[Game] Kings v. 76ers - 12/26/16 - 7:30PT/10:30ET

[VF21]

Embiid and Simmons are gonna be scary a few years from now. Maybe scarier than the KAT/Wiggins combo.

Their biggest worry is Embiid's health. Back problems, especially with a big, are nothing to take lightly.

 

[The Hammer]

Collison out there dribbling around holding the ball doing nothing for 10 seconds of the shot clock every possession, Rudy gay just ruining whatever offensive flow we had the past three games. Tolliver Koufos and Ty play WAY better without having to share the floor with Rudy. Good thing DMC came up clutch

I'm gonna defend Collison here a little bit.

First, on Lawson: Lawson is actually kind of a special player in a way not because he's a superstar, but because he has very good game management/flow management skills. He manages tempo and momentum and morale almost perfectly. He's very good. You can see him even trying to counter the Gay effect.

Now Collison: he's good, but he doesn't have that particular skill, and when you have a Gay on your team, it gums up the works and can make the PG look bad. This is how a player like Gay actually makes his teammates worse. The "Gay efffect" is not just that he's a black hole. There's a massive emotional/mental effect where you can see our offense actually even hesitate to swing the ball to his side of the court because they know it's not coming back and there's no point in making cuts. Gay is making it tough for Collison to orchestrate the offense, and also to find his OWN shot. Because with Gay on the floor, it's Cousins, then Gay... then scraps for everybody else. Every time. Without Gay on the floor, our offense if MUCH more fluid and we are free to find the hot man, pound to Cousins in the high or low post, etc. In other words you have a responsive one-mind unit. With Gay out there you have that annoying friend that you have to worry about stealing that girl you are trying to get close to. It spoils the whole party.

 

[SLAB]

Their biggest worry is Embiid's health. Back problems, especially with a big, are nothing to take lightly.

He has back problems?

I thought he was all foot problems? (Which can't be all that good for a big man either)

 

[parker]

Although Rudy sucked for the majority of te game, I do have to give him props for keeping us alive early in the fourth, helping us regain momentum.

Yes. He also didn't go iso at the end, although I held my breath every time he was near the ball.

I felt worse about having Collison in there late. Eek.

 

[km23]

too bad Joerger won't take Gay out on this next possession for defensive purposes, maybe he will commit a foul?

do you want us to lose these games? you are such a downer.

 

[VF21]

He has back problems?

I thought he was all foot problems? (Which can't be all that good for a big man either)

They showed him with an ice pack the size of a suitcase strapped to his back, I thought...

 

[kingsboi]

do you want us to lose these games? you are such a downer.

Nearly lost the game...me a downer? you got to give me more credit than that.

 

[SLAB]

They showed him with an ice pack the size of a suitcase strapped to his back, I thought...

That's probably not a good thing.

 

[VF21]

Nearly lost the game...me a downer? you got to give me more credit than that.

Ah, come on. You know you're not the most optimistic person around here.

 

[SLAB]

DMC / Embiid is going to built on total respect. Can't wait to see this matchup some more!

 

[kingsboi]

Ah, come on. You know you're not the most optimistic person around here.

I'd rather not be. I don't like wearing my homer shades for too long, otherwise, they blind me of what's actually in front of me rather than what I want it to be.

 

[VF21]

I'd rather not be. I don't like wearing my homer shades for too long, otherwise, they blind me of what's actually in front of me rather than what I want it to be.

To each his/her own.

 

[VF21]

DMC / Embiid is going to built on total respect. Can't wait to see this matchup some more!

In the locker room, Boogie talked about his respect for Embiid and how glad he was the officials just let them play. He said it was a fun matchup.

 

[SCKingsfan]

In the locker room, Boogie talked about his respect for Embiid and how glad he was the officials just let them play. He said it was a fun matchup.

Easy to say when you come out on top. I wonder if he'd have felt the same way if Embiid got the best of him.

 

[SCKingsfan]

In the locker room, Boogie talked about his respect for Embiid and how glad he was the officials just let them play. He said it was a fun matchup.

I also thought Cousins was sort of cruising this game. Well, the whole team seemed a little a bit off. Just didn't see intensity or focus from the get go. I think part of it lack of adequate preparation for an opponent that you know is not very strong- not that the Kings can afford to do that, but it did seem to be the case from the body language, lazy passes and the like. Or too much egg nog. Kinda street ballish at times.

 

[parker]

I also thought Cousins was sort of cruising this game. Well, the whole team seemed a little a bit off. Just didn't see intensity or focus from the get go. I think part of it lack of adequate preparation for an opponent that you know is not very strong- not that the Kings can afford to do that, but it did seem to be the case from the body language, lazy passes and the like. Or too much egg nog. Kinda street ballish at times.

They hadn't practiced for two days and they had two players who hadn't played for a couple of weeks. Makes sense that they were sloppy.

 

[VF21]

This is good news:

Sean Cunningham ‏@SeanCunningham 13m13 minutes ago
Ty Lawson said locker room has gotten away from bickering at one-another during tough time. They are talking things out much more now

 

[parker]

This is good news:

Sean Cunningham ‏@SeanCunningham 13m13 minutes ago
Ty Lawson said locker room has gotten away from bickering at one-another during tough time. They are talking things out much more now

Joerger also mentioned purposely distributing minutes to keep guys happy and engaged.

