Per aspera ad astra - my all time favorite.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since Kings didn't win any games on April 22nd, I will go back to 1999 and the first kings PO victory in the Adelman (or Adleman - for some of You) era. Jazz were the favorites and after winning the game 1 by 30 and it wasn't even that close - most people were thinking - sweep. Noone expected Kings to make a series out of it - except the Kings. Lead by Webber and Divac - Kings were secondsw away from the upset - twice. It wasn't meant to be.
Kings won the game 2 101-90 which is always be remembered by a "coalision"
between CW and Stockton. Webber has 20/5/7/2bl and Vlade had 18/7/8/2st to lead the Kings to a great win. JWill had 18/4/3. Bench mob was big. JB and Vernon had 12 apiece. Kings were outrebounded by 14 but it didn't matter.
The Kings looked scared and tentative when they were blown out 117-87 in Saturday's Game 1, the worst playoff loss in franchise history. Webber dramatically changed all that on Utah's first possession by lowering his shoulder and dropping Stockton as the guard came through the lane.
The flagrant foul knocked the wind out of Stockton, but it seemed to breathe life into the Kings.
"You have to set a tone. You never want the other team to think they can just run you over," Webber said. "I told John, 'I tried to get you, but not that hard.' We had to let them know we were going to be here."
Stockton's 3-pointer cut Sacramento's lead to 91-86 with 2:37 to play, but the Kings went directly to Webber on their next two possessions. The Jazz declined to double-team him, and with the sellout Delta Center crowd seemingly screaming in his face, Webber knocked down two straight jump hooks over Malone. The win was the first in the playoffs during Webber's sometimes stormy career. He has been to the postseason three times with three different teams, but was 0-7 before beating the Jazz with his skill and his will.
"I wanted the ball late in the game because my teammates are counting on me there," Webber said. "Those are my shots, and I have to hit them or we don't win."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular season is over and now after all is said and done we were good enough for the 8th and the last PO spot in the Western Conference. Considering things that went wrong this season - 8th spot could be called a success. We do have a better record than the Nuggets but thanks to a genius who invented this stupid format - we ended having a most difficult way to go trough the POs maybe ever. At least we got the tiebreaker with Nuggets for the better draft pick.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spurs - Mavs - Suns - Pistons. Only team that I would wish this from the bottom of my heart are LA Kobes. Every player would say that they are focusing only on one game ahead and while that might be true every single one of them is aware of the possible path and how many of the truly believe that it can be done? It would take a miracle of gigantic proportions and a lot of luck and let's face it - this is Kings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everything favores the Spurs. The history, talent, record, killer instinct, - everything. Kings have better fans. In 7 previous seasons Kings have not upset anyone and the have been upset (robbed) once. Playing against better seeds we usually managed to make it interesting but that was it. I hope that we can make it interesting again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can go down through a painfull memory lane yet again to realize how little luck we had. Stockton's three folloew by Vlade's missed hook shot in 99. Not showing up for game 5 in 00. Not showing up for the whole series in 01, Pedja's injury, Samakee Walker, Robert Horry, Dick Bavetta and tons of missed FTs in 02, Webber injury, Pedja's missed FTs in game 3, NVE in 03, Golumn, Overtime loss after amazing comeback in game 3, Webber's in and out three in 04, Jerome James in 05. We are past overdue but don't count on it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get out of this round King will have to win 2 road games. We have won in SA the last time we played but that really means absolutely nothing right now. The intensity will be on a whole different level, the rotations will shorten, the refs will suck. Pistons were able to win only one game there last year and it wasn't enough. We did well on the road lately. How well will we be able to execute down the strech?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings will have to split the first 2 games because if we don't - we might not be coming back to SA. Down 2-0 would pretty much be it. We can always win at ARCO but we have always manage to lose there at the worst possible time too. Also game 3 at home is vital. We lost it to Mavs and Wolves and we lost the momentum with it. Basically, if we are not up 2-1 after 3 games - Spurs will win the series.