Kings-Mavericks PBP thread for Oct. 12

[VF21]

On May 5, 2006 - at 10:15 p.m. - I posted the following:

Spurs guy (#2) at the line.

Misses first; makes second.

105-83 Spurs

Corliss miss; Spurs board.

16 seconds left.

That's it. Spurs run out the clock.

Arco faithful - those who are left - stand up and cheer, as well they should.

Rick Adelman and Gregg Popovich meet on the sidelines and shake hands.

Spurs and Kings players meet center court and shake hands.

Parker comes over and gives Adelman a hug.

Artest limps painfully off the court.

P.J. Carlesimo now talking to Adelman.

That's how the 2005-2006 season ended.

Now, here we are again. It's a new season, with a new coach, new enthusiasm, and a clean slate. As of this moment, the Kings are undefeated!

I welcome all of you who have followed my PBP's before back for another year of sharing the joy and tears. To those who haven't followed these threads before, this is one of the ways you can follow the game from a homer fan point of view.

A couple of things to note:

This isn't a participatory thread. I post a narrative about the game as it's being played for those who cannot see or otherwise follow it. For that reason, you're asked not to make comments, etc. during the game because it gets confusing for people trying to read AND it makes it more difficult for me to provide a continuous narrative. There's a game discussion thread and usually chat for you to voice your opinions, feelings, etc.

I'm excited about this game and the season in general. I think Musselman has already provided a peek into what we can expect and if the players are buying into it at all I suspect it could get pretty interesting.

I love this team. I love the game of basketball and I love being able to share my excitement via the PBP thread.

Now, make sure you've got your favorite beverages chilling, have snacks on hand, and bring out whatever lucky talismans you have.

FOCUS!!!

It's almost time for KINGS BASKETBALL!!!!!

 

[NanaKing]

Yea!!!!!
Finally!!!!!
Go Kings!!!!!!!!!!
Go Vf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sac.Kings]

haven't seen this in quite a while.

 

[VF21]

House Party Live is on. New set, including a big screen HD-TV. New crew - Jim Kozimor, with Krista Blunt and former Sacramento Kings player Henry Turner (late 80s into the 90s). Still have the basketball court. Added some tacky looking naugahyde chairs, a pool table and some other stuff.

They give props to Adelman for his accomplishments. And, following that, they shift to talking about the new regime.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Save the Nagua! poor things should not be killed for their skins!

 

[VF21]

And this year's theme - totally devoid of anything gold - is:

PASSION 4 PURPLE!

 

[VF21]

God help me, I'm glad to see Grant and Jerry standing there.

It's KINGS time!!!!!!!

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...

Feel free to sing along, folks.

Whoooooooooooooot!!!

 

[kennadog]

God help me, I'm glad to see Grant and Jerry standing there.

It's KINGS time!!!!!!!

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it...

Feel free to sing along, folks.

Whoooooooooooooot!!!

LOL, That song's beeen in my head al most all day!!!

 

[Sac.Kings]

I hope the game starts ASAP, i got tests to study for.

 

[VF21]

Starting lineup for the Kings:

Bibby, Martin, Artest, Thomas and Miller

Mavericks:

Buckner, Johnson, Croshere, Howard and Dampier


So, tonight we have two Ashton Kucher lookalikes - Croshere and Amundson.

Let's get ready for some basketball!!!!

 

[VF21]

Mavericks welcoming their fans. Lucky me, I haven't seen Cuban yet. Miller and Bibby joking; Artest and Martin doing the same.

 

[VF21]

Interesting. I could swear the uniform shorts are just a little shorter and less full. Don't look as much like ghetto skirts as they did last year.

 

[VF21]

Tip to Dallas.

Dallas tries inside, stopped with two bodies. Shot miss; Martin board.

Artest inside to Thomas, through Bibby and out to Miller for two.

2-0 Kings

 

[VF21]

GOOD defense by the Kings. Howard miss; KT board.

Artest inside, shot slapped away. Johnson called for reach-in. Kings ball.

Miller playing high post from top of the key. Good ball movement, but KT called for traveling.

Mavs ball.

 

[VF21]

Croshere inside, knocked out of rhythm by Miller. Kings ball.

Artest miss; Dallas ball.

Bibby called for foul - inadvertent trip on Buckner. Still Dallas ball. Dirk not here.

Dallas travel. Kings ball.

 

[VF21]

Bibby to ARtest, who drives hard inside and draws foul. Buckner limping, goes to the bench. Avery frowns.

RA at the line. Makes first; misses second. Miller almost grabs board. Dallas ball.

