[Game] Kings vs Blazers - Tuesday, Jan. 1 - 6:00PT/9:00ET - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Opposing teams are doing the following:

1. Push out against the Kings guard. Make them drive n dish or shoot with a man in their grill.
2. Sag off of WCS or Kosta. Make them shoot the midrange, If the Kings drive, stuff them.

Kings need to bring WCS to the perimeter n screen roll him from there. Pull opposing bigs out. Then attack.
I expect a ton of it going fwd.

That said, soft WCS showed up. But it wasn’t even really soft WCS, it was low IQ willie showing up. Use your head. Mix your speed. We miss Bags.

And for those who don’t appreciate Moe Harkless, dude took Bogs outta the game in the last few mins of the 4th n OT. He’s massive in person. About as big n long as WCS. We need a jumbo defender like him.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying and may add that the trailblazers knew what was coming and between our predictability and poor execution made for two games in a row we gave away. Also when did we make WCS our go to player in crunch time.
 
As far as Giles goes, I think it's clear we're playing the "Long game" with him in terms of his development. I was fine bringing him along slowly, but Koufos has regressed on both ends. He's just a complete nothing on offense now and he has to be near perfect on defense for the value of him getting minutes to be there (which it hasn't been). Getting more and more difficult to justify him not getting run with Koufos struggling and WCS getting dominated by a bunch of big physical Centers.
Slowly is fine but slowly is 10 minutes a game.
 
We can’t defend (or won’t not sure yet) and our lack of rebounding, which is a part of the reason our defense sucks, kills us. This is the third time in less than 3 to 4 weeks that an opposing center pulled down 23 rebounds against us. I don’t recall something like that happening so frequently before.

There needs to be change. This can’t continue or at this rate we will free fall to the bottom rankings again and it will be quick in the Western Conference. In two weeks we could be finished.

Not a terrible game but we should have had them. We were up 9 and we had it in the bag. We couldn’t buy a basket and made some really poor decisions. Definitely not the best game I’ve seen Fox play.
 
We have thought that in previous games with no luck. At this point I will believe it when I see it.
Giles doesn't have the mobility or hops of Stein, but he blocks out better, and has a jumpshot. Aside from some good defense in the mid-4th quarter for few trips Stein had a poor game. Giles and really the 2nd unit sparked the lead, which is more than can be said for the starting unit. Hield had a great shooting game but fell off towards the end in execution. Hield should of pulled up for 3 down 4 after McCullum missed 2 FTs instead of a blown layup it was already under 24s so stupid to try to trade baskets....and it was like the Blazers were gift-wrapping a re-entry for the Kings into the game. These losses are hurting playoff chances....
 
They were forcing drives when they should've been setting up outside shots. The Bjelica weak take 2-up with 5s left on the shot clock and less than a min in the game was a failure and horrible. They kept trying to attack the teeth of the defense. The Trailblazers were longer and bigger inside. Fox had a good look at a winner, but was a close miss. Was hoping he'd drive and kick.
+1. Fox has a tendency a little bit still to drive and force a shot at the end of games...

But let’s be honest, he has improved so much it’s a nit on his overall game.
 
those 2 damn straight-line drives by Lillard at the end were brutal. One of them he caught Buddy and froze him stiff with a headfake and just breezed right past.... sigh..
Lillard is better than any single King player right now. His prolific offense was on full display and they rode him into overtime. Fox biting on 3s was poor. I think Fox was trying to anticipate his shot too much.
 
We just aren’t quite a playoff team this year. The frontcourt are journeyman. And the team doesn’t have a consistent franchise player (and may not in the future, given what I think of Fox’s intensity/consistency
Fox is actually better than the best PG’s in this league today when they were in their 2nd years. He’s overall an all-star at least. I think he’s gonna be fine. I’m positive he hates losing and being the reason for it.... unlike WCS. Fox is motivated and learning
 
Giles doesn't have the mobility or hops of Stein, but he blocks out better, and has a jumpshot. Aside from some good defense in the mid-4th quarter for few trips Stein had a poor game. Giles and really the 2nd unit sparked the lead, which is more than can be said for the starting unit. Hield had a great shooting game but fell off towards the end in execution. Hield should of pulled up for 3 down 4 after McCullum missed 2 FTs instead of a blown layup it was already under 24s so stupid to try to trade baskets....and it was like the Blazers were gift-wrapping a re-entry for the Kings into the game. These losses are hurting playoff chances....
True though I have never thought they would make the playoffs. Too young and inexperienced. They need a 3. They need the kids of Fox, Bagley, Giles to keep getting better along with Buddy and Bogi.
 
