[Game] Kings vs. Clippers, 1/15/21 7pm PST, 10pm EST

This is why you don’t hire a head coach based purely on whether or not he showed you where all the dankest weed dealers were in Santa Monica when you warmed the bench together on the Lakers.
The NBA is the croniest league of all. But when you fire the guy he sold you on him he has to go to. Vivek still making rookie *** mistakes. History is all you need to show you the way. Learn from others mistakes.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
Can we all agree that the Kings this season (slow death of this quarter excluded) are not playing defense with the minimal effort you would expect of a team with a historically poor defensive rating? I feel like the Kings stepped up the effort level this season and somehow got worse. Any theories on how that's possible? Overplaying everything? No idea what the other teams offensive sets look like?
 
Can we all agree that the Kings this season (slow death of this quarter excluded) are not playing defense with the minimal effort you would expect of a team with a historically poor defensive rating? I feel like the Kings stepped up the effort level this season and somehow got worse. Any theories on how that's possible? Overplaying everything? No idea what the other teams offensive sets look like?
My two cents, it's the personnel. The Clips weren't doing anything special on defense. Their players just defensively murdered the Kings in the 2h. That's because:

1. Fox has the physical tools to be an elite defender at the 1 spot. But despite the flashy steals and blocks, he's soft. Still doesn't fight over screens...

2. Buddy is probably the worse defending starting two guard in the league. It is the primary reason why he should be a 6th man. Don't have to worry about defending.

3. Barnes is the only Kings player, who can guard the Lebron, Kawahi, George types. But not at an elite level.

4. Bags has the physical tools, but lacks the experience and the mindset. He's improving though. But not enough.

5. Holmes is a more physical, but essentially a center version of Fox. Defensively, he's flashy--at times. But he's not Whiteside who not only produce transparent stats, he freeze's defenders when they enter the paint.

6. Cojo is on his last legs. Outside of Woodard and James, the Kings don't have any other players to come in and defend.

7. Haliburton gets a pass, because he's going to be the Kings best player by this time next year. Someone would say he already is.