[Game] Kings vs. Raptors, 1/8/2021 7pm PST, 10pm EST

Hassan must have pulled a prank on Walton. He could easily shade out a guy like Bouscher and call this game over.
And probably time to clip some Robinson minutes and give Woodard some rotation minutes. He’ll get us more rebounds and blocks instead of the missed shots.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
Hassan must have pulled a prank on Walton. He could easily shade out a guy like Bouscher and call this game over.
And probably time to clip some Robinson minutes and give Woodard some rotation minutes. He’ll get us more rebounds and blocks instead of the missed shots.
But Bouscher would have hit a three while Hassan hangs out in no-man’s land and people would whine about that, nevermind the blocks and alterations and rebounds he’s gotten elsewhere.
 
To me the most exciting thing about his game is his ability to adapt and how quickly he learns. We some of his warts in this game; he isn’t a good finisher at the rim and doesn’t have much midrange either. I guarantee by next year he will have improved big time in those areas.
He has to put on 10-15 pounds. That will go a long way on both ends. Right now I'm glad he seems to have got the message on that 2nd time around crash after getting knocked out of the air realizing physics is a thing. Heavier object hits lighter object, lighter object goes flying haha. Luckily he didn't break anything this time. I'm still not sure if trying to adapt his game too much is a good thing. He's so good at what he does and next to Fox and Bagley it's EXACTLY what you need moving forward. That Draymond type who makes it all flow. He has a really good spot shot, a developing step back, and side step jumper but off pick and roll he's not much outside of a floater or the drive. Like you said, not much midrange off screens and some of that has to do with his shot mechanics. And to that, I say, who cares, getting to the rim with his size and length is butter and a floater is all you basically need nowadays anyway.
 
Buddy had 15/5/6. I'm conflicted on if I like the all around game Buddy or the high scoring Buddy. I know what Walton likes, but this team may be more in need of a guy who can light you up for 35pts on any given night. Especially with the addition of Tyrese who can be the playmaker, defensive player that Walton was trying to make Buddy into.
 
I’m with Slab! Holmes and Bagley could not stop Siakim or Boucher down low Why no Whiteside ?
He should have slowed them down low.
Luke stayed with small ball all night. WTF Luke!
Buddy and Belicia sucked. He should have put Tyrese on Van Vleet all night! Or small ball lineup could not play defense AT ALL!!’
 
What would Coach Pop say after his team crashed and burned like this second half? We need a stern, tell it like it is head coach that would say it in the locker room LOUD AND CLEAR. Not presser, "we did some things well but we gotta do better, gotta another one with Portland tomorrow night." LAME.
 
But Bouscher would have hit a three while Hassan hangs out in no-man’s land and people would whine about that, nevermind the blocks and alterations and rebounds he’s gotten elsewhere.
Whiteside isn't a good basketball player, no matter how much you may want it to be true. But I absolutely agree in today's case that Holmes/Bagley/the entire Kings defense was getting utterly torched in every facet. Can't just keep beating your head against the wall (Or apparently Walton actually can) while a team drops its franchise record on you.
 

\What’s stopping you from doing it mid-game, Luke?
Yeah there were several questions about Whiteside, he said it was not a performance thing with Whiteside, said it was more about the pace they are trying to play at. But at some point it should be plain to see it is not working.

And Haliburton should be able to set Whiteside up offensively too, even if he is not going to run up and down the floor as well as the smaller unit.
 
Somebody in the presser mentioned that we are getting torched by guards at the hoop...and then asked about putting Hassan Whiteside in there.

Walton didn’t address the Whiteside portion of the question
He did say it wasn't just the guards, Henry followed up later they were switching too much, the opponets know they are going to do it putting our bigs in bad spots and the guards need to fight around screens more.
 
What would Coach Pop say after his team crashed and burned like this second half? We need a stern, tell it like it is head coach that would say it in the locker room LOUD AND CLEAR. Not presser, "we did some things well but we gotta do better, gotta another one with Portland tomorrow night." LAME.
So goes the problem of a left over coach. Not that Luke would do that anyway but when you usher your GM out the door and HIS coach is left holding the bag, it kind of strips that coach of a lot of abilities. Since that day he was hanging on by a thread, and these players aren't oblivious to that. Add on that he's already had run ins with at least 2 of his stars then oh boy, it's a matter of time. First signs of real wavering and the mess is just that much harder to clean up.
 
The stats are just crazy weird tonight.

56.8% from the floor
44.4% from 3
Shoot 28 ft

Lose by 21

We all know a ton had to do with our bad defense and getting murdered on the boards, but I don't recall ever shooting so well, getting to the line, and getting beat up this bad.
 
Holmes with the best +/- of the non garbage time players at -4 despite not even getting a rebound.

The one big Walton played this game that plays defense.

Imagine if Walton would have played the elite rim defending, elite rebounding big that we have. Could have changed the game.
 
He did say it wasn't just the guards, Henry followed up later they were switching too much, the opponets know they are going to do it putting our bigs in bad spots and the guards need to fight around screens more.
hahaha. Fight around screens. Been there, done that. Luke can't commit to any one thing. He wants to play small but it can't force a Cory Joseph towards the back of the rotation for goodness sake! So it doesn't. We can't not play big! So he'll switch with Bjelica on a guard and Joseph helping off the high percentage 3's. Either get with the picture and join the rest of the league or move on. Almost all of the Kings issues come back to rotation in some way. Luke Walton doesn't understand how to switch after last season and in this one it's fairly easy to see. Maybe this team in the end isn't a reliable switch team in any formation. Maybe not though. Might as well find out right? Luke has been waaay erratic in his lineups this year. Changing on the fly isn't the issue it's the pieces he's putting in and out that don't change the dynamic and the ability to effectively run what he's trying to run. As of now, as a quick bandaid they really shouldn't have let Baze go. Now, there are many other issue besides the switching but Baze was certainly someone he could rely on in his defensive scheme and he's missing that in a big way.
 
Holmes with the best +/- of the non garbage time players at -4 despite not even getting a rebound.

The one big Walton played this game that plays defense.

Imagine if Walton would have played the elite rim defending, elite rebounding big that we have. Could have changed the game.
I didn't realize Holmes didn't have a rebound.

Jeez Buddy was our team leader with 5