Kings @ Wizards game thread, 1/16, 4 p.m. PST

[TIG Kings]

Hawes is always a problem, but Kings still played better!

In some mathematical logical thinking Kings should score more with Martin`s return, but what happened:

86 vs sixers and Wizards!

And don`t say to me: "martin scored enough, others did not"!

Martin always scores enough, but Kings suck!

 

[casspion]

I find it ironic that the kings played so much better against the Lakers without Evans and Martin.

Tyreke is a strong kid who can get to the rim but he can't shoot and he can't run an offense yet. Terrible bigs. Amir Johnson and Nasterovich can give you what Blows and JT do. And those are bench players for the raptors- not some real good team. Who would give the Kings a big man for the scrap parts they have?

 

[TIG Kings]

Tyreke is a strong kid who can get to the rim but he can't shoot and he can't run an offense yet. Terrible bigs. Amir Johnson and Nasterovich can give you what Blows and JT do. And those are bench players for the raptors- not some real good team. Who would give the Kings a big man for the scrap parts they have?

Nesterovic is Bill Russell for Spencer!

 

[Rockmeister]

Yes it is Martin fault because his game makes other guys invisible. The ball is only in his hands! Beno shot 5 and yesterday 7 shots...I don`t think he could do more unless if he would force something out of it...

You must have watched a different game tonight than me.

 

[TIG Kings]

You must have watched a different game tonight than me.

maybe ...

we will write about this at the end of every match and at the end of this road trip.....
This team runs better withOUT Martin!

My honest opinion and I am not alone here...

 

[Showtime]

Evans and Martin just don't mesh on the floor. Evans can create shots for himself and others. Martin creates shots for Martin. He's a ball stopper and that has an impact for guys who normally get shots from ball movement. Beno, who has been the most consistent player all season long, doesn't get the PT or touches with Martin back. Kevin is still playing like the old Kevin, and that doesn't fit what has worked for this team so far this season.

 

[drboiffard]

Hawes is always a problem, but Kings still played better!

In some mathematical logical thinking Kings should score more with Martin`s return, but what happened:

86 vs sixers and Wizards!

And don`t say to me: "martin scored enough, others did not"!

Martin always scores enough, but Kings suck!

From what I've seen we have taken two gears down in attack to let Kevin enter. We need to run more and play faster, because it's precissely in static attacks when our bigs gets more trouble to score. They haven't any tools or post movements when the deffense is set.

 

[Bricklayer]

You must have watched a different game tonight than me.

He watcehd the same game i did.

Here's the thing. To this point this season we've split the ball time with about 1/2 being Reke plays, where he drives himself or kicks it to people for open shots (which they do not always hit), and then half being action ont he other side of the court involving the rest of the team. Depends on who the personnel have ben, but pick and rolls etc. So Reke has gotten his shots, created a few for people during his shots, and then everybody else has had the other half of the game to get theirs.

Now we are still doing the same thing, but whetehr it be Kevin, the coaches, or overly deferential teammates, now we have half the game reke getting his shots and creating a few, and then the other half of the game is Kevin getting his shots. And hey, that is what he does -- he's a shooting guard, and a high scoring one. But the problem is that we have lost the "everybody else gets their shots". At least in rhythm, in their spots.

Reke can probably fend for himself I think. That was why I hesitated after the awful night last night in Philly -- he has the ball himself, and I think he is beyond over deferring to Kevin I hope. But the other players right now are trapped between a Scylla and Charybda of shot munching guards and just getting scraps. They aren't involved. Not to mention the fiery young team chemistry seems dead.

 

[piksi]

didn't watch the game - fortunately = can't do the game thread for the next game either

seems like we are transforming from the young exciting team to sucky boring team and quickly. You add an "efficient" 20+ scorer and you drop 10 PPG.

This team looks dead, there is no chemistry, they need 2 balls to play. We had many problems that we can't solve and we added one more.

I enjoyed watching us play win or lose because I could see a team out there and it was exciting. Now - it looks boring, like last season boring.

Not everything is to be blamed on Kevin but while we gained some points (not really since we score 10 less per game), we are way worse defensively and ball movement disappeared.

