EmKingsFan4
Starter
Kings' Lack of Leadership Threatens to Scuttle Season
With Experienced Stars Gone, Sacramento Struggles to Play as a Team
By GREG BEACHAM, AP
http://ar.atwola.com/link/93190550/484692107/aoladp?target=_blank&border=0
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (April 28) - When the Sacramento Kings needed a big shot in seasons past, Chris Webber wanted to take it. A big defensive stop fell on Doug Christie's capable shoulders. Most leadership issues could be handled by the beloved Vlade Divac.
But those stalwarts of the Kings' veteran core were removed during the franchise's dramatic makeover in the last year. Sacramento's roster is younger, slightly more talented and much better equipped for the future - but unless the Kings' newcomers quickly overcome their dearth of experience and togetherness, their current playoff stay won't last beyond the weekend.
Though his Kings have reached the playoffs in each of his seven seasons, coach Rick Adelman is nearly right back where he began in 1999 with a roster of players who play beautifully at times, but don't really know each other - and don't know how to win in the postseason.
Sacramento lost the first two games of its best-of-seven, first-round series in Seattle. Game 3 is set for Friday night.
"It's a totally new group that we're finding out about," Adelman said Thursday after his Kings finished a fairly somber workout at their training complex. "Unfortunately, we're down 0-2, and we've only got two more games that we can give up, but I think in the long run, you're finding out about this group."
Seven of Adelman's 12 players weren't on the team last spring, and three others missed large parts of this season with injuries. His playoff starting five - Peja Stojakovic, Kenny Thomas, Brad Miller, Cuttino Mobley and Mike Bibby - never played a game together during the regular season because of injuries and trades.
That unfamiliarity showed in bad passes, too much one-on-one play and hesitant defense, particularly in the low post. The starters fell far behind in both games, and two late comebacks fell short.
"This group, that's what we worried about," Adelman said. "We knew that's what they could struggle with. When things get tough, they think, 'I've got to do it (alone),' and it doesn't work that way. I think we could really hurt this team if we use our quickness and our passing ability, but we're not using it right now. We're allowing them to be the brutes."
Infuriated by their lack of teamwork in the third quarter of Game 2, Adelman benched all five starters for the fourth, even when backup guard Bobby Jackson was nearly too tired to get up and down the court.
"At least we lost bad enough to know we've got to do a lot of things different," Miller said. "We can't just be like, 'Oh, we're at home.' We've got to make adjustments and play harder."
While the Kings clash, the Sonics are showing off all the benefits of continuity and experience. Under the patient watch of coach Nate McMillan, Seattle transformed itself into Northwest Division champions this season with largely the same roster that went 37-45 and missed the playoffs last year.
When the Sonics need a big shot, Ray Allen and Antonio Daniels can't wait to take it. Their team defense has been solid against Sacramento, and their locker room seems harmonious and focused.
"Every game is not going to be the way you want it to be for 48 minutes," Daniels said. "So when they do go on their run, then what you have to do is stay together and finish the game strong, and that's what we did (in Game 2)."
The Sonics routinely make on-the-fly adjustments based on their familiarity. They change plays, switch matchups and exploit their months of practice and film study.
The Kings have tried to rely on their talent alone - and that extra pressure has been particularly obvious on Bibby, whose reputation as a stellar big-game performer hasn't exactly been burnished in the playoffs.
The point guard went 1-for-16 in Game 1, wildly missing every type of shot in a performance familiar to any backyard player who's thought too hard about his jumper. He was more accurate in Game 2, scoring 16 points, but Adelman still benched him along with the starters in the fourth quarter.
Bibby avoided reporters again on Thursday, fleeing the training complex moments after practice. But Adelman hopes his young star has something to say after Game 3.
"You can't overlook the fact that this is Mike's first experience being the man, the main guy," Adelman said. "When we went to the playoffs before, teams concentrated on Webber and Vlade and Peja, and Mike, too. Well, right now they're concentrating on Mike, and he doesn't have those guys around him that make the game easier for him."
