Kings-Thunder PBP for Oct. 10

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Greetings, fellow Kings fans!

The Oklahoma City Thunder come to Arco, the HOME of Arco Thunder, for the first time. Should be an interesting game...

We'll get the first look at the new home jerseys. I liked the glimpse I got a while back and I think people are really going to like them!

This is a pre-season game and I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. It hasn't looked like fall up here yet, and it's hard to get too involved in basketball when it still looks like summer.

I hope Kevin plays tonight and, forgive me for being snide, but I hope Kenny Thomas doesn't. I do honestly feel a bit guilty about it, but I cannot summon up any excitement or even tolerance for KT's presence on the team. He's part of the past and I think he needs to stay there... But I do understand Reggie wanting to give him a look. The Kings still have a lot of money tied up with K-9, and it would be nice if they could reap some kind of benefit.

I've got coffee brewing, and the North wind today made it cold enough to actually start a fire in the wood stove.

It feels like it's time for some KINGS BASKETBALL!

As before, this thread is for the PBP. I just started the game discussion thread. After the KT appearance in the last game, I'm worried we may not see piksi until opening night.



GO KINGS!!!

 

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Grant and Jerry just reported that Bobby Brown will, in fact, start at the point.

 

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Starting lineups:

Kings - Brown, Martin, Salmons, Moore and Miller

Thunder - Watson, Wilkens, Mason, Smith and Collison

 

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The new home warmups are HOT!

 

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And the new home jerseys are equally hot. Kevin Martin and Donte Greene with modified mohawks...

 

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Getting ready for the tip. Dick Bavetta, Sean Wright and Ed Malloy officiating. I'm sure piksi is thrilled.

Tip to the Kings. Bobby Brown at the point.

Pass to Martin, whose quick pullup j is good.

2-0 KINGS

11;38 left

 

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Smith miss, Wilkens putback is good.

2-2

Kings ball. Good ball movement, nice spacing, sweet behind-the-back pass to cutting Martin, who is fouled and heads to the line.

Makes first; and second.

4-2 KINGS

GO KINGS!!!

 

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OKT miss; Miller rebound.

Brown pushes upcourt, nobody stops him and he gets two.

6-2 KINGS

OKT turnover but errant pass by Miller returns the favor.

Thunder ball. Collison miss, but he recovers his own horrible shot. Smith miss; real hustle by MIller for the board, tips it to Salmons. Kings upcourt...good ball movement again, Moore in the post, gets around Smith and goes up ... foul. Moore to the line.

9;52 left

Moore misses both.

OKT ball.

 

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Smith miss but board goes right back to OKT. Wilkens from the side for two.

6-4 KINGS

Brown from behind Martin screen won't go. OKT rebound.

OKT miss, second chance good.

6-6

Martin inside pass to Moore. Half-hook won't go. OKT Rebound.

6-6

8;43 left

Foul on Bobby Brown. Kings' first team foul. OKT inbounds.

Collison miss close inside, Miller rebound. Forward pass to Martin, nice pick and roll with Moore for two.

8-6 KINGS

 

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Mason runner for two.

8-8

Bobby Brown works inside, kicks out to Salmons.

SALMONS FOR THREE!

11-8 KINGS

7;39 left

Collison for two.

11-10 KINGS

7;27 left

 

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Martin drives inside, layup is pretty and good.

13-10 KINGS

OKT miss; Brown on the run. Salmons to the line on push by Collison.

Makes first; and second.

15-10 KINGS

OKT ball, Salmons block and Kings have it again.

Martin miss from outside the arc; OKT ball.

Watson miss; Martin sandwiched between Smith and Collison. Ball oob. Kings retain possession.

Theus calls time out...

6;28 left in first quarter.

 

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Oh crap. Angela Tsai is back as sideline commentator.

...sigh...

I wonder if she'll come here again if I pick on her.

 

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Brown out; Jackson in.

Kings ball. Thompson also in.

Miller in the post, can't get around Collison and has to shoot. Miss; OKT ball.

5;55 left

Collison smothered by Miller, ball oob off Miller. OKT to inbound with 5 on the shot clock.

Miss; Thomspon rebound. Salmons in and out ... OKT ball.

Watson jumper for two.

15-12 KINGS

Petrov and Westbrook in for OKT.

Dish inside to Salmons, who is fouled and going back to the line. Green in for OKT.

Salmons makes first; and second.

17-12 KINGS

5;14 left

 

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Dick Bavetta is in mid-season form. Martin is run over and both players go to the floor, ball oob. Kings called for "kicking the ball." Martin out; Garcia in. OKT ball.

OKT miss; Thompson outjumps Green for the board. Ball oob off OKT. Kings ball.

Salmons to Thompson, whose shot rolls off. OKT rebound.

Westbrook miss; rebound saved by Salmons.

Garcia wild shot off the glass; rebound saved by Petrov. OKT miss but saves the rebound.

Commercial break...

 

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3;39 left

OKT inbounds.

Green with the dunk.

17-14 KINGS

Jackson, Garcia, Thompson, Salmons and Hawes

HAWES wide open for the long two.

19-14 KINGS

2;55 left

OKT ball, oob off OKT. Donte Greene waiting to come in. Kings inbound.

Salmons not showing his old tendency to go iso. Kicks to Hawes in the low post, who spins and gets the half-hook to fall.

21-14 KINGS

 

[VF21]

Jeff Green called for the shove. OKT turnover. Kings ball. Greene in for Salmons.