Play Giles makes much more sense now as teams have taken away the lob from WCS and Giles has that little 10-12ft jumper that WCS doesn't.
Yep, the scouting report and coaching is in for alley-oops especially with Bogdan. Teams scouting/coaching are well-paid. Teams aren't going to lay back and allow its continuance.
 
Yep, the scouting report and coaching is in for alley-oops especially with Bogdan. Teams scouting/coaching are well-paid. Teams aren't going to lay back and allow its continuance.
That was the problem we had all game long. Bog/Fox drove into the lane and the lob wasn't there, then they had to force a shot up or tried to make a pass with heavy traffic in the lane.
 
Think your right. Cart before the horse. Next year I'll return to rooting hard for wins and rest of this year just enjoy watching the team and guys grow/develop
To make the play-offs next year
1) Fox, Bagley and Giles have to develop
2) we need to sign a good free agent

It’s why I have been so less than happy to see no Giles. WCS, Beli and Shumpert are important pieces but we need those 3 to develop and take pressure off our shooters.
 
True though I have never thought they would make the playoffs. Too young and inexperienced. They need a 3. They need the kids of Fox, Bagley, Giles to keep getting better along with Buddy and Bogi.
At this point playoffs are not shut out yet. .500 at mid season, still affords some optimism. Bagley off injury will shore up front-court. Koufos should be benched. They look like they're playing 4 on 5 during offensive series. Guards are tentative to give him the ball. He had a horrendous running hook that went way wide off the backboard....maybe the worst looking shot of any King player the whole night.
 
Yep, the scouting report and coaching is in for alley-oops especially with Bogdan. Teams scouting/coaching are well-paid. Teams aren't going to lay back and allow its continuance.
Scouting reports also say we suck at rebounding. So they pack the paint. I’ve never seen so many backtaps in my life. I feel like every other possession teams are getting multiple chances to score. This isn’t an AAU league. You give a team 2-3 chances to score you will get killed.
 
Opposing teams are doing the following:

1. Push out against the Kings guard. Make them drive n dish or shoot with a man in their grill.
2. Sag off of WCS or Kosta. Make them shoot the midrange, If the Kings drive, stuff them.

Kings need to bring WCS to the perimeter n screen roll him from there. Pull opposing bigs out. Then attack.
I expect a ton of it going fwd.

That said, soft WCS showed up. But it wasn’t even really soft WCS, it was low IQ willie showing up. Use your head. Mix your speed. We miss Bags.

And for those who don’t appreciate Moe Harkless, dude took Bogs outta the game in the last few mins of the 4th n OT. He’s massive in person. About as big n long as WCS. We need a jumbo defender like him.
Not to hammer WCS but his IQ isn’t changing. He is who he is which is a solid rotation guy and a good complement piece.

We miss bags and need more time for Giles as tonight showed and late against the Clippers showed.
 
At this point playoffs are not shut out yet. .500 at mid season, still affords some optimism. Bagley off injury will shore up front-court. Koufos should be benched. They look like they're playing 4 on 5 during offensive series. Guards are tentative to give him the ball. He had a horrendous running hook that went way wide off the backboard....maybe the worst looking shot of any King player the whole night.
If we make the playoffs great it’s a bonus.... but we need Giles to develop for all the reasons you saw tonight.
 
If we make the playoffs great it’s a bonus.... but we need Giles to develop for all the reasons you saw tonight.
Well he put his mark on the game especially with rebounding and defense. It may have been his best outing yet. The other thing I haven't seen mentioned, is I noticed Giles seems to work well with Bagley. They appeared to be looking for one another I recall in limited time together.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
Hell, I’d almost rather see Skal than Willie.

Skal gives me Whiteside vibes. As in we’d regret letting him go if it came to it.... While Willie is what he is. I don’t think his mentality is changing.

Skal certainly isn’t better now, but it wouldn’t shock me in the least if he is in a few years.