[Game] Kings v. Lakers - 12/6/13 - 7 p.m.

[The_Jamal]

IT again!

 

[PurpleHaze]

And Napear asks, "where would Kings be without IT?" Answer, instead of 4-12 probably 2-14.

 

[Entity]

Damnit.

You're on point, Slim.

In your defense Jerry buss is an awful owner. I mean has done absolutely nothing in almost 10 months

 

[VF21]

In your defense Jerry buss is an awful owner. I mean has done absolutely nothing in almost 10 months

And the sad part is that even in his current state he'd be a much better owner than Jim Buss.

 

[Chubbs]

In your defense Jerry buss is an awful owner. I mean has done absolutely nothing in almost 10 months

To be perfectly honest, I just don't think he cares like he used to.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Williams is excellent rebounder

yea his rebounding is definitely a welcome addition to the starting lineup and the team in general

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

It's not about making the starting lineup better. It's about looking at the big picture, and realizing that he's an incredible spark off the bench that we can count on every single night.

It should be about making the starting lineup better, because they have been terrible all year. That is literally the one thing we should be working on right now. Getting those guys to play better. To this point they have led us to a 4-12 record. Vasquez is a big part of that 4-12. The offense has been bad. The defense has been worse.

 

[Chubbs]

IT has to get back there and not stand there watching.

 

[rainmaker]

It should be about making the starting lineup better, because they have been terrible all year. That is literally the one thing we should be working on right now. Getting those guys to play better. To this point they have led us to a 4-12 record. Vasquez is a big part of that 4-12. The offense has been bad. The defense has been worse.

Does completely negating the offensive punch off the bench improve a 4-12 record?

We now have an offensive weapon on the floor for a full 48 mins. Start IT, he and Cuz will both be resting at the same time for at least a few mins each half. That's a net negative to me.

 

[Chubbs]

some of you have very little understanding of how a good basketball team is built. it's not about GV vs IT. It's just not. it's not about making the starting lineup better. It's about maximizing what you have for 48 minutes.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

You would think this far into the season they would have learned not to leave WIDE OPEN 3pt shooters

 

[Entity]

I am amazed at the amount of players that shake their head in disgust after they make a wide open jumper

 

[Kingsfan23]

Derrick Williams is wrongfooting tonight

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Come on IT why not pass to the wide open Ben for 3 right there? he set Williams up for that charge he had no choice

 

[VF21]

It should be about making the starting lineup better, because they have been terrible all year. That is literally the one thing we should be working on right now. Getting those guys to play better. To this point they have led us to a 4-12 record. Vasquez is a big part of that 4-12. The offense has been bad. The defense has been worse.

You don't make the starting lineup better by taking the one thing that's not broken and breaking it. Yes, we need a better PG to start BUT that doesn't need we have to eliminate a valid candidate for 6th man to do it. IT has found his niche and since he's getting the majority of minutes at the 1, him being on the court at the very beginning isn't nearly as important as some of you want to believe.

 

[rainmaker]

Wow. Vivek has friends in high places.

 

[Fear the Putin]

lakers just beat teams by outshooting them.

 

[The_Jamal]

At least 5 wide open shots IT has set up that we've bricked

 

[Chubbs]

not be to be a downer, but when IT plays like THAT and you're only up 3 at home, that shows you how far this team is from being competitive.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Does completely negating the offensive punch off the bench improve a 4-12 record?

We now have an offensive weapon on the floor for a full 48 mins. Start IT, he and Cuz will both be resting at the same time for at least a few mins each half. That's a net negative to me.

I think, at 4-12 it's worth seeing. I don't know what Thomas will look like in the starting lineup. I don't. But I know Vasquez looks bad.

Question - is Isaiah Thomas better this season than he was last season? I think he is. I've never been a Thomas guy, but he's impressed me this year.

Does he only appear better because Vasquez has been so bad, or did he actually improve? Is he only playing better because he is a bench player? those are questions we cannot answer until we see him in that starting unit with Cousins.

It's not inconceivable that Thomas has actually improved. This is only his third season.

It seems like everyone is getting pass from the Keith Smart era aside from Thomas. He's never played starting point guard in a competent organization for a competent coach. And you know what? he's earned that opportunity, or man - doesn't Vasquez have to get demoted at some point for how he's played? or is he going to continue to get a pass for his terrible defense?

