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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/11667757p-12556699c.html
Kings try to plug up defense
Coach Rick Adelman worries about his team guarding the pick-and-roll.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 5, 2004
It could be called nit-picking when one looks for weaknesses in a team that has won 10 of its last 11 games.
It could also be called looking at the big picture with the knowledge that what's good enough in December might not be good enough to take the team into June.
Kings coach Rick Adelman knows how quickly things can change. His team is 11-5 after starting 1-4.
For Adelman, each game is a potential misstep or a steppingstone. He knows tonight's opponent, the Boston Celtics, has won three consecutive games after losing its previous four. He also notices little things such as the Celtics' last two losses coming by only two points each to Cleveland and Miami.
Adelman brings up defense and rebounding as the Kings' obvious weaknesses, but it's really nothing new because one of his strengths is seeing the big picture. He talks about first making the playoffs. But if you're not thinking about advancing in the playoffs, what's the sense in making them?
"Obviously, the two areas we've got to continue to talk about are certain things defensively and the boards," Adelman said. "We've got to find a way. Obviously, the defensive situations we're put into a lot of times are causing us to get killed on the boards."
Friday night, the Kings put it to the Indiana Pacers on the backboards with a 57-28 rebounding advantage during a 113-87 victory. But the way the Kings try to defend the pick-and-roll continues to be ineffective for brief stretches of games.
The two Kings guarding one of basketball's oldest plays might have trouble coordinating their defense. Their three teammates might relax after seeing the play doesn't initially involve them. The result for the opposition could be a dunk or a wide-open jumper.
"Against Indiana, it was the high pick-and-roll or getting beaten off the dribble, and someone then is attacking the basket, and we don't have a lot of shot-blockers," Adelman said. "So someone has to help, and then you're getting pounded on the boards. That's what we talked about (Saturday). We've got to find a way to get better.
"In this league, you're facing those situations all the time. Everybody has problems with the high pick-and-roll, and that's why everybody runs it. But we've got to find a way as the game progresses how we're going to adjust and then become more consistent. It starts with our guards and goes right to our big guys, and everybody has got to have more responsibility and a little bit better effort."
Again, we're talking about just one play here. But Adelman discussed how different teams use it with different combinations of players who have varied skills. Minnesota ran the play featuring long, lean deep shooters such as Kevin Garnett and Eddie Griffin with Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Cassell and Fred Hoiberg.
"Then you're trying to defend the play with two active guys in Garnett and Griffin," Adelman said. "Then it becomes a real crapshoot as to what you're going to give up."
Boston features Paul Pierce, Gary Payton and Ricky Davis in all types of pick-and-rolls. "All three of them," Adelman said. "They do a lot of quick-hitting stuff. They may run a play and two or three passes into a situation and then go into it. So as a team, you have to be aware."
Kings try to plug up defense
Coach Rick Adelman worries about his team guarding the pick-and-roll.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, December 5, 2004
It could be called nit-picking when one looks for weaknesses in a team that has won 10 of its last 11 games.
It could also be called looking at the big picture with the knowledge that what's good enough in December might not be good enough to take the team into June.
Kings coach Rick Adelman knows how quickly things can change. His team is 11-5 after starting 1-4.
For Adelman, each game is a potential misstep or a steppingstone. He knows tonight's opponent, the Boston Celtics, has won three consecutive games after losing its previous four. He also notices little things such as the Celtics' last two losses coming by only two points each to Cleveland and Miami.
Adelman brings up defense and rebounding as the Kings' obvious weaknesses, but it's really nothing new because one of his strengths is seeing the big picture. He talks about first making the playoffs. But if you're not thinking about advancing in the playoffs, what's the sense in making them?
"Obviously, the two areas we've got to continue to talk about are certain things defensively and the boards," Adelman said. "We've got to find a way. Obviously, the defensive situations we're put into a lot of times are causing us to get killed on the boards."
Friday night, the Kings put it to the Indiana Pacers on the backboards with a 57-28 rebounding advantage during a 113-87 victory. But the way the Kings try to defend the pick-and-roll continues to be ineffective for brief stretches of games.
The two Kings guarding one of basketball's oldest plays might have trouble coordinating their defense. Their three teammates might relax after seeing the play doesn't initially involve them. The result for the opposition could be a dunk or a wide-open jumper.
"Against Indiana, it was the high pick-and-roll or getting beaten off the dribble, and someone then is attacking the basket, and we don't have a lot of shot-blockers," Adelman said. "So someone has to help, and then you're getting pounded on the boards. That's what we talked about (Saturday). We've got to find a way to get better.
"In this league, you're facing those situations all the time. Everybody has problems with the high pick-and-roll, and that's why everybody runs it. But we've got to find a way as the game progresses how we're going to adjust and then become more consistent. It starts with our guards and goes right to our big guys, and everybody has got to have more responsibility and a little bit better effort."
Again, we're talking about just one play here. But Adelman discussed how different teams use it with different combinations of players who have varied skills. Minnesota ran the play featuring long, lean deep shooters such as Kevin Garnett and Eddie Griffin with Wally Szczerbiak, Sam Cassell and Fred Hoiberg.
"Then you're trying to defend the play with two active guys in Garnett and Griffin," Adelman said. "Then it becomes a real crapshoot as to what you're going to give up."
Boston features Paul Pierce, Gary Payton and Ricky Davis in all types of pick-and-rolls. "All three of them," Adelman said. "They do a lot of quick-hitting stuff. They may run a play and two or three passes into a situation and then go into it. So as a team, you have to be aware."
