Problems Solved?

[kingsboi]

Well we have been sticking with a fairly consistent starting line up and rotation, so that kind of helps. Second, the guys are starting to grow accustomed to playing with each other and that makes a world of difference. Just wait until they get the summer, training camp and preseason to play together, I think we should see plenty of wins upcoming next season. You can have all the talent in the world but if they don't mesh and can't play together effectively, it's a waste.

 

[swisshh]

#1. I don't troll.
#2. Ball movement had improves without Reke around. Your point is that he merely hasn't messed it up so far, and I agree. He's come in and seen Thornton score while he was out and is so far willing to place trust in his teammates.
#3. Learn to judge ball instead of hoping stats bail you out. I mean, with your stats we can see assists fell in Feb and then had a +2 increase with Reke's departure. Am I using that to laugh at your rebuttal? No. I am showing that even Brick's own stats don't argue the reality he pushes.
#4. All this fell apart at the end of tonight's game. The Nuggets extended pressure and the Kings couldn't handle it. Reke and Thornton started going one on five and bailed on the teamball towards the end.

As for trying to dismiss the issue of Thornton and Sammy suddenly showing up big at the end of a contract season... try harder.

In most of the internet, the things I say give cause for a shrug at most. For some reason, everyone goes ballistic here. Others are far harsher. I am sorry Reke is untouchable to many of you, but I give every player the same treatment.

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." -- Arthur Schopenhauer

 

[gunks]

Dally's averages are actually a bit below his career #s. And Thorton had some big games his rookie year, quite a few actually. I dont think they are trying to pull a "Bonzi vs Spurs" on us.


I think the problems are going to be solved when we resign both those guys and get us an SF.

Also, I agree with swisshh..... Reke needs to work on certain "team-ball" aspects of his game. I have confidence in his desire to grow as a player, but not a lot of confidence in Westphal's ability to develop young players (as evidenced by the stagnation or regression of the skills of just about every young player on the roster).

Reke can be either a good player or a great player....Heck, maybe even a HOFer (so says the homer in me). But the dude needs to work on eliminating his flaws.

 

[pshn80]

Problem solved? Not yet but it's sure better with good propects for the future. Our current challenge is successfully working Tyreke back in the lineup. We'll know more after 8 more games.

 

[Bricklayer]

#1. I don't troll.
#2. Ball movement had improves without Reke around. Your point is that he merely hasn't messed it up so far, and I agree. He's come in and seen Thornton score while he was out and is so far willing to place trust in his teammates.
#3. Learn to judge ball instead of hoping stats bail you out. I mean, with your stats we can see assists fell in Feb and then had a +2 increase with Reke's departure. Am I using that to laugh at your rebuttal? No. I am showing that even Brick's own stats don't argue the reality he pushes.
#4. All this fell apart at the end of tonight's game. The Nuggets extended pressure and the Kings couldn't handle it. Reke and Thornton started going one on five and bailed on the teamball towards the end.

As for trying to dismiss the issue of Thornton and Sammy suddenly showing up big at the end of a contract season... try harder.

In most of the internet, the things I say give cause for a shrug at most. For some reason, everyone goes ballistic here. Others are far harsher. I am sorry Reke is untouchable to many of you, but I give every player the same treatment.

Last 4 games before Reke returned:
99.0ppg 21.8ast

First 4 games with Reke back:
107.5pts 25.8ast

I am indeed honored that you agree to concede Reke's return has not messed up that awesome ballmoving offensive juggernaught we were before he came back.

Next.

 

[jalfa]

As for trying to dismiss the issue of Thornton and Sammy suddenly showing up big at the end of a contract season... try harder.

Uhh...why? It's not like you've so far provided any arguments in favour of that claim. If your argument is that both are playing better now than they did before the All-Star break, well, d'uh. Sammy has established himself in a set rotation playing alongside Cousins and is playing better accordingly. Marcus is now doing what he has been doing last season when he was not in Monty Williams' doghouse. He is a bit better even, but that could, just maybe, be chalked up to being an improved player in his sophomore (!) season.

 

[mac]

Last 4 games before Reke returned:
99.0ppg 21.8ast

First 4 games with Reke back:
107.5pts 25.8ast

I am indeed honored that you agree to concede Reke's return has not messed up that awesome ballmoving offensive juggernaught we were before he came back.

Next.

I normally don't side with swisshh, but I think what he's trying to say is that for a fact, our ball movement did get better after a couple of games where Tyreke was out.

IMO that can only be a good thing. If the Lakers didn't have Kobe, the Heat didn't have Lebron, I'm quite inclined to believe that the ball movement would improve, because there wouldn't be a guy you could just throw the ball to and ask to score. For the Kings to have remained competitive, they needed to run better offensive plays and execute better, and thus you get the better ball movement. Thornton of course has a part to play in it as well (as opposed to Landry).