3-0 KINGS

Croshere contested shot over KT misses; Martin board.

Artest working inside, gets hit in the forehead by elbow. Still Kings ball.

BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6-0 KINGS

 

[VF21]

9.00 left in first quarter.

Another miss by Dallas. BIBBY FOR THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9-0 KINGS

Time out. 8.45 left.

Commercial.

 

[VF21]

First impression?

Wow. I'm seeing more hustle from Brad Miller than I can ever remember seeing. Artest is going to give teams absolute fits. Martin is grabbing boards with no problem. Bibby is moving well and looks really good. KT already made the pouty face once - when he was called for traveling.

I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!

 

[VF21]

Shorts are definitely different.

Dallas ball. Good D by Kings. Miller working hard, Dampier spins around and finally outmuscles him for two.

9-2 KINGS

Bibby miss; Dampier board.

Bibby actually - brace yourself - playing defense.

Dallas miss; Kings board. Didn't see who - still stunned at seeing Bibby and defense in the same sentence.

7;41 left.

Kings ball.

 

[VF21]

Martin to the line on foul. Makes first; and second.

11-2 KINGS

Bibby picking up his man in the back court.

Dallas ball, Artest knocks it oob. Still Dallas. Johnson inside, has to pas out. Howard off the glass.

11-4 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Lots of help defense by the Kings. Another travel - didn't say who.

Dallas ball. Dampier called for illegal screen. Kings ball.

Musselman up on the sidelines and animated.

Miller again from top of the key, pass to the side. Almost the triangle, I think...

Artest to the line on another foul. First shot goes swish. Dallas crowd NOT happy. Second also goes in.

13-4 KINGS

Martin pressuring Dallas in the backcourt. Looks like Kings are going to give backcourt pressure on a consistent basis.

Dallas to the line.

Makes first; and second.

13-6 KINGS

6;18 left

 

[VF21]

Bibby works inside, behind the back pass to Miller on the perimeter. Swish!!!

15-6 KINGS

Dallas ball. Artest knocks it oob. Still Dallas. Johnson jumper doesn't go, Dampier gets the board but Miller blocks the shot. Kings ball. Bibby miss; Dallas board.

Dampier dunk.

15-8 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Bibby to Miller, who shoots and scores from behind Martin screen.

17-8 KINGS

4;53 left

Howard long two.

17-10 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Martin layup in...back out. Dallas with the ball.

Howard receives the alley-oop. Makes the basket, hangs on the rim and gets called for the technical. Crowd boos, Howard starts to object.

George and Diop in for Dallas.

18-12 KINGS

Martin for two.

20-12 KINGS

4;07 left

 

[VF21]

Egger pushes Martin to the ground and is called for o-foul.

SAR and Salmons in for Martin and KT. Salmons wearing 15, BTW.

Bibby brings the ball up. SWISH!

22-12 KINGS

TWO Kings cover the backcourt and pressure Dallas. Dallas long shot miss. Ball oob off Bibby. Artest smothers Howard as he tries to inbound. Howard finally gets it in. Kings take it away.

Bibby to the line. Missed foul. Was listening to them talk about Violet Palmer.

Bibby makes first; and second.

24-12 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Bibby is really covering Barea and forces him into trap, and a turnover.

Kings ball.

2:54 left

Artest long two off back of rim; Dallas board.

Salmons deflects shot; still Dallas ball. Good D by Salmons, so they avoid him and go other side. Two for Dallas.

24-14 KINGS

Bibby with the steal. Someone on the Kings travels.

Time out and commercial.

1:54 left.

 

[VF21]

I know this is only the first pre-season game, but I'm seeing things that almost cause me to do double-takes. KINGS players not just letting the Mavs bring the ball across the line without pressure. KINGS players covering the inbound players. KINGS players playing good defense, especially inside and under the hoop. Miller looking animated. Bibby staying with and covering his man.

I'm kinda scared...

 

[VF21]

Douby in for Bibby.

Dallas throws the ball away; Kings turn.

Amundson also in, wearing #22. Artest works inside past four white jerseys. Hands off to Amundson, who is fouled and going to the line.

Misses first off back of rim; misses seoncd.

Hart also in. Diop able to get inside and score.

24-16 KINGS

Artest to the foul line again.

Buckner out for the rest of the game.

RA misses first;

SAR, RA, Amundson, Hart and Douby on the court.

RA makes second.

25-16 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Howard for long two at 23rd second.

25-18 KINGS

Kings miss; Dallas ball.

End of the first quarter.

 

[VF21]

We're using rookies and bottom feeders, the Mavericks still have starters and top bench players on the court.