 

[VF21]

Joerger also mentioned purposely distributing minutes to keep guys happy and engaged.

And that, in a nutshell, is the difference between a HoF coach who doesn't give a damn and a coach who still has passion and hunger AND RESPECT for his players.

 

[parker]

And that, in a nutshell, is the difference between a HoF coach who doesn't give a damn and a coach who still has passion and hunger AND RESPECT for his players.

Yeah, Joerger is clearly taking the long view with the season and the team.

 

[kingjatt]

I'm gonna defend Collison here a little bit.

First, on Lawson: Lawson is actually kind of a special player in a way not because he's a superstar, but because he has very good game management/flow management skills. He manages tempo and momentum and morale almost perfectly. He's very good. You can see him even trying to counter the Gay effect.

Now Collison: he's good, but he doesn't have that particular skill, and when you have a Gay on your team, it gums up the works and can make the PG look bad. This is how a player like Gay actually makes his teammates worse. The "Gay efffect" is not just that he's a black hole. There's a massive emotional/mental effect where you can see our offense actually even hesitate to swing the ball to his side of the court because they know it's not coming back and there's no point in making cuts. Gay is making it tough for Collison to orchestrate the offense, and also to find his OWN shot. Because with Gay on the floor, it's Cousins, then Gay... then scraps for everybody else. Every time. Without Gay on the floor, our offense if MUCH more fluid and we are free to find the hot man, pound to Cousins in the high or low post, etc. In other words you have a responsive one-mind unit. With Gay out there you have that annoying friend that you have to worry about stealing that girl you are trying to get close to. It spoils the whole party.

How do you explain Collison sucking and doing the same holding the ball too long crap when Rudy was out? he's been bad most of the year and I dont think its fair to blame Darren's struggles on Rudy.

 

[kingjatt]

And that, in a nutshell, is the difference between a HoF coach who doesn't give a damn and a coach who still has passion and hunger AND RESPECT for his players.

All good if we win, but if needless "respect" minutes for guys who dont deserve to be out there or are contributing heavily to losses then its not a good sign in my opinion. Your job as a coach is to produce wins(and lately hes done that) but keeping guys who probably wont be here next year happy shouldnt be at the top of his priorities....wins should be! If we lose because he subs out guys who were rolling for guys who had off nights that probably does more to pee off the locker room than anything else. Today we squeaked by so its not a problem but ideally since our 3-12 guys are so similar in talent level I'd like to see him go with whats working on that day.

 

[lawlman91]

If Rudy plays the part of Afflalo from the previous games, dare I say we will be a better team.

 

[dude12]

All good if we win, but if needless "respect" minutes for guys who dont deserve to be out there or are contributing heavily to losses then its not a good sign in my opinion. Your job as a coach is to produce wins(and lately hes done that) but keeping guys who probably wont be here next year happy shouldnt be at the top of his priorities....wins should be! If we lose because he subs out guys who were rolling for guys who had off nights that probably does more to pee off the locker room than anything else. Today we squeaked by so its not a problem but ideally since our 3-12 guys are so similar in talent level I'd like to see him go with whats working on that day.

I think he tends to tighten the rotation late in the games and play what's working. Has lots of working pieces. And with the guys who are not going to be here next year, if he doesn't play them, it's going to ruin the vibe. It's a tough thing to do......see 76ers who sit Noel and barely play Okafor, their team vibe is crapty.

 

[Ugolino]

I also thought Cousins was sort of cruising this game. Well, the whole team seemed a little a bit off. Just didn't see intensity or focus from the get go. I think part of it lack of adequate preparation for an opponent that you know is not very strong- not that the Kings can afford to do that, but it did seem to be the case from the body language, lazy passes and the like. Or too much egg nog. Kinda street ballish at times.

I don't agree, I was there, Cousins was getting worked by Embiid and getting zero calls, although I was pleasantly surprised they didn't call a foul on Phily's last desperation shot.

 

[twslam07]

Screw watching Cousins / Embiid matchups...I want him next to Cousins

 

[Bricklayer]

Screw watching Cousins / Embiid matchups...I want him next to Cousins

As did I back during that draft. Was hoping maybe just maybe the injury would scare enough people off that an aggressive non-idiot GM might be able to put together a package to move up and nab him.

We drafted Nik Stauskas.

 

[Suicide King]

As did I back during that draft. Was hoping maybe just maybe the injury would scare enough people off that an aggressive non-idiot GM might be able to put together a package to move up and nab him.

We drafted Nik Stauskas.

I used foul language when he was picked ahead of us.

 

[VF21]

All good if we win, but if needless "respect" minutes for guys who dont deserve to be out there or are contributing heavily to losses then its not a good sign in my opinion. Your job as a coach is to produce wins(and lately hes done that) but keeping guys who probably wont be here next year happy shouldnt be at the top of his priorities....wins should be! If we lose because he subs out guys who were rolling for guys who had off nights that probably does more to pee off the locker room than anything else. Today we squeaked by so its not a problem but ideally since our 3-12 guys are so similar in talent level I'd like to see him go with whats working on that day.

???? You don't keep people happy unless they're going to be here next year? Yeah, that's the way to ensure locker room tranquility.

 

[King Baller]

Speaking of Embiid I though Willie did a fair job of defending him.