Westbrook called for foul away from the ball, sending Bobby J to the line.

1;56 left

First good; Bobby's shot looks dead on. Second good.

23-14 KINGS

Wilxoc tries for shot over Thompson but no joy. Kings ball.

Garcia drives inside, a little too fast and out of control. OKT on the run. Bobby tries to get ahead of Westbrook but is called for the foul.

Westbrook to the line. Misses first; makes second.

23-15 KINGS

1;19 left

 

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Garcia draws the foul this time and heads to the line. On the sideline, Kevin Martin pointing something out to Bobby J, who nods and smiles...

First shot in, rattles around and pops back out; second good.

24-15 KINGS

OKT ball. Durant not going to play tonight, as just annoucned by Grant.

Jackson on the run, flaots inside, draws the defense, drop off to THompson, who is in the right place at the right time and does the right thing.



26-15 KINGS

I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!

Wilcox to the line. Misses both but OKT gets the rebound, kicks out and they get a three.

26-18 KINGS

 

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Green miss; ball oob. OKT to inbound.

16 seconds left.

Good defense by Donte keeps OKT from scoring as the buzzer sounds.

End of the first quarter.

26-18 KINGS!

 

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OKT ball to start the quarter.

Miss; Jackson runs down the rebound. Jackson to Thompson, back to Bobby... Hawes for two.

28-18 KINGS

OKT for two.

28-20 KINGS

Another nice shot by wide open Hawes from the high post.

30-20 KINGS

And yes, you take what the defense gives you - and the OKT defense is not respecting Hawes from outside...yet.

OKT for three.

30-23 KINGS

 

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Garcia tries to force a shot and gets nothing. OKT rebound.

Westbrook to Green for two and the +1.

Bonus good.

30-26 KINGS

Jackson to GArcia, who cuts around, cannot6 get open and dishes to Hawes in the high post, he spins and gets a half-hook.

32-26 KINGS

9;29 left

OKT ball. Green off the glass for two more.

32-28 KINGS

 

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Jackson to cutting Garcia, who is fouled. Cisco to the line.

9;12 left

Makes first; and second.

34-28 KINGS

OKT ball. Garcia called for the foul.

Commercial break...

8;55 left

 

[VF21]

Grant and Jerry talking with the Head of Player Development, Fat Lever, who really seems enthusiastic about this year's squad.

Watson to the line. Shelden Williams in with Hawes, Greene, Jackson and Garcia.

Oops. Byars at the line. He misses both.

Kings rebound.

8;49 left

Hawes miss at the 24th second but Jackson chases it down and takes it away from Byars. Kings ball with new shot clock.

Garcia forces another shot and misses badly. I think we're seeing "Bad Cisco" right now...

Ball oob but off OKT. Kings inbound, Jackson shot at the buzzer doesn't go. OKT ball.

 

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Mason fouled by Donte Greene. Donte needs to not back down in the low post, but he'll learn.

Mason misses first; makes second.

34-29 KINGS

Bobby Brown back in. He dishes to cutting Hawes, who can't shake loose the defender and kicks back to Brown. Brown fouled, non-shooting. Kings inbound. Salmons back in, still Kings ball. Brown miss; Hawes with the flying rebound and the putback for two.

36-29 KINGS

7;08 left

OKT miss; Salmons rebound.

 

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ANOTHER nice play with Salmons dishing inside to Hawes, who dances around Smith and gets two more.

38-29 KINGS

OKT miss; Salmons on the run for two.

40-29 KINGS

This is fun!!



Theus calls time out. Commercial break.

If Reggie dares put Kenny Thomas on the court I'm going to make a phone call to Arco.

 

[VF21]

And Angela Tsai continues her totally irrelevant and inane blatherings, trying desperately to sound ... okay, words fail me. She's beyond useless.

Meanwhile, after the Tsai break, OKT shoots a technical but no idea why as Grant and Jerry were too busy nattering with Tsai to let us know.

40-30 KINGS

5;50 left

OKT ball. Collison shot from midrange rattles and falls.

40-32 KINGS

 

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Kings ball. Garcia bounces on the floor, courtesy of Joe Smith. Kings inbound. Brown called for traveling. OKT ball.

5;20 left

#21 on OKT for two. Not sure who it was...

40-34 KINGS

Salmons responds with two more.

42-34 KINGS

4;36 left

Collison miss; rebound goes oob. Kings ball.

 

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NICE play by Brown inside for two.

44-34 KINGS

OKT miss; Kings ball. GArcia able to finish inside for his first bucket.

46-34 KINGS

3;57 left

Time out...

 

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OKT miss; Kings ball.

Hawes inside with two more.

48-34 KINGS

3;30 left

Another two by #21 on OKT.

48-36 KINGS

Brown for long two.

50-36 KINGS

Airball by Collison, partially because of good D by Shelden. Kings ball. Shelden miss; OKT rebound.

2;35 left

 

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Wilkens three doesn't go but putback is good.

50-38 KINGS

Time out by Reggie.

Commercial...

 

[VF21]

Moore back in for the Kings, this time at the 5.

Kings ball. ANOTHER failure to finish by Cisco on what wasn't a tough shot at all. Garcia just looks like he's not focused on the game...

1;55 left

OKT ball. Jeff Green at the line.

Makes first; misses second. Shelden with the board. Nice break by the Kings, dish inside to Brown for the finish and two points.

52-39 KINGS

OKT miss; Kings rebound.

1;27 left