Ok. We lost, still..good to see ya Peja

[mr. moustache]

That first quarter was one of my favorite Kings quarters ever. The defensive end was terrible, but I loved seeing Brad and Peja get going. After an assist on a fast break to Corliss Bibby had the biggest smile I've seen in a long time.

Looks like we're going out in the 1st round, but I'm glad I got to see some "Kings" basketball, even if it wasn't a complete game.

The Kings game 3 win bothered me because it relied on making jump shots, and this game came and went hte same way. Shots are falling 1st half, nothing in the 2nd.

Oh yeah, and Ray Allen absolutely deserves to move on in the playoffs. His team was ready to crumble over and over and he just put them all on his back and played like a superstar. Last year I wouldn't have traded Peja for Allen because Allen was almost 2 years older and I thought Peja had more upside. I was wrong.

Peja did show me today that his game is, unfortunately, tied to everyone else. In order for Peja to prosper, his teammates need to feed him. Regardless, nice to see him mattering.

The team got tired at the end. I guess hustling wears you out.

Sorry Bibby, not your year.

 

[4cwebb]

I was hopeful that Peja could have that one big game in this game where he put the Kings' offense on his back, but he just seemed to fade away in the 4th quarter and couldn't hit anything. Disappointing ending to say the least.

Bibby has basically played three terrible games and one good game in this series, which is disappointing as well.

 

[love_them_kings]

Just got back from the game, what a bummer. This team is just lacking something. Can't put my finger on it, but losing Vlade, Christie & Webber AND suffering all the injuries has left us without a "TEAM" in the bigger sense of the word. Very depressing. As for Peja... well, I screamed my heart out for him, but 3/4 of a game just doesn't cut it. To get 27 points in the first 3, and 0 in the forth, well, that just isn't gonna help us, especially when no one else can step up. We were outplayed, its as simple as that.

 

[sauce-26]

bibby cant do it all by himself. he needs other pieces around him like they said on tv.

 

[KP]

Just got back from the game, what a bummer. This team is just lacking something. Can't put my finger on it, but losing Vlade, Christie & Webber AND suffering all the injuries has left us without a "TEAM" in the bigger sense of the word. Very depressing. As for Peja... well, I screamed my heart out for him, but 3/4 of a game just doesn't cut it. To get 27 points in the first 3, and 0 in the forth, well, that just isn't gonna help us, especially when no one else can step up. We were outplayed, its as simple as that.

Good analysis.

 

[Crvena Zvezda]

Lol @ Every one hanging **** on Peja for not doing anything in the 4th.

NEWS FLASH no one did anything after half time PERIOD

 

[sloter]

is this a good place to let it out ???

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

 

[JayBird]

Lol @ Every one hanging **** on Peja for not doing anything in the 4th.

NEWS FLASH no one did anything after half time PERIOD

True. But when you drop 27 through 3 quarters, and a big fat goose egg in the 4th, you are GONNA get criticized, no matter who you are.

Then again, it was Peja, it was the playoffs, and it was the 4th quarter. What did we expect?

 

[VF21]

Lol @ Every one hanging **** on Peja for not doing anything in the 4th.

NEWS FLASH no one did anything after half time PERIOD

They would have done the same thing to Doug, Webber, Vlade, Bibby, Bobby, etc. ad nauseum. Why should Peja be exempt?

 

[ParniValjak]

I think its unwarranted to blame Peja for not scoring in the 4th quarter because it s very hard to consistently put up good shots throughout the game. Every player has a "purple patch" where they go out on a scoring run. People here expect peja to be a super star but guess what he will never be that because quite simply he doesn't have all the attributes required to be one. He is a star but not a super star and to expect him to do what superstars do and then to take it out on him when he deosn't deliver is a bit unfair.

If half the players put in the effort and had the sort of game Peja had we would have smashed the sonics. After all this is a team game and at different times throughout the game different people should step up and thats just not happening.

Just on Peja, he has had very average series so far (apart from a couple of games) and I hope he can actually find some consistency game in game out rather than quarter in quarter out. Basketball is a team game and not a one man show.

 

[Crvena Zvezda]

They would have done the same thing to Doug, Webber, Vlade, Bibby, Bobby, etc. ad nauseum. Why should Peja be exempt?

