http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13953728p-14788170c.html
Marty Mac's World: Bibby now must live up to offseason proclamation
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 8, 2005
Think of the Minnesota Vikings and their early-season troubles followed by their current five-game winning streak, and it's apparent the Kings need an off-day boat trip.
Seriously, what the Kings need is leadership, and just a few months ago, point guard Mike Bibby proclaimed that this was his team.
Oftentimes, things are easier said than done.
Bibby's team is 7-11 and handing out victories with more ease than a clerk at a convenience store. By no means is Bibby to blame for all the team's problems. But once a player makes a proclamation as Bibby did and things go as they have, there is a natural assumption of responsibility for what occurs.
That's good and bad. For whatever one thinks of former Kings All-Star Chris Webber, he had no problem taking the blame when things went badly.
So now we'll find out about Bibby's leadership (and Brad Miller's and Peja Stojakovic's) as well as this team's character.
Everybody wants to ask about the projections for a team at the start of a season. That's the wrong time because everything is sheer conjecture.
However, it's when a team's direction is on a teeter-totter - as the Kings' is now - that you find out which players will respond to the urgency of the situation. And things, indeed, are urgent.
A team meeting already has been held, so that card has been played. Not to say it can't be used again, but how many times can a team go there? Right now, everything that can go wrong will go wrong and will continue to do so until the Kings play as if every game is their last.
And who is responsible for eliciting that approach? Bibby. He has to make sure this team plays more intelligently and disciplined on offense.
When Miller fails to shoot an uncontested 16-footer, it's Bibby's job to push him. When power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim totals 17 rebounds in the past four games, not only should he hear about it, it wouldn't be out of line for Bibby to grab a few and show him how it's done.
When Bibby doesn't rotate defensively or stay in front of his man, Miller and others must get on his case - and it's up to Bibby to respond. Leadership means taking the business as well as giving it.
In Stojakovic's case, the man does not react well to having someone in his face - never has, never will, say teammates old and new. Stojakovic has to be allowed to play his way out of his funk because right now, the dude can't make a layup and won't dunk.
But when Cleveland's Eric Snow turns the corner on a pick and roll 18 feet from the basket and lays in the ball without being challenged, much less driven into the floor, then that's on you, Mr. Coach Rick Adelman. Ditto for the consistently slow or nonexistent defensive rotations. A timeout should follow immediately. Then bring the profanity and challenge somebody's, everybody's heart. And then distribute a little bench time to consider the concept. The miracle so far is how Bonzi Wells hasn't cussed out the entire team.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
Marty Mac's World: Bibby now must live up to offseason proclamation
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 8, 2005
Think of the Minnesota Vikings and their early-season troubles followed by their current five-game winning streak, and it's apparent the Kings need an off-day boat trip.
Seriously, what the Kings need is leadership, and just a few months ago, point guard Mike Bibby proclaimed that this was his team.
Oftentimes, things are easier said than done.
Bibby's team is 7-11 and handing out victories with more ease than a clerk at a convenience store. By no means is Bibby to blame for all the team's problems. But once a player makes a proclamation as Bibby did and things go as they have, there is a natural assumption of responsibility for what occurs.
That's good and bad. For whatever one thinks of former Kings All-Star Chris Webber, he had no problem taking the blame when things went badly.
So now we'll find out about Bibby's leadership (and Brad Miller's and Peja Stojakovic's) as well as this team's character.
Everybody wants to ask about the projections for a team at the start of a season. That's the wrong time because everything is sheer conjecture.
However, it's when a team's direction is on a teeter-totter - as the Kings' is now - that you find out which players will respond to the urgency of the situation. And things, indeed, are urgent.
A team meeting already has been held, so that card has been played. Not to say it can't be used again, but how many times can a team go there? Right now, everything that can go wrong will go wrong and will continue to do so until the Kings play as if every game is their last.
And who is responsible for eliciting that approach? Bibby. He has to make sure this team plays more intelligently and disciplined on offense.
When Miller fails to shoot an uncontested 16-footer, it's Bibby's job to push him. When power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim totals 17 rebounds in the past four games, not only should he hear about it, it wouldn't be out of line for Bibby to grab a few and show him how it's done.
When Bibby doesn't rotate defensively or stay in front of his man, Miller and others must get on his case - and it's up to Bibby to respond. Leadership means taking the business as well as giving it.
In Stojakovic's case, the man does not react well to having someone in his face - never has, never will, say teammates old and new. Stojakovic has to be allowed to play his way out of his funk because right now, the dude can't make a layup and won't dunk.
But when Cleveland's Eric Snow turns the corner on a pick and roll 18 feet from the basket and lays in the ball without being challenged, much less driven into the floor, then that's on you, Mr. Coach Rick Adelman. Ditto for the consistently slow or nonexistent defensive rotations. A timeout should follow immediately. Then bring the profanity and challenge somebody's, everybody's heart. And then distribute a little bench time to consider the concept. The miracle so far is how Bonzi Wells hasn't cussed out the entire team.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