 

[Vivekfan]

Hard to believe the Lakers having that good a record with that roster.

MDA is a better coach than people claim.

 

[Entity]

I was always a Raven fan.

 

[Fear the Putin]

I think, at 4-12 it's worth seeing. I don't know what Thomas will look like in the starting lineup. I don't. But I know Vasquez looks bad.

Question - is Isaiah Thomas better this season than he was last season? I think he is. I've never been a Thomas guy, but he's impressed me this year.

Does he only appear better because Vasquez has been so bad, or did he actually improve? Is he only playing better because he is a bench player? those are questions we cannot answer until we see him in that starting unit with Cousins.

It's not inconceivable that Thomas has actually improved. This is only his third season.

It seems like everyone is getting pass from the Keith Smart era aside from Thomas. He's never played starting point guard in a competent organization for a competent coach. And you know what? he's earned that opportunity, or man - doesn't Vasquez have to get demoted at some point for how he's played? or is he going to continue to get a pass for his terrible defense?

Isaiah has definitely improved. He's a lot more assertive and aggressive this season.

 

[cuad]

Checking in late.

Of course, I get home just as half-time is starting rather than when it's ending. :/ Either way, I look forward to the 2nd half.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

You don't make the starting lineup better by taking the one thing that's not broken and breaking it. Yes, we need a better PG to start BUT that doesn't need we have to eliminate a valid candidate for 6th man to do it. IT has found his niche and since he's getting the majority of minutes at the 1, him being on the court at the very beginning isn't nearly as important as some of you want to believe.

But I think we know Thomas can do what he's doing. We can put him back there at any time. He's not going to magically lose his ability to play basketball off the bench if we try him in the starting lineup.

This is how players enter a starting lineup. They play well enough on the bench to beat out the other guy. It happens all the time. It's not like we would be breaking basketball code here. If it doesn't work, you put him back. That's all, because Cousins almost went mental on his starting lineup again tonight ... that's not something we need.

Just my opinion here, but I'd take a better starting unit over a better bench unit 100 times out of 100. And who knows, maybe Vasquez finds his groove without the pressure of getting the team off to a good start. This could go a million ways - fact is we won't know the results unless we try it.

 

[Chubbs]

Other than the quick streak against the lakers backups with IT in, it was basically a wash in the 2nd quarter.

 

[rainmaker]

I think, at 4-12 it's worth seeing. I don't know what Thomas will look like in the starting lineup. I don't. But I know Vasquez looks bad.

IT does look better this year than last, but also Vasquez is worse than any guard we've had start for us in years. But not only is the point that starting IT and weakening our bench substantially a concern, as well as having an offensive threat on the floor for less than 48 mins a concern, but what about the issue that IT is best when he's the focus and Cuz is the best when he's the focus? If IT is constantly looking to set up Cuz, it negates what he does best, and if Cuz is splitting touches with IT and getting fewer shots, it also negates what he can do to an extent.

If we had a 3rd scoring threat on a nightly basis, I'd feel differently. But this team is incredibly short on talent and due to that imo we need an offensive threat on the floor as much as possible and the best way to do that is to split up IT and Cuz. Our bench could be worst in the league if you replace IT with GV.

 

[steelevt]

man i feel like we should be up double digits. we look good but have lapses on defense and let them come back and stick around

 

[The_Jamal]

I think, at 4-12 it's worth seeing. I don't know what Thomas will look like in the starting lineup. I don't. But I know Vasquez looks bad.

Question - is Isaiah Thomas better this season than he was last season? I think he is. I've never been a Thomas guy, but he's impressed me this year.

Does he only appear better because Vasquez has been so bad, or did he actually improve? Is he only playing better because he is a bench player? those are questions we cannot answer until we see him in that starting unit with Cousins.

It's not inconceivable that Thomas has actually improved. This is only his third season.

It seems like everyone is getting pass from the Keith Smart era aside from Thomas. He's never played starting point guard in a competent organization for a competent coach. And you know what? he's earned that opportunity, or man - doesn't Vasquez have to get demoted at some point for how he's played? or is he going to continue to get a pass for his terrible defense?

He's improved for sure. Lowered his TO rate, increased his ASt%, actually increased his efficiency while taking more shots and controlling more ball. And while the defense still isn't great, it's much, much better than GV and I think better than he was the past few years.

 

[Entity]