[Game] Preseason Kings @ Lakers 10/3/2022 7:30pm Pacific 10:30pm Eastern

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Only real negative I take from the preseason game is Fox's shot. I thought he was working on it this summer, but it looks like an even more flat-footed set shot than before, doesn't use his legs at all, seems ironically still off balance, and shot is flat. Too soon to say, but this is such a "need" area of improvement for him, and I just don't see it. Willing to give him time, but that's my first impression
 
Btw were those guys last night the Lakers real commentators?

I don't feel bad for Laker fans very often but I think I might if those are their normal announcers. Not only did they not seem to know names or even what basketball positions are, but they have the potential to cure insomnia worldwide with how boring they were.
 
Only real negative I take from the preseason game is Fox's shot. I thought he was working on it this summer, but it looks like an even more flat-footed set shot than before, doesn't use his legs at all, seems ironically still off balance, and shot is flat. Too soon to say, but this is such a "need" area of improvement for him, and I just don't see it. Willing to give him time, but that's my first impression
Given that I know Brown is putting a lot of pressure on Fox to be a lot better defensively, I'm not going to worry too much about his offense or his shot in the preseason. It'll take time for him to find the balance.
 
Fox looked discombobulated in the first go. The offense looked choppy and the spacing was bad. I don't like where they had Sabonis running the high post from. He needs to be either out at the 3p line or closer to the top of the key. It's was causing congestion unnecessarily. Easily fixable though.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
Fox looked discombobulated in the first go. The offense looked choppy and the spacing was bad. I don't like where they had Sabonis running the high post from. He needs to be either out at the 3p line or closer to the top of the key. It's was causing congestion unnecessarily. Easily fixable though.
To be fair, the biggest cause of congestion in that first half might have been the Lakers having to play three big men at once because they don’t have any perimeter players worth a damn. There were absolutely no driving lanes to work with because Damian Jones and AD were taking turns trying to establish themselves in the paint rather than sticking to their man on the perimeter. The perimeter guys just weren’t making their open shots.
 
So Keegan has played what, 8 games in a Kings uniform and has looked exactly the same in 7 of those 8 games?

And by exactly the same I mean the best player on the floor with elite efficiency.

Super hot take but is it possible that this dude looks like the best player on the Kings roster by the end of the year?

I might be okay with him coming off the bench if it means that he can get more shots up per game. It just feels more like we're watching a seasoned veteran rather than a rookie.
I get it and it makes basketball sense to get KZ defense on opposing starting wings, but Keegan is showing he's ready right away to be a core player in the starting lineup. I'd rather not screw around with 9th/10th men types like KZ and just start having him develop with our long-term guys from the jump.

I watched the KZ first rotation and he was decent on defense. Good rotations, didn't have a super stand out play guarding Bron or AD. I will say he absolutely has the size though, I thought he was more of a bean pole type wing. Looks like he's added weight.
 
If I had to make roster decisions right now, I'd keep

C Sabonis/Holmes/Len
PF Murray/Lyles/Moneke
SF Barnes/Okpala/Bazemore
SG Huerter/Monk/Davis
PG Fox/Mitchell/Dellavedova

Two way: Queta and Ellis

We can quibble over positions (both Barnes & Murray are 4/3s to me and Huerter should be used as a 2/3) but that's the roster I'd go with.

I know Lyles had a poor game last night but I'd keep him as a stretch 4 and cut Metu as well as Merrill, and Cook though I don't have a strong preference for that 3rd PG spot. Even if Fox & Mitchell were out I think Brown would start Monk & Huerter at guard over either of them.

If Metu could be an effective smallball 5 give I'd keep him but I actually think Murray is better suited for that role than Chimezie.

