[Game] Kings @ Wizards, 2/12/2022, 4pm Pacific 7pm Eastern

[The_Jamal]

Domas is unlocking Fox for sure. And everyone else. Gravity and facilitation.

The Sabonis gravity is legit. He just forces defenses to collapse on him otherwise he gets a 1on1 match-up which he's going to win a majority of the time. Everyone is absolutely loving cutting off him in the high post and I honestly think we've had more baskets off cuts in the last 2 games than the last 2 years combined.

We're seeing a Fox off-ball game for probably the first time in his career. Finally, there's someone who can get him some easy looks where he doesn't have to do the creation. He and Hali just couldn't work a 2-man game together like Sabonis/Fox are. It was "taking turns".

 

[kb02]

Man, of all the things to be hype about, near the top of my list is DDV. If he gets even a semblance of his shot… just unreal we got him for Bagley.

I’m floored by his court speed. Dude was flying EVERYWHERE. Looked almost out of control but was going where he was supposed to with it.

Is that how he always plays?!

He connects on offense and defense. Going to be fun seeing him and Davion annoy other teams.

 

[SLAB]

It's funny for me to see so many of you just carelessly start interpreting a player's mental states/desire to win/motivation/etc with zero hesitation.

Fox’s demeanor between the entire rest of this season and these past two games makes it pretty easy to throw speculation out.

 

[EIM86]

If Haliburton were a 7 foot tall bruiser, it would have worked. Well, I mean they could have built the team around a combo G combo too though but still. In the end, you always want someone that can put their foot up their mans backside. Skill, unselfish, there's room for that. But you always need that one dude. Fox has shown he can potentially be that dude if you let him.

agreed

“go get me a bucket”

 

[KainLear]

I wanted them to go more modern, but in the trades Monte kind of did both so in the end, whatever. Whatever team they have now, they just have to use it right and so far, so good. If you're picking BPA and they don't fit your star, Monte did this the exact way it needs to be done, even if it doesn't pan out in the end. Good on him.

I feel that they somehow still followed what Vlade had set up with a PG/PF pairing, with some alterations made. I think what Sabonis is providing is what Vlade wanted Bagley to provide, more or less.

 

[kb02]

The Sabonis gravity is legit. He just forces defenses to collapse on him otherwise he gets a 1on1 match-up which he's going to win a majority of the time. Everyone is absolutely loving cutting off him in the high post and I honestly think we've had more baskets off cuts in the last 2 games than the last 2 years combined.

We're seeing a Fox off-ball game for probably the first time in his career. Finally, there's someone who can get him some easy looks where he doesn't have to do the creation. He and Hali just couldn't work a 2-man game together like Sabonis/Fox are. It was "taking turns".

Yea, makes life easier for everyone.

 

[Larry89]

I've been wondering for years now, how long you would have "disgruntled" under your screen name. Maybe that time of real change is coming in the near future?

It hasn't been that long, maybe a year or two after I finally joined the site..

 

[The_Jamal]

Also DDV is going to start very very soon. He shot horribly, but his defensive activity is incredible and he's so intuitive on playing within a team concept and understands how to rotate. Contests everything and has great hands (broke up like 3 or 4 plays). You basically saw all the "good" of DDV in terms of his secondary playmaking, hustle, defense, but we just need the shooting to come along.

 

[SacTownKid]

The Sabonis gravity is legit. He just forces defenses to collapse on him otherwise he gets a 1on1 match-up which he's going to win a majority of the time. Everyone is absolutely loving cutting off him in the high post and I honestly think we've had more baskets off cuts in the last 2 games than the last 2 years combined.

We're seeing a Fox off-ball game for probably the first time in his career. Finally, there's someone who can get him some easy looks where he doesn't have to do the creation. He and Hali just couldn't work a 2-man game together like Sabonis/Fox are. It was "taking turns".

We're also seeing Fox get comfortable with a big in pick and roll that can catch almost anything. He'd have to go back to his college days for that feeling. He never showed us that little flip over the other shoulder off the pick and roll pass. Mainly because he wouldn't trust his big to be able to catch it. Kings players used to say the same thing about CWebb. Knowing you don't have to pinpoint every dime and just throw it into an area is beyond freeing.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

It hasn't been that long, maybe a year or two after I finally joined the site..

What will it take for your 'signature' to say something like "Energized Kings Fan" ?

 

[Larry89]

What will it take for your 'signature' to say something like "Energized Kings Fan" ?

We will know when we get there

 

[The_Jamal]

I like that Gentry made adjustments with his lineup combinations in the second half. He had a long stretch at the end of the first into the 2nd where none of Fox/Sabonis/Barnes were on the floor. Just can't have that and he immediately adjusted to stagger them better in the 2nd half.

It's kind of ridiculous how much better the wing defense is. The wingspan bros (Holiday/Harkless) get things started off right and then you turn it over to Mitchell/DDV to lock up 2nd units. I think Lamb will be a nice bridge on offense especially too to work in that rotation.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

We will know when we get there

I'm with you. It could happen, but it might not. We'll see how it goes

 

[Woot!]

HB can be infuriating. He can completely disappear for weeks at a time and then average 25 points on 8 shots for a couple weeks straight and it's not like Buddy where he just goes cold from the field. He just disappears for whatever reason.

