Kings Notes: Kings avoid scene of season-opening loss to hornets

[PacMan]

Kings notes: Kings avoid scene of season-opening loss to Hornets
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, January 13, 2006

NORMAN, Okla. - Once the man made up his mind, there would be no stopping him.

Sort of like when his team plays at its favorite place.

Byron Scott - former Kings assistant and current head coach of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets - is the one behind the strange locale of today's Kings game, which takes place way off the NBA map in the college town of Norman, Okla.

This is Oklahoma Sooners country, 20 miles from Oklahoma City and the Ford Center, where Scott's Hornets have played so tough this season. With his team already in transition because of the Hurricane Katrina-induced relocation, Scott began campaigning last month to alter the Hornets' already complicated schedule.

All it took to strengthen Scott's conviction was one game this season in Baton Rouge, La. In a Dec. 16 game at LSU's Maravich Center, a crowd of 7,302 saw the Hornets fall to Phoenix 101-88. The turnout was nothing like the average of 18,770 who have helped the Hornets go 10-6 at the Ford Center.

"I'm trying to win games," Scott told the Oklahoman last week. "And our players feel that (the Ford Center) is our home. We feel that we have an edge, and we feel we can beat any team when they come in there."

Thus, the remaining five games scheduled in Baton Rouge were moved, with three slated for the repaired New Orleans Arena. A Jan. 18 game against Memphis was moved to the Ford Center, while the Kings are headed to the University of Oklahoma's Lloyd Noble Center because Bon Jovi needs to practice for Saturday night's concert.

No word yet on whether the Kings will be sending the rock band a thank-you card. After all, the Kings started this trend: In the season opener, they fell 93-67 to the Hornets as a Ford Center crowd of 19,163 watched.

"I think it probably is (good to avoid the Ford Center), because they have played well there," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "That first game, they were very loud, very enthusiastic. I'm sure it'll be the same way (in Norman)."

The Lloyd Noble Center, which seats about 12,000, is expected to be sold out.

"It isn't so much where we play but who (we play)," Kings point guard Jason Hart said. "We split so far (with the Hornets), so it'll be an interesting game. I guess that's good that we're playing them in Norman, though."

Making them count - The transition from practice all-star to game-time gunner continues for Francisco García.

García - known among Kings players and coaches for shooting the lights out in practice - hit 3 of 4 three-pointers Wednesday night as he scored 12 points in the Kings' 88-80 win over Houston.

"Maybe a game like this will get him a little relaxed, where he'll look for his shot and start knocking them down," Adelman said.

And maybe he'll listen to Adelman's instructions next time. Early in the fourth quarter, Adelman hollered at García for making an unnecessary cut to the hoop. Had he been patient and stayed in the corner, Adelman told him, he would have had an open look.

García tried to calm his coach, as he put up his hands up and said, "My bad." Minutes later, he made good on it. On an almost identical play, García stood his ground, took a pass in the opposite corner and buried a three that helped stave off the surging Rockets.

"We've been telling him and Kevin (Martin) for 33 games to stay in the corner and quit cutting to the basket," Adelman said. "Kevin did it three times (against Houston). If they just stay in their spots, they're going to have wide-open shots. ... But those guys are young, and I don't know if there's some part of 'Stay in the corner, or stay in your spot' that they don't understand. I don't get it."


About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.

wow, so now you know why Kevin likes to stay in the corner and looking so passive. Personally, I rather have him cutting since he doesnt have that good of a shot from outside.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14068353p-14899098c.html

 

[Bricklayer]

wow, so now you know why Kevin likes to stay in the corner and looking so passive. Personally, I rather have him cutting since he doesnt have that good of a shot from outside.