And keeping both Bazemore (who looked good) and Moneke (who was as good as advertised in his first action) makes more sense in such a wing driven league.
100% agree.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
Only real negative I take from the preseason game is Fox's shot. I thought he was working on it this summer, but it looks like an even more flat-footed set shot than before, doesn't use his legs at all, seems ironically still off balance, and shot is flat. Too soon to say, but this is such a "need" area of improvement for him, and I just don't see it. Willing to give him time, but that's my first impression
I'm hoping it has more to do with training camp legs more than anything else. But yes, I want a lot better shooting from Fox by the time the real games start.
 
If I had to make roster decisions right now, I'd keep

C Sabonis/Holmes/Len
PF Murray/Lyles/Moneke
SF Barnes/Okpala/Bazemore
SG Huerter/Monk/Davis
PG Fox/Mitchell/Dellavedova

Two way: Queta and Ellis

We can quibble over positions (both Barnes & Murray are 4/3s to me and Huerter should be used as a 2/3) but that's the roster I'd go with.

I know Lyles had a poor game last night but I'd keep him as a stretch 4 and cut Metu as well as Merrill, and Cook though I don't have a strong preference for that 3rd PG spot. Even if Fox & Mitchell were out I think Brown would start Monk & Huerter at guard over either of them.

If Metu could be an effective smallball 5 give I'd keep him but I actually think Murray is better suited for that role than Chimezie.

And keeping both Bazemore (who looked good) and Moneke (who was as good as advertised in his first action) makes more sense in such a wing driven league.
Replacing Metu with Moneke in that developmental role is a good call. I like Metu, I think there's a rotation player potentially hiding in there, but it's not a bad idea at all for a guy that might be able to flex 3/4 rather than 4/5.
 
Replacing Metu with Moneke in that developmental role is a good call. I like Metu, I think there's a rotation player potentially hiding in there, but it's not a bad idea at all for a guy that might be able to flex 3/4 rather than 4/5.
Agree. I think Metu’s issue is that he doesn’t see himself as a role player. And I think he’s right in any league but the NBA. He just doesn’t have any elite skills. Moneke is going to be an elite cutter, has good passing skills, and has a high end defender/rebounder upside (I’m certainly forecasting).
 
Given that I know Brown is putting a lot of pressure on Fox to be a lot better defensively, I'm not going to worry too much about his offense or his shot in the preseason. It'll take time for him to find the balance.
His shot looked like a carryover from prior seasons and even the free throws still didn't look convincing. It's definitely a valid concern, until we see something different and he'll never be worth his contract if it doesn't improve much
 
Did not see the game so have a question. Looking at the play by play the Lakers main guys appear to have clearly outplayed the Kings starters at least in the first quarter. Did that continue and we won with our bench or did the Kings starters play better? I’m potentially a bit concerned about 1-12 from 3 from the starting group? Reason to be?
 
Did not see the game so have a question. Looking at the play by play the Lakers main guys appear to have clearly outplayed the Kings starters at least in the first quarter. Did that continue and we won with our bench or did the Kings starters play better? I’m potentially a bit concerned about 1-12 from 3 from the starting group? Reason to be?
The offense for the starters hasn't yet coem together, there were glimpses, but they played just well enough to keep us in the game. Where we played well was on defense. The first 3 minute were pretty bad, Mike Brown called a time out, and you could see him yelling at the starters. They then came back in and held the Lakers to like 1/10 shooting until the subs came in. Our defense is what really kept us in the game, and only down by 5 points come half time. If this was last year, our slow offensive start would of put us down in a hole by 20.

The defense needs work, there were a lot of lapses, but you could see once Mike Brown laid in to them, their intensity picked up quite a bit. And then it was bench players all of the second half, and their defense was quite good against the Lakers bench players.
 
So Keegan has played what, 8 games in a Kings uniform and has looked exactly the same in 7 of those 8 games?

And by exactly the same I mean the best player on the floor with elite efficiency.

Super hot take but is it possible that this dude looks like the best player on the Kings roster by the end of the year?