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings will go with 8 man rotation that might be cut to 7 depending on situation. We might see some Hart mainly because Cisco hasn't been playing for whatever reason. We will probably go small for streches and midget if neccessary. Foul trouble might be crucial and Spurs are deeper team in almost all positions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Kings to win - following things have/shouldn't happen. Mike Bibby has to defend some and has to outscore Parker. Ron has to stay out of foul trouble and he has to drive to the basket. SAR has to continue doing a good job on Duncan. Brad has to be heuge on both ends. Bench has to give us something. Kevin has to have good games on the road. Bonzi has to take care of the ball. The whole team has to keep composure trough bad calls (count on it) and we have to make FTs. Also - Manu has to stay property of Ron Artest. Parker has to struggle shooting midrange jumpers. Bowen can't do ant Ray Allen imitations. rasho can't look like an allstar. NVE and Horry - I am afraid to say it but You get the picture.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
As You can see things seem bad and they are. Spurs are the favorite and almost everything speaks for them We can't change that. However - it is still 0:0 and every game still has to be played. Anything might happen. While I don't believe that we will advance - I will still support the Kings in every minute of every game hoping that I end up being wrong. Head says one thing but the heart wants another to happen. Can't go against Your heart because if You do - You will lose even if You win.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
First game is on BSPN just to add an insult to a possible injury. Just a possibility of Bill Walton doing the game with Snapper Jones causes diarrhea and vomiting. The idiots in the studio will give us NO credit. Even if we win it will be because something that Spurs didn't do. I use mute button and it is effective.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings need to come out - all out the first game. Usually it is always the best opportunity to steal one. We need to play better than we did last time there because Spurs will too. Take care of the ball, rebound and hit the free throws. Also make sure that there is always someone on Horry and NVE. There are some things that You don't want to experience twice. Spurs are not a team that will blow You out of the building. It is a team that will kill You slowly mentally and physically.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike is going to have to defend some - well more than that
Ron - extra new PO pills were delivered. Talk is cheap Ron. Prove it !
SAR - make it a good experience - will You
Brad - You need to be there at all times and say Hi to Tony in case he stops by
Bonzi - take care of the ball
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin - we need You on the road kid
KT - keep it up and don't go anywhere
Hart - just great
Cisco - what is up with him?
the rest - hopefully mateen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
RA - don't let any 20-0 runs happen please !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spur are defending champion, best team in the west, best home team in the west, deep, experienced, well coached, good defense, dirty etc. Worst of all they are a elite collections of Kings killers. TDM award could go to so many players and I am not even going to predict. LW-VC award will go to Manu Ginobili. Additionally Bowen gets the same award for his life time achievement. It will be toughbut why not ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since Kings didn't win any games on April 22nd, I will go back to 1999 and the first kings PO victory in the Adelman (or Adleman - for some of You) era. Jazz were the favorites and after winning the game 1 by 30 and it wasn't even that close - most people were thinking - sweep. Noone expected Kings to make a series out of it - except the Kings. Lead by Webber and Divac - Kings were secondsw away from the upset - twice. It wasn't meant to be.
Kings won the game 2 101-90 which is always be remembered by a "coalision"
between CW and Stockton. Webber has 20/5/7/2bl and Vlade had 18/7/8/2st to lead the Kings to a great win. JWill had 18/4/3. Bench mob was big. JB and Vernon had 12 apiece. Kings were outrebounded by 14 but it didn't matter.The Kings looked scared and tentative when they were blown out 117-87 in Saturday's Game 1, the worst playoff loss in franchise history. Webber dramatically changed all that on Utah's first possession by lowering his shoulder and dropping Stockton as the guard came through the lane.
The flagrant foul knocked the wind out of Stockton, but it seemed to breathe life into the Kings.
"You have to set a tone. You never want the other team to think they can just run you over," Webber said. "I told John, 'I tried to get you, but not that hard.' We had to let them know we were going to be here."
Stockton's 3-pointer cut Sacramento's lead to 91-86 with 2:37 to play, but the Kings went directly to Webber on their next two possessions. The Jazz declined to double-team him, and with the sellout Delta Center crowd seemingly screaming in his face, Webber knocked down two straight jump hooks over Malone. The win was the first in the playoffs during Webber's sometimes stormy career. He has been to the postseason three times with three different teams, but was 0-7 before beating the Jazz with his skill and his will.