Yeah, that was interesting. But that's the offense really -- the whole thing is predicated on guys having no ball handling skills or athleticism. It was designed with undersized Ivy Leaguers in mind. Move to a spot on the floor, let "the system" try to generate an open jumper for you.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Then we need more undersized, unathletic ivy leaguers, or we need a new offense. Because this crap ain't cutting it. I've been a HUGE Adelman supporter for years, but his inability (or unwillingness) to tailor the offense to what fits THIS team is boggling my mind. He insists on trying to hammer square pegs into round holes. Hell, maybe he is TRYING to get himself fired, it's about the only explanation I can come up with.

 

[GoGoGadget]

As far as I'm concerned, the only situation I can think of in which anyone on the current team should be told to stay in the corner involves dunce cap.

 

[BMiller52]

What happened to the cutting we saw before though? I mean rick gotta accept that he doesn't have webber to find people and doug and peja's out and etc. etc. He's gotta accept that this is MARTIN and GARCIA not PEJA, DC, Jim Jackson, etc. None of these guys(hart, martin, garcia) are good 3 shooters. I don't get it though, why wouldn't he want Kevin slashing to the hoop? Cuts and penetration lead to points and points are good because without those you don't win games... or does he want to win games anymore?

 

[6th]

I don't get it either. Kevin is told to stay in the corner where he is of no use to the team. Kevin plays great basketball around the basket and Adelman wastes him in the corner. He is a young man with major hops, so he is kept away from the basket where he might get us more 0-boards. And Kevin is only one example of Adelman not using the strengths of his players.......trying to make them useful where their best talents do not lie.

I'm with Kg. I have been an Adelman supporter for years, but he has just been totally ineffective this year. Ugh!!!!

 

[piksi]

"We've been telling him and Kevin (Martin) for 33 games to stay in the corner and quit cutting to the basket," Adelman said. "Kevin did it three times (against Houston). If they just stay in their spots, they're going to have wide-open shots. ... But those guys are young, and I don't know if there's some part of 'Stay in the corner, or stay in your spot' that they don't understand. I don't get it."

So basically, people were criticizing Pedja all this time and he was just doing his job

 

[quick dog]

So basically, people were criticizing Pedja all this time and he was just doing his job

Very interesting observation.

Part of the problem with guys leaving their outside positions, if indeed that is the game plan, is that it allows opposition players tend to pack the paint if their are no outside threats. That is one of that factors that killed us last night. How many times did we see Kevin, Cisco, and Corliss run into the chests of opposing players and receive offensive fouls? Forget the fact that no body made threes last night.

 

[1kingzfan]

Well, there's a time for EVERY player to stand clear on the weak side and let the offense do its thing and not clutter things up.

In Kevin's case, I have noted that he is the designated "standee" way too often and that contributes mightily to why he does not get in the flow of the game.

It's the point guard's respoonsibility to get everyone involved in the offense, with the hopes of exploring ALL teammate possibilities as to who has the hot hand. Bibby does NOT do this. For a large majority of possessions when Kevin is a the 2, Bibby runs the offense to the other side of the floor.

I'm not saying that offensive touches should be equal between all players, but the situation with Martin is definitely skewed in one direction and that makes it tough for Kevin to develop any game rhythm. I have counted Kevin's touches during the offensive sets in some first quarters this season and the number has been as low as TWO for an entire quarter played (although Kevin got a couple boards in that game and actually had his hands on the ball FOUR times in 12 minutes).

But I agree with Kingsgurl and the notion that the Princeton does not play to Kevin's (or Cisco's) strengths, and Brick hit it square on the head as to the root of why this offense was created. It was NOT created for the type of personnel (as a whole) that the Kings now employ, in fact, it's quite the opposite.

It didn't suit Gerald Wallace either, but good riddance to that slacker, as he had another monster game last night (21/15/4 with 8 steals). Just think how he would be messing things up by standing in the corner and clanking occasional 3's, or getting in the way of Bibby dribbling around the top of the key and going in the lane against the entire team's front line.

GREAT move to send Gerald packing and get rid of that annoying athleticism that gets in the way of the Princeton offense.