 

[Kings Faithful]

Say all you want about martin messing up the team... but its a fact that Martin doesn't cause the rest of our players to shoot like ****. Thats everyone elses fault. You can make arguments that players stop the offensive flow, or take too many wild shots, or turn the ball over or whatever... but a single player cannot cause his entire team to miss wide open shots...

 

[swisshh]

maybe ...

we will write about this at the end of every match and at the end of this road trip.....
This team runs better withOUT Martin!

My honest opinion and I am not alone here...

You don't mean run the floor better do you? Martin runs the floor on the break fine. Tyreke is the one who should be pushing the ball, but he seems content to just trot up the floor. If this team is not fast breaking, their shooting percentage will drop dramatically.

My main concern is the dropoff in energy. This team fought hard just a couple weeks ago. Their personality is not the same right now.

 

[Luv4Kings]

Say all you want about martin messing up the team... but its a fact that Martin doesn't cause the rest of our players to shoot like ****. Thats everyone elses fault. You can make arguments that players stop the offensive flow, or take too many wild shots, or turn the ball over or whatever... but a single player cannot cause his entire team to miss wide open shots...

Sure he can, he can cause Hawes to have 5 turnovers and the opposing team to block Evan's shots inside. Martin is an amazing player who is responsible for everything bad that happens to this team!

Seriously, Martin played within himself, only took shots he was given, passed the ball to other players (unfortunately) and played good defense.

 

[Luv4Kings]

You don't mean run the floor better do you? Martin runs the floor on the break fine. Tyreke is the one who should be pushing the ball, but he seems content to just trot up the floor. If this team is not fast breaking, their shooting percentage will drop dramatically.

My main concern is the dropoff in energy. This team fought hard just a couple weeks ago. Their personality is not the same right now.

One thing that does happen that is unfortunate, when a good player comes back from injury, often other players relax thinking that they don't have to do as much. Remember that we saw this often when Webber was out and came back. But it usually doesn't last long.

Plus we're on the road. This team hasn't played well on the road yet.

 

[Showtime]

Say all you want about martin messing up the team... but its a fact that Martin doesn't cause the rest of our players to shoot like ****. Thats everyone elses fault.

Not true. When you have a guy taking up the majority of shots, the ball movement stops. The player movement stops. Easier shots don't open up. Guys don't get into a rhythm offensively. When a player like Beno hits a few layups and short jumpers, he's good to go for the rest of the game. When he doesn't get those easy buckets and his shots are few and far between because of the presence of Martin, then it effects other players.

You can make arguments that players stop the offensive flow, or take too many wild shots, or turn the ball over or whatever... but a single player cannot cause his entire team to miss wide open shots...

Wide open? No. Kill rhythm and limit easier shots from ball movement? yes.

 

[Luv4Kings]

Not true. When you have a guy taking up the majority of shots, the ball movement stops. The player movement stops. Easier shots don't open up. Guys don't get into a rhythm offensively. When a player like Beno hits a few layups and short jumpers, he's good to go for the rest of the game. When he doesn't get those easy buckets and his shots are few and far between because of the presence of Martin, then it effects other players.


Wide open? No. Kill rhythm and limit easier shots from ball movement? yes.

Martin took 17 shots, he's used to about 20+. Evans took 19 shots. If there were any two players on this team who should have most of the shots, it's Martin and Evans.

And still Martin had 4 assists and Evans had 7 assists.

 

[swisshh]

KMart moves in the offense, probably better than most anyone on the team. The problem I saw is that they were just all looking to get him the ball, like it was last year's system. If Martin's shot is not there, swing the ball. Most of Kevin's makes came off of defensive collapses or ball swings. I thought they would use him as "a guy you can't leave", so the guy guarding him can't double the post off of Martin, and if they do Kevin will kill them from outside. Instead, they are running plays particularly for Kevin and the rest of the team are sort of laying back. He's drawing fouls, but its not leading to overall offense.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

If we had won, Brockman would have deserved a lot of credit. He drew 4 fouls in the fourth quarter. EARLY in the fourth quarter. Thats a huge advantage, but we didnt take advantage of it.

 

[Gary]

But is that Martin's fault or is it theirs for deferring all the time. Omri has just been playing lights out horrible lately and Hawes and Thompson continue the slow spiral of doom. It doesn't help that Beno was invisible and Udoka was bricking shot after shot. I also don't understand why we even use Noce anymore.

Probably both... You do make a good point though

 

[Emma]

didn't watch the game - fortunately = can't do the game thread for the next game either

Got it. Tomorrow morning.

 

[SacKings384]

Not sure you can blame this one on Martin. This was a collectively bad effort, and we've been losing a lot lately. It's not as if we were on some sort of big winning streak before K-Mart came back.

 

[Showtime]

Martin took 17 shots, he's used to about 20+. Evans took 19 shots. If there were any two players on this team who should have most of the shots, it's Martin and Evans.

Problem is, as I said, those 17+ shots he took would have been divided up among other players, and in some cases, sparking some rhythm and opening up easier shots. Instead, Martin gets the ball, isolates, and makes his move with those 17+ shots, and he only made 6 of them.

And still Martin had 4 assists and Evans had 7 assists.

You are equating assists with ball movement, which isn't inherently the same thing. Martin does not make plays for others, and those 4 assists tonight doesn't change that. It's just his style of play, which doesn't help his teammates.

 

[guy370]

KM- please please fall on enjury again!!

i prommise you to give you a candies and good other food and to visit you once a week just don't come to our rotation, please! im beggin!



the Martin returne is the Kings starting fall.

i miss the passion and energy of Casspi and the ball movment that got died on two last games.

someone here is apsychartic ?!? because i dont get understand what goes in Westpull mind!

 

[Slohoop]

Welcome back K-Mart! You really are one hell of a player. You've killed this fantastic young and talented team, there's no spirit anymore, everybody just seems forget to play basketball!?

TRADE MARTIN PLEASE! It's impossible that two guards are taking half of shots!!!

I want young Kings back!

 

[pshn80]

We came close tonight. Did anyone notice the shooting percentage the Wizards had at the end of the game? Hang in there team, fans, posters, hang in there.

 

[BMiller52]

This team isn't playing HARD or fighting to win GAMES or hustling for REBOUNDS like they did a few weeks ago. It's not Martin's fault, these guys started to play like hot trash before he came back too. These guys got fat thinking they're awesome because they were almost .500 then they stopped playing. Has nothing to do with KMart. If this team gets serious yeah they can win some games, if not, then they'll keep losing to garbage teams like Washington and Philly. It'd be a good thing if they got blown out by the bobcats, maybe they'd wake the hell up and start playing hard again.

 

[AriesMar27]

we've lost 9 of our last 10 games... martin is playing his 2nd game... we were sucking before he got back. thats not his fault that thompson is a scrub, 1-5?

 

[Tetsujin]

we've lost 9 of our last 10 games... martin is playing his 2nd game... we were sucking before he got back.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with you. We weren't exactly blowing people out of the water before Martin returned.

 

[BMiller52]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with you. We weren't exactly blowing people out of the water before Martin returned.

Yeah but it's all Martin's fault. Like I said before, this team stopped working hard, got full of themselves, and started playing like trash multiple games ago. We lost to the 6ers without KM. This team is garbage at the moment.

 

[Tetsujin]

Yeah but it's all Martin's fault. Like I said before, this team stopped working hard, got full of themselves, and started playing like trash multiple games ago. We lost to the 6ers without KM. This team is garbage at the moment.

Our recent play has been like a deflated tire. Absolutely no bounce or energy out there.

We need that energy back before we make any conclusions

 

[Bricklayer]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with you. We weren't exactly blowing people out of the water before Martin returned.

No we weren't. But over the 8 games before Kevin's return (since we are playing with 10 game stretches now) we were averaging 101.7ppg against mostly elite teams, some of them even without Reke as well

Now Kevin returns and we have averaged 87ppg against two pitiful teams.

2 games would be an absurdly small sample size if the same thing had not happened at the start of the season. We have to get 15ppg better here just to get back to our "poor" offensive play before Kevin's return. And that would be what, a whoop? Wasn't adding Kevin back supposed to magically make us the highest scoring team in history or whatnot? Or maybe at this point just being able to say see, Kevin hasn't made us any worse is the sort of backhanded compliment that we'll settle for. In any case, I don't want to hear anymore about how these last two games have somehow been typical games for us -- they have not. It may be complete coincidence the wheels falling back off just when Kevin returned. He may just be a victim of some perversely bad timing. But that's a fairly desperate argument.