"I wanted the ball late in the game because my teammates are counting on me there," Webber said. "Those are my shots, and I have to hit them or we don't win."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular season is over and now after all is said and done we were good enough for the 8th and the last PO spot in the Western Conference. Considering things that went wrong this season - 8th spot could be called a success. We do have a better record than the Nuggets but thanks to a genius who invented this stupid format - we ended having a most difficult way to go trough the POs maybe ever. At least we got the tiebreaker with Nuggets for the better draft pick.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spurs - Mavs - Suns - Pistons. Only team that I would wish this from the bottom of my heart are LA Kobes. Every player would say that they are focusing only on one game ahead and while that might be true every single one of them is aware of the possible path and how many of the truly believe that it can be done? It would take a miracle of gigantic proportions and a lot of luck and let's face it - this is Kings.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everything favores the Spurs. The history, talent, record, killer instinct, - everything. Kings have better fans. In 7 previous seasons Kings have not upset anyone and the have been upset (robbed) once. Playing against better seeds we usually managed to make it interesting but that was it. I hope that we can make it interesting again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can go down through a painfull memory lane yet again to realize how little luck we had. Stockton's three folloew by Vlade's missed hook shot in 99. Not showing up for game 5 in 00. Not showing up for the whole series in 01, Pedja's injury, Samakee Walker, Robert Horry, Dick Bavetta and tons of missed FTs in 02, Webber injury, Pedja's missed FTs in game 3, NVE in 03, Golumn, Overtime loss after amazing comeback in game 3, Webber's in and out three in 04, Jerome James in 05. We are past overdue but don't count on it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get out of this round King will have to win 2 road games. We have won in SA the last time we played but that really means absolutely nothing right now. The intensity will be on a whole different level, the rotations will shorten
, the refs will suck. Pistons were able to win only one game there last year and it wasn't enough. We did well on the road lately. How well will we be able to execute down the strech?-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings will have to split the first 2 games because if we don't - we might not be coming back to SA. Down 2-0 would pretty much be it. We can always win at ARCO but we have always manage to lose there at the worst possible time too. Also game 3 at home is vital. We lost it to Mavs and Wolves and we lost the momentum with it. Basically, if we are not up 2-1 after 3 games - Spurs will win the series.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings will go with 8 man rotation that might be cut to 7 depending on situation. We might see some Hart mainly because Cisco hasn't been playing for whatever reason. We will probably go small for streches and midget if neccessary. Foul trouble might be crucial and Spurs are deeper team in almost all positions.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Kings to win - following things have/shouldn't happen. Mike Bibby has to defend some and has to outscore Parker. Ron has to stay out of foul trouble and he has to drive to the basket. SAR has to continue doing a good job on Duncan. Brad has to be heuge on both ends. Bench has to give us something. Kevin has to have good games on the road. Bonzi has to take care of the ball. The whole team has to keep composure trough bad calls (count on it) and we have to make FTs. Also - Manu has to stay property of Ron Artest. Parker has to struggle shooting midrange jumpers. Bowen can't do ant Ray Allen imitations. rasho can't look like an allstar. NVE and Horry - I am afraid to say it but You get the picture.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
As You can see things seem bad and they are. Spurs are the favorite and almost everything speaks for them We can't change that. However - it is still 0:0 and every game still has to be played. Anything might happen. While I don't believe that we will advance - I will still support the Kings in every minute of every game hoping that I end up being wrong. Head says one thing but the heart wants another to happen. Can't go against Your heart because if You do - You will lose even if You win.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
First game is on BSPN just to add an insult to a possible injury. Just a possibility of Bill Walton doing the game with Snapper Jones causes diarrhea and vomiting. The idiots in the studio will give us NO credit. Even if we win it will be because something that Spurs didn't do. I use mute button and it is effective.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings need to come out - all out the first game. Usually it is always the best opportunity to steal one. We need to play better than we did last time there because Spurs will too. Take care of the ball, rebound and hit the free throws. Also make sure that there is always someone on Horry and NVE. There are some things that You don't want to experience twice. Spurs are not a team that will blow You out of the building. It is a team that will kill You slowly mentally and physically.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike is going to have to defend some - well more than that
Ron - extra new PO pills were delivered. Talk is cheap Ron. Prove it !
SAR - make it a good experience - will You
Brad - You need to be there at all times and say Hi to Tony in case he stops by
Bonzi - take care of the ball
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin - we need You on the road kid
KT - keep it up and don't go anywhere
Hart - just great
Cisco - what is up with him?
the rest - hopefully mateen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
RA - don't let any 20-0 runs happen please !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spur are defending champion, best team in the west, best home team in the west, deep, experienced, well coached, good defense, dirty etc. Worst of all they are a elite collections of Kings killers. TDM award could go to so many players and I am not even going to predict. LW-VC award will go to Manu Ginobili. Additionally Bowen gets the same award for his life time achievement. It will be toughbut why not ?