No question that HB can be way passive. But mostly it's the rest of the team that left him above the 3-pt line in the corner for entire quarters at a time, and guys who lacked the BBIQ and/or skills and/or inclination to take advantage of his off-ball movement.

Sabonis is a HUGE difference-maker there. And Holiday and Lamb bring that motion-multiple-passes game with them as well. And HB has become more active as a result because there's a chance his effort to find the open spaces will be rewarded. Ditto for Metu and Harkless.

 

[dude12]

Also DDV is going to start very very soon. He shot horribly, but his defensive activity is incredible and he's so intuitive on playing within a team concept and understands how to rotate. Contests everything and has great hands (broke up like 3 or 4 plays). You basically saw all the "good" of DDV in terms of his secondary playmaking, hustle, defense, but we just need the shooting to come along.

As far as DDV starting, maybe. Holiday’s defense is extremely good and we started seeing him hit the 3. I do like Davion and DDV together as they both facilitate a little bit

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

No question that HB can be way passive. But mostly it's the rest of the team that left him above the 3-pt line in the corner for entire quarters at a time, and guys who lacked the BBIQ and/or skills and/or inclination to take advantage of his off-ball movement.

Sabonis is a HUGE difference-maker there. And Holiday and Lamb bring that motion-multiple-passes game with them as well. And HB has become more active as a result because there's a chance his effort to find the open spaces will be rewarded. Ditto for Metu and Harkless.

Kyle Draper made a good point, that Barnes thrives in a system of real fundamental basketball, in terms of ball movement and cutting. It stokes his game and brings out his best. Watching Iso ball doesn't motivate him

 

[The_Jamal]

Starting to see how teams are countering the Kings. Clogging cutting lanes in the paint. Going to need consistent three point shooting to beat the good teams.

Which, outside of DDV, we got. The role players:

DDV: 1-7
Metu: 2-2
Mitchell: 2-5
Harkless: 3-3
Holiday: 4-6

Total: 12-23 for 52%.

Thus why we ended up crushing for 123 points. We can add Lamb to the above, but these will be the 6 guys to watch moving forward. If they're shooting well, the offense is going to keep crushing.

 

[NiNetNiNe]

As far as DDV starting, maybe. Holiday’s defense is extremely good and we started seeing him hit the 3. I do like Davion and DDV together as they both facilitate a little bit

I don't mind Holiday starting, he has good chemistry with Sabonis. I think he was the most assisted played, by Sabonis, on the Pacers. Once Holiday finds his shot again, he will be perfect to start.

Having Mitchell, and DDV come of the bench is a treat. Two borderline elite defenders that are lightning fast, and can shoot, will make a great second unit.

 

[gunks]

The two man game with Fox and Sabonis is fun, but I'm just as excited about all the scrappy defenders McNair loaded up on!

Ok, I'm into it again.

 

[Woot!]

If Haliburton were a 7 foot tall bruiser, it would have worked. Well, I mean they could have built the team around a combo G combo too though but still. In the end, you always want someone that can put their foot up their mans backside. Skill, unselfish, there's room for that. But you always need that one dude. Fox has shown he can potentially be that dude if you let him.

Yes, you need someone who can put the team on his back when nothing else is working, and Fox is that guy for the Kings for sure. You don't need a guy who *needs* to get his - who will try to get his - regardless of circumstances.

Again, we'll see.

 

[reptilexcq2]

I think the Kings should start Devincenzo, his defense and defensive team awareness is just too disruptive for the other team. I wouldn't mind starting him over Mo Harkless. Mitchell + Devincenzo are just double disruptive. Holiday and Devincenzo + Fox, Barnes and Sabonis as the starters.

 

[NiNetNiNe]

It looked like Fox was more locked in on defense this game too. I recall a couple of lapses. But he wasn't playing his normal matador defense.

 

[reptilexcq2]

Kings need to focus on drafting an athletic big man that can block shots and shoot from downtown...that will be most needed.

 

[reptilexcq2]

It looked like Fox was more locked in on defense this game too. I recall a couple of lapses. But he wasn't playing his normal matador defense.

Actually, I thought that was his weakness tonight. He doesn't play any D. His reaction is more of a reacting of what the other player do instead of react first and that is a problem when you're playing defense. That is something he need to work on....his offense is fine.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1492694917851668483

lol all we had to do was dump Buddy and Marvin

 

[Woot!]

Kyle Draper made a good point, that Barnes thrives in a system of real fundamental basketball, in terms of ball movement and cutting. It stokes his game and brings out his best. Watching Iso ball doesn't motivate him

Completely agree. Again, Sabonis' vision and skills are the key, but Holiday and Lamb made it a critical mass.

 

[reptilexcq2]

Donte was such a good pickup, looks like a smart, hardworking player

Such a breath of fresh air...don't have to deal with low IQ players that don't play defense like Hield and Bagley.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Kyle Draper made a good point, that Barnes thrives in a system of real fundamental basketball, in terms of ball movement and cutting. It stokes his game and brings out his best. Watching Iso ball doesn't motivate him

I mean, if iso ball isn't part of your game, and your greatest professional success came as part of a championship team that lacked an iso player, why would it?

 

[SLAB]

Dumping Marvin to an even more trash team being the exact moment the Kings turn their franchise around is going to be the greatest part of this entire thing.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1492694917851668483

lol all we had to do was dump Buddy and Marvin

The ISo brothers