Now Tyreke comes back and as Brick has pointed out our assists/gm have increased! So what does that show? That we got our star-in-the-making back, but the team is still moving the ball well. And surprise surprise, we won 4 games in a row.

Against the Nuggets, I observed that Thornton and Tyreke started going 1 on 1 when we were falling behind. That's natural on a young team that has dead legs from playing the night before. Is that an excuse? Not really, but it's something that as a fan you're just going to have to live with. We're the Sacramento Kings, proud winners of 4 games in a row. Real good teams win 4 games in a row and don't even give each other a pat on the back.

And a note to swisshh/section101 - damn near everybody knows that Tyreke still has a long way to go in becoming an excellent PG. Anyone who denies that he doesn't have room for improvement is a blind homer. But he isn't as bad as you make him out to be, as if he hates sharing the ball, doesn't move the ball at all, gets 0 assists per game, only gets assists because he's forced to etc. When practically every post you make seems to single Tyreke out as a ballhog and all, you're just begging to be labelled a troll.

 

[Sluggah]

Well this got ugly quick. But yeah...we've been playing great. I think they're starting to figure it out. Thorton has been great, Cousins has really stepped up his passing, Tyreke has been passing like crazy, and everyone is rebounding. Helps out a lot.

 

[IfAt1st]

After seeing how this team responds to real pressure situations on the court, and their galling lack of composure or ability to finish most of the time (epitomized by Reke's repeated instances of driving to the basket in must-score possessions and completely failing to even have the ball hit the rim), I just can't agree that this team is THAT close to contending in this league.

Sure, they can win when the other team isn't a winner or when they aren't trying that hard - but I'm afraid they are farther away from winning against the more established, proven teams than Brick and others do.

They need a FA pick-up that can hit a shot - heck, before that they need to be able to run a PLAY that is impossible to defend.

Until the coaching can draw up a play (pick-and-roll) or the Kings can actually run a SCREEN, I don't see them winning many close games unless they are 5+ points ahead in the final minute.

 

[pshn80]

The Kings are not ready to win a title yet. Not this year, not next. But they are blossoming before our eyes here as a young team who may one day be a major factor, and I was off looking at some stats today. A couple of things leaped out:

1) Rebounding.
2) Passing.

Problem solved? I agree on rebounding. It's wonderful to see for any long time Kings fan. On passing, I agree we have made a great start with the only caveat being the hopefully easy job of changing Tyreke. In crunch or, in reality, anytime he can't handle the ball like he has in the past. Since his return he's tried very hard in these games for far. I believe the proof will take more time and a huge disciplinary effort by Tyreke.
Hopefully, our recent success has shown all that we don't need to put the ball in Tyreke or Cousin's hands in crunch time. We should give both their share but we need to keep away from forcing so often as we have earlier and last season.

 

[bajaden]

Why does it have to be OR? We can trade for Martin AND the rights to Rubio! He's tearing it up over in Europe, isn't he?

Uhhhh, No!

 

[bajaden]

Lest anyone lose sight of what Bricky was saying, I'll reinforce it. A lot of the problems that plagued the Kings before the season don't seem nearly as relevant now. We have seemingly solved the rebounding problem. And to some extent, Tryeke does contribute to that, being that he's a very good rebounder from his position. Our assist totals have gone up and thats a very good thing. Because in general if you look at the boxscore of any game. The team with the most rebounds and assists usually wins. I did say usually folks! There are of course exceptions. Such as having as many turnovers as assists. Or the the offensive rebounds outnumbering the defensive rebounds by 80%.

But what Bricky was doing was speaking in overall general terms, without going into the specifics of every players ability. Anyone can nit pic anything, if they're so inclined, and they try hard enough. There is no perfect team or player. They all have flaws of some sort. Does Tyreke have work to do on his game? Of course! But to paint a picture of him, as what your see now, is all you'll ever see, is totally ridiculous. Change doesn't happen overnight. Bricky is right that this team is starting to remind me of the old Kings of Vlade and Webb. No! Obviously they're not that good. But they're a lot younger, and if they become that good, they're going to be around a lot longer.

Lets see how the rest of the year plays out. But if they finish winning the majority of their games. Remember it was just a few years ago that the Thunder went on a late season winning streak that preceded their rise into the thinner air.

 

[Kingsguy881]

The reason the ball movement got better is driectly tied to Thornton coming over and being able to hit a shot to spread the defense. Thornton is somebody you HAVE to guard on the perimeter, if you leave him then you are screwed. This in turn spread the floor, no longer can teams just pack the paint or double Cousins because you run the risk now of leaving Cisco or Thornton open and you know what happens when you do that. Period. Not Tyreke being hurt. Its because they added a deadeye shooter. If you don't think this is true, go ask Boston what happens when Ray Allen is not playing.