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Kings search for themselves, wins - and answer to James
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, April 1, 2005
CLEVELAND - Tonight is another chance for Rick Adelman to learn about his team and also experience LeBron James' growth first-hand as the Kings play the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Most of all, the Kings' coach wants to take home a victory and move closer to clinching an NBA playoff spot.
Things have changed drastically for both teams since the Kings obliterated the Cavaliers 123-96 Jan. 20 at Arco Arena.
Cleveland replaced coach Paul Silas with assistant Brendan Malone. The Kings, no longer Chris Webber's team and playing without injured center Brad Miller, will use center Brian Skinner and forward Kenny Thomas up front.
Adelman wants to see exactly what his team can give him.
"This is a totally different team than we had then," the coach said. "You don't know with our team, and that's why I keep saying, I just want to get wins and get to the playoffs.
"I always was comfortable with the team we had that we weren't going to go on a five-game losing streak. That was just not going to happen. I don't know yet with this team, but I hope it's the same way. ...
"When we've had to have games, they've come out and played hard, so I hope that's the case."
The Kings are the NBA's second-highest-scoring team, but they looked like imposters Wednesday night during an erratic 99-82 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Adelman said he and his staff attempted to make offensive changes at practice Thursday afternoon. The Pistons, one of the league's best defensive teams, disrupted the Kings' offense by aggressively challenging their big men at each side of the free-throw line.
"We have some things that we used to do that give us a different look on the floor, and we kind of went through some of those (Thursday)," Adelman said. "It's pretty simple stuff. It's similar to what Detroit does, some motion stuff, and maybe we need to add that.
"(Wednesday), I thought we had the same look all the time. And that's not good. It's too easy. Our big guys were at the elbow no matter what we did, and we have to change that."
It helps that the Kings will regain the services of Skinner, who missed the Pistons game because of a stomach virus. Skinner's activity around the basket figures to loom large against Cleveland, which boasts James and 7-foot-3 Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
James, in particular, has impressed Adelman, who watched his Portland Trail Blazers teams of the early 1990s contend with Hall of Fame talents Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. The coach claims James possesses many of those former stars' best qualities.
"If the game is going good, and the flow is going good, he doesn't force anything," Adelman said of James, who entered Thursday night fourth in the NBA in scoring average (26.3 points). "That's what you admire about the guy. But if they're struggling, he's going to have the ball.
"He's a son of a gun. I just like the way he plays. He just doesn't always shoot the ball."
In fact, Adelman says James compares favorably with Johnson and Jordan at this stage of their careers.
"Magic, when he first came into the league, was a great passer," the coach said. "He pushed the ball, and he could get to the basket but wasn't a great outside shooter and didn't have the post-up game he had later on. He gradually kind of built his game. "Michael had a lot of stuff going for him early, but I don't think Michael was nearly as strong as LeBron. I just think he's ahead of Michael in the way he plays right now, especially playing on an (average) team."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12654786p-13508158c.html
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Friday, April 1, 2005
CLEVELAND - Tonight is another chance for Rick Adelman to learn about his team and also experience LeBron James' growth first-hand as the Kings play the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Most of all, the Kings' coach wants to take home a victory and move closer to clinching an NBA playoff spot.
Things have changed drastically for both teams since the Kings obliterated the Cavaliers 123-96 Jan. 20 at Arco Arena.
Cleveland replaced coach Paul Silas with assistant Brendan Malone. The Kings, no longer Chris Webber's team and playing without injured center Brad Miller, will use center Brian Skinner and forward Kenny Thomas up front.
Adelman wants to see exactly what his team can give him.
"This is a totally different team than we had then," the coach said. "You don't know with our team, and that's why I keep saying, I just want to get wins and get to the playoffs.
"I always was comfortable with the team we had that we weren't going to go on a five-game losing streak. That was just not going to happen. I don't know yet with this team, but I hope it's the same way. ...
"When we've had to have games, they've come out and played hard, so I hope that's the case."
The Kings are the NBA's second-highest-scoring team, but they looked like imposters Wednesday night during an erratic 99-82 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Adelman said he and his staff attempted to make offensive changes at practice Thursday afternoon. The Pistons, one of the league's best defensive teams, disrupted the Kings' offense by aggressively challenging their big men at each side of the free-throw line.
"We have some things that we used to do that give us a different look on the floor, and we kind of went through some of those (Thursday)," Adelman said. "It's pretty simple stuff. It's similar to what Detroit does, some motion stuff, and maybe we need to add that.
"(Wednesday), I thought we had the same look all the time. And that's not good. It's too easy. Our big guys were at the elbow no matter what we did, and we have to change that."
It helps that the Kings will regain the services of Skinner, who missed the Pistons game because of a stomach virus. Skinner's activity around the basket figures to loom large against Cleveland, which boasts James and 7-foot-3 Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
James, in particular, has impressed Adelman, who watched his Portland Trail Blazers teams of the early 1990s contend with Hall of Fame talents Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. The coach claims James possesses many of those former stars' best qualities.
"If the game is going good, and the flow is going good, he doesn't force anything," Adelman said of James, who entered Thursday night fourth in the NBA in scoring average (26.3 points). "That's what you admire about the guy. But if they're struggling, he's going to have the ball.
"He's a son of a gun. I just like the way he plays. He just doesn't always shoot the ball."
In fact, Adelman says James compares favorably with Johnson and Jordan at this stage of their careers.
"Magic, when he first came into the league, was a great passer," the coach said. "He pushed the ball, and he could get to the basket but wasn't a great outside shooter and didn't have the post-up game he had later on. He gradually kind of built his game. "Michael had a lot of stuff going for him early, but I don't think Michael was nearly as strong as LeBron. I just think he's ahead of Michael in the way he plays right now, especially playing on an (average) team."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12654786p-13508158c.html