04/28/05 19:57 EDT
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20050428195909990004
With Experienced Stars Gone, Sacramento Struggles to Play as a Team
By GREG BEACHAM, AP
http://ar.atwola.com/link/93190550/484692107/aoladp?target=_blank&border=0
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (April 28) - When the Sacramento Kings needed a big shot in seasons past, Chris Webber wanted to take it. A big defensive stop fell on Doug Christie's capable shoulders. Most leadership issues could be handled by the beloved Vlade Divac.
But those stalwarts of the Kings' veteran core were removed during the franchise's dramatic makeover in the last year. Sacramento's roster is younger, slightly more talented and much better equipped for the future - but unless the Kings' newcomers quickly overcome their dearth of experience and togetherness, their current playoff stay won't last beyond the weekend.
Though his Kings have reached the playoffs in each of his seven seasons, coach Rick Adelman is nearly right back where he began in 1999 with a roster of players who play beautifully at times, but don't really know each other - and don't know how to win in the postseason.
Sacramento lost the first two games of its best-of-seven, first-round series in Seattle. Game 3 is set for Friday night.
"It's a totally new group that we're finding out about," Adelman said Thursday after his Kings finished a fairly somber workout at their training complex. "Unfortunately, we're down 0-2, and we've only got two more games that we can give up, but I think in the long run, you're finding out about this group."
Seven of Adelman's 12 players weren't on the team last spring, and three others missed large parts of this season with injuries. His playoff starting five - Peja Stojakovic, Kenny Thomas, Brad Miller, Cuttino Mobley and Mike Bibby - never played a game together during the regular season because of injuries and trades.
That unfamiliarity showed in bad passes, too much one-on-one play and hesitant defense, particularly in the low post. The starters fell far behind in both games, and two late comebacks fell short.
"This group, that's what we worried about," Adelman said. "We knew that's what they could struggle with. When things get tough, they think, 'I've got to do it (alone),' and it doesn't work that way. I think we could really hurt this team if we use our quickness and our passing ability, but we're not using it right now. We're allowing them to be the brutes."
Infuriated by their lack of teamwork in the third quarter of Game 2, Adelman benched all five starters for the fourth, even when backup guard Bobby Jackson was nearly too tired to get up and down the court.
"At least we lost bad enough to know we've got to do a lot of things different," Miller said. "We can't just be like, 'Oh, we're at home.' We've got to make adjustments and play harder."
While the Kings clash, the Sonics are showing off all the benefits of continuity and experience. Under the patient watch of coach Nate McMillan, Seattle transformed itself into Northwest Division champions this season with largely the same roster that went 37-45 and missed the playoffs last year.
When the Sonics need a big shot, Ray Allen and Antonio Daniels can't wait to take it. Their team defense has been solid against Sacramento, and their locker room seems harmonious and focused.
"Every game is not going to be the way you want it to be for 48 minutes," Daniels said. "So when they do go on their run, then what you have to do is stay together and finish the game strong, and that's what we did (in Game 2)."
The Sonics routinely make on-the-fly adjustments based on their familiarity. They change plays, switch matchups and exploit their months of practice and film study.
The Kings have tried to rely on their talent alone - and that extra pressure has been particularly obvious on Bibby, whose reputation as a stellar big-game performer hasn't exactly been burnished in the playoffs.
The point guard went 1-for-16 in Game 1, wildly missing every type of shot in a performance familiar to any backyard player who's thought too hard about his jumper. He was more accurate in Game 2, scoring 16 points, but Adelman still benched him along with the starters in the fourth quarter.
Bibby avoided reporters again on Thursday, fleeing the training complex moments after practice. But Adelman hopes his young star has something to say after Game 3.
"You can't overlook the fact that this is Mike's first experience being the man, the main guy," Adelman said. "When we went to the playoffs before, teams concentrated on Webber and Vlade and Peja, and Mike, too. Well, right now they're concentrating on Mike, and he doesn't have those guys around him that make the game easier for him."
04/28/05 19:57 EDT
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20050428195909990004
