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Puzzle still isn't put together
Healed Kings players trying to leap into mix
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, April 26, 2005
SEATTLE - Rick Adelman knows he will hurt some feelings with how he manages playing time tonight. But that's life in the NBA, the Kings coach says.
"I can't play 11 guys," Adelman said Monday afternoon after his team completed a workout and before it boarded a flight to Seattle for Game 2 of its NBA first-round playoff series against the Seattle SuperSonics. "I was just searching the other day (in Game 1) to find a combination. Maybe I should just play seven people. That seems like a nice number."
Adelman was being sarcastic in reference to criticism he has previously received for using a short bench. But he knows he must put center Brad Miller on the floor as much as he can. He also wants to make sure guard Bobby Jackson, who like Miller is returning from a long injury-induced absence, receives ample playing time.
Everyone connected with the Kings said the team has had two solid practices, especially guard Mike Bibby, who's hoping to bounce back from a 1-of-16 shooting performance.
Adelman isn't concerned about Bibby bouncing back.
"I think Mike might have learned a lesson from last week," Adelman said. "He didn't do anything last week. He didn't shoot because his (left) foot was sore, and he may have learned he just can't do that. He may find out that even if he is sore, he'll have to do some things to stay sharp.
"And things aren't the same for him as they were before we made these trades. He is the guy now, and teams are going to do everything they can to take him out of the game. Teams are going to try and take him and Peja (Stojakovic) out of the mix, and he's going to have to make adjustments to that."
Adelman wouldn't discuss