and not enough working for a better shot.

And for a team that‘s shown to be capable of playing suffocating defense, they often get very lazy on that end too.

We‘ve all seen it and been saying it. If they’re not playing a top level team, they just don’t take the game as seriously. The urgency is drastically different. That’s a huge concern. And why they’re still under .500.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
It’s so frustrating to see this team lose to a team (twice) that didn’t start a single player tonight that would start for the KINGS.

This team just has too many stretches in games where they just can’t score the ball. IMO there’s too much settling for 3’s and not enough working for a better shot.

And for a team that‘s shown to be capable of playing suffocating defense, they often get very lazy on that end too.

We‘ve all seen it and been saying it. If they’re not playing a top level team, they just don’t take the game as seriously. The urgency is drastically different. That’s a huge concern. And why they’re still under .500.
you basically said it in your second sentence. When the three pointers are dropping it's all good but when they have cold stretches where they can't make them, they will struggle to score. They stopped drawing up plays for Barnes to work in the post more it seems, even he's out there shooting lots of three pointers and there is no one that can get you a good stretch of 6-8 points in a row in a dry spell right now unless it's a hot Buddy and that just isn't a recipe for success
 
We are certainly better offensively with Fox and Bagley but at this point, I’m not sure we are a better team. Fox and Bagley’s Offensive contributions can be replaced but the defense contributions by CoJo and Holmes cannot be.
Eh, I think we saw enough to see the peak with Joseph at PG. Holmes is a different matter but in todays game you can't have a starting PG that is going to shoot 6 times a game. Well, maybe you can if you have a Shaq or a Jordan on your team who is going to munch every shot he gets. In his role as a defensive specialist Joseph can be invaluable. It's knowing where the value is and knowing how to use it situationally without it hampering the ability of your main talents to do what they do.
 
It’s so frustrating to see this team lose to a team (twice) that didn’t start a single player tonight that would start for the KINGS.

This team just has too many stretches in games where they just can’t score the ball. IMO there’s too much settling for 3’s and not enough working for a better shot.

And for a team that‘s shown to be capable of playing suffocating defense, they often get very lazy on that end too.

We‘ve all seen it and been saying it. If they’re not playing a top level team, they just don’t take the game as seriously. The urgency is drastically different. That’s a huge concern. And why they’re still under .500.
I don't know if it's the Kings taking teams lightly. It could be that they don't yet know how to impose their will on other teams. They get caught playing to other teams pace and match up preference.
 
you basically said it in your second sentence. When the three pointers are dropping it's all good but when they have cold stretches where they can't make them, they will struggle to score. They stopped drawing up plays for Barnes to work in the post more it seems, even he's out there shooting lots of three pointers and there is no one that can get you a good stretch of 6-8 points in a row in a dry spell right now unless it's a hot Buddy and that just isn't a recipe for success

As I've said for a few games now, that's what's most frustrating. Between Barnes and Bagley they have two legit post options that can get you into those high percentage areas around the rim without a guard forcing it past 3 defenders via the drive and produce points when you need it. If this team didn't have those two guys it is what it is, but they do.
 
We are certainly better offensively with Fox and Bagley but at this point, I’m not sure we are a better team. Fox and Bagley’s Offensive contributions can be replaced but the defense contributions by CoJo and Holmes cannot be.
It’s more than scoring and not even just about defense right now. Hard to just throw two guys in after all this time

They have to find their groove together now and see what works and what doesnt
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
It's pretty amazing Fox played as well as he did. Good to have him back. It's going to take about three weeks, imo, before Fox, Bagley and crew get rolling. There are a lot of minute and role adjustments, as well as defensive and offensive coordination and communication adjustments that have to occur before this team is comfortable.

Bogs was a sieve out there on D tonight. Didn't come to close to staying with his man. As Christie would say, "There are a lot of straight-line drives." And then when the Hornets broke the paint it left the Kings underbelly open with easy offensive rebounds. I would have loved for Justin James to have played to get some defensive pressure on the perimeter. Whether it's Justin or some other player not currently on the Kings, eventually this team is going to need a high energy, highly athletic two guard who can put some major defensive perimeter on the perimeter and create shots from hustle plays, as well as hit the open 3 pointers.

All in all, it's one of those learning curve type of games that you just have to endure until the team starts to play cohesive ball.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
Holmes's numbers don't necessarily show it but he's had his worst stretch of the season over the past week or so. Some of it may be him losing minutes to Bagley but he may also be losing minutes to Marvin because he's struggling.
You could almost see before your eyes Holmes losing his mojo once Bagley got back into the lineup. I think he'll get it back. He's adjusting like everyone else.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
what did you find dissapointing in Bogi's play tonight? its not the shooting 4-7 (57%) 2-4 (50%) and its not the turnovers (had 1 turnover)?
I can't speak for Tetsu but one thing that disappoints me is his failure to get to the line. When there's a chance to get a team in early foul trouble, such as we had tonight, it's frustrating as all get out to have players (not just Bogs) settle for jumpers instead of driving in and forcing the Hornets to foul them.
 
I can't speak for Tetsu but one thing that disappoints me is his failure to get to the line. When there's a chance to get a team in early foul trouble, such as we had tonight, it's frustrating as all get out to have players (not just Bogs) settle for jumpers instead of driving in and forcing the Hornets to foul them.
The only players who can get to the line are Fox and Bagley. and Barnes. the rest cannot draw fouls / don't get the calls.