I might be okay with him coming off the bench if it means that he can get more shots up per game. It just feels more like we're watching a seasoned veteran rather than a rookie.
He very well could be if the Kings fail and trade Sabonis and go in for the 7'4 French sweepstakes otherwise it will be hard for him imo.
 
Mike Brown has already shown he can coach.
The game against the Lakers was a tale of two halves.
Okay the Lakers starters sat. I don't care.
The Kings came out and played defense , and moved without the ball on offense in the second half.
 
Lakers starters played a total of 88 minutes. Ours played 71.
All that really matters is James and Davis. Yes that first quarter was ugly but really only because we couldn’t hit a shot. In about 15 min each, James and Davis only had a +/- of 2 for the game.
 
All that really matters is James and Davis. Yes that first quarter was ugly but really only because we couldn’t hit a shot. In about 15 min each, James and Davis only had a +/- of 2 for the game.
And even then, it was only the first 3 or 4 minutes until Brown called a timeout. The offense still wasn't great, but the defense picked way up and actually looked pretty good at times.
 
A Mike Brown coached team that learns to play defense can win half their games. They have a chance to make the playoffs.
Otherwise they will continue to struggle.
Lately there has been a lot of talk around the league about defense.
"In order to win a championship, you have to be one of the top 5 defensive teams in the NBA."
I agree with this. As a matter of fact it is pretty true in every sport.
 
All that really matters is James and Davis. Yes that first quarter was ugly but really only because we couldn’t hit a shot. In about 15 min each, James and Davis only had a +/- of 2 for the game.
Hmm. Watched the first half….

Not very encouraging. Fox still plays crap defense. Shooting for Fox and Sabonis was poor. Not much point watching a 2nd half in pre-season but that half did not leave me encouraged.
 
I know it’s pre-season but the slow start did remind me of so many games last year. I truly hope our new coach will get a handle on playing defense for 48 minutes.
 
I know it’s pre-season but the slow start did remind me of so many games last year. I truly hope our new coach will get a handle on playing defense for 48 minutes.
The problem is down the middle. Fox has the talent but not the focus. Sabonis the focus but not the talent. I expect we see lots of action attacking Fox and Sabonis all year.

Monte gave Fox his contract and traded for Sabonis. Hard to say this team isn’t on him.
 
All that really matters is James and Davis. Yes that first quarter was ugly but really only because we couldn’t hit a shot. In about 15 min each, James and Davis only had a +/- of 2 for the game.
To me it was ugly because Fox and Sabonis continue to look like a huge defensive liability. I was hoping to see Fox show he could stay in front of his man and make good rotations. I didn’t see it.
 
To me it was ugly because Fox and Sabonis continue to look like a huge defensive liability. I was hoping to see Fox show he could stay in front of his man and make good rotations. I didn’t see it.
I agree that the first three minutes were pretty terrible, as bad as anything we saw last season. But after the timeout our defense picked up quite a bit and held the Lakers to 46 points in the first half. Our defense also kept us in the game, and left us only down by 5 going into the third, despite our offensive woes.

Everything is not going to be solved overnight, but there were a lot of positives on the defensive end.
 
I agree that the first three minutes were pretty terrible, as bad as anything we saw last season. But after the timeout our defense picked up quite a bit and held the Lakers to 46 points in the first half. Our defense also kept us in the game, and left us only down by 5 going into the third, despite our offensive woes.

Everything is not going to be solved overnight, but there were a lot of positives on the defensive end.
I mean sure but generally first preseason game you have to discount the first half. I didn’t see much from Fox that whole half. Yeah Mitchell was better but at least today he isn’t your lead dog.
 
I mean sure but generally first preseason game you have to discount the first half. I didn’t see much from Fox that whole half. Yeah Mitchell was better but at least today he isn’t your lead dog.
I'm confused. Are we talking about how bad their defense was to start the game and taking that as a sign that they're going to be awful all year, or are we discounting the improvement after that first time out because it's only the first half of the first preseason game?
 
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