I'm not saying he should. Why single him out though in such a bad performance from the WHOLE team in the second half.

 

[Bricklayer]

I'm not saying he should. Why single him out though in such a bad performance from the WHOLE team in the second half.

I hardly think he is being singled out this time -- plenty of blame to go around. And if he is, its not because of this game alone. Its because he's been this way for 7 years. Its because winners come to play when it matters, and he does not with any consistency. Every player, even the great ones, are going to have bad finishes, come up short from time to time. Tracy McGrady has been having a superstar series over in the Dal/Hou series, but he came up empty in the 4th in Gm 4 and may have cost them the game. Happens. But Peja has done it time after time after time after time and that is why its noteworthy...again. Bibby was even worse down the stretch tonight, not just invisible but flat out bad. But as a rule you don't expect that out of him. But if he keeps on doing it, you better damn well expect that people will start talking about it, and not in a good way. To the degree Peja is being "singled out" its for a lifetime achievement award.

 

[Raci]

Carolija i agree with you.
Some player are more disappeare than Peja in this 4 games.But that is not excuse for Peja for bad 4 qouter.

 

[TheSerbianQueen]

Pedja's 4th quarter is not what lost this game. It was lack of defence (you can't let one single guy beat the whole team!) and horrible turnovers and forced shots. Bibby made some very un-Bibby like decisions.

 

[Londonking]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing...if we could take back this shot or go with a different play on that trip up the court then maybe it would all be different. However, as that's not a luxury we can call upon we just have to trust the players on the court at that time to fashion a play and execute it to the best of their ability. If the end result is a 30ft no-hoper then im sure its not for wanting to do something with a better percentage chance of scoring initially.

Whoever it is taking the shot, be it Mike, Peja, Cat, then i believe they think they can make the basket. I bet they make those shots in practice all the time.

Bottom line...were not out of this yet and we know we can beat the Sonics. It wont be easy but this Kings team could still make it through. They have the collective talent.

We're not giving up on this team yet.

 

[6th]

Bibby made some very un-Bibby like decisions.

Isn't that the truth?

One of the reasons that the Kings squandered a 19 pt lead (I actually thought it was 21 at one pt) was the lousy defense....but, what else is new. Also, during the runs by the Sonics, the Kings started playing the selfish, no passing, get the ball and shoot a jumper type of basketball that they have been playing all series.

What I miss the most is the passing that Chris, Vlade, and Doug gave us. Bibby can do it too, and he made some beautiful, crisp, on the money passes in the 1st qtr (especially to a moving Peja). But then, as usual, the Kings go away from what works and start playing very selfish, unlike Kings basketball. It just makes my heart sick to see this conglomeration of players together getting away from what we have enjoyed for so long.

**sigh**

 

[loopymitch]

We're just not the Kings anymore, not only have the players changed, that happens but our whole style of play is different. I don't exactly know how or why but they'll never be the same. I still love them but I will miss the old team and I don't just mean the players.

 

[Londonking]

I agree that the next game is going to need to see the Kings showing good ball movement, sensible shot selection and excellent execution (along with a lot of sweat and hustle) if we are to see them at Arco again this season.

Can Bibby run the floor and make the openings, can Brad exert his presence and score effectively,will Bobby be so dynamic, will Peja hit nothing but net ?

I think they can.....

 

[Packt]

To the degree Peja is being "singled out" its for a lifetime achievement award.

That's classic.

If we're going to be an offensive team, we're going to need more options. Right now, we live and die by the jumper. Opponents know if they get in our grills, play the passing lanes- have the off man anticipate the pass- we won't be able to do anything.

That's our whole offense right there.

Without any great one-on-one players- it doesn't seem to be valued much here, anyhow- or a post player, we have no one to go to when defenses tighten up. Opponents will deny Miller at the high-post, and if he does get it, just mug him (he doesn't get any respect) and force him, and the team to move out of their comfort zone. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. In the past we’ve been able to combat it because we could take it down low occasionally, or we were cohesive enough to clamp down on the defensive end ourselves. Now we just force passes that get picked off or end up with a jumper that is contested and bricked.