http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14083751p-14914141c.html
Marty Mac's World: Pity coaches: They can do only so much
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 17, 2006
So, you want to coach?
Kings coach Rick Adelman just kept shaking his head and trying to figure out what happened.
Late in Sunday night's 104-100 Kings victory over the Orlando Magic, Adelman became amazed by his squad's unpredictable exploits.
The Magic needed three-pointers, so the coach told his players not to leave the shooters. So there was Travis Diener standing wide open at the three-point line with Adelman on the sideline and myself seated at press row both closer to the man with the ball than any Kings player. Diener, the little guy who used to play at Marquette alongside Dwyane Wade before Wade blew up in Miami, stuck the three, and a 96-88 Kings lead with 42 seconds left became 96-91 with 32.1 seconds to go.
"I just told (Mike Bibby) to go guard the guy and don't leave him," Adelman said to his assistant coaches.
Then Kings rookie swingman Francisco García was fouled with 30.4 seconds to go and missed both free throws. Adelman screamed as best he could with that muffled voice, "Stay home on the shooters," while the Magic ran its offense right in front of the Kings' bench.
Then a shooter, Hedo Turkoglu (whom at least some of the Kings should have known), became wide open and stuck a three-pointer with 20 seconds left, and it was 96-94.
Now, I'm a big proponent of a coach giving stars the business just as much as he does a rookie or a free agent. But late in that game, how much could he really say to Bibby? At the time, he'd scored 41.7 percent (40 points) of the Kings' total.
Adelman did turn to Bibby with that sad look. The point guard, who for the record had bruised his back just a few minutes earlier, gave his coach an acknowledging look of "I messed up."
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
Marty Mac's World: Pity coaches: They can do only so much
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 17, 2006
So, you want to coach?
Kings coach Rick Adelman just kept shaking his head and trying to figure out what happened.
Late in Sunday night's 104-100 Kings victory over the Orlando Magic, Adelman became amazed by his squad's unpredictable exploits.
The Magic needed three-pointers, so the coach told his players not to leave the shooters. So there was Travis Diener standing wide open at the three-point line with Adelman on the sideline and myself seated at press row both closer to the man with the ball than any Kings player. Diener, the little guy who used to play at Marquette alongside Dwyane Wade before Wade blew up in Miami, stuck the three, and a 96-88 Kings lead with 42 seconds left became 96-91 with 32.1 seconds to go.
"I just told (Mike Bibby) to go guard the guy and don't leave him," Adelman said to his assistant coaches.
Then Kings rookie swingman Francisco García was fouled with 30.4 seconds to go and missed both free throws. Adelman screamed as best he could with that muffled voice, "Stay home on the shooters," while the Magic ran its offense right in front of the Kings' bench.
Then a shooter, Hedo Turkoglu (whom at least some of the Kings should have known), became wide open and stuck a three-pointer with 20 seconds left, and it was 96-94.
Now, I'm a big proponent of a coach giving stars the business just as much as he does a rookie or a free agent. But late in that game, how much could he really say to Bibby? At the time, he'd scored 41.7 percent (40 points) of the Kings' total.
Adelman did turn to Bibby with that sad look. The point guard, who for the record had bruised his back just a few minutes earlier, gave his coach an acknowledging look of "I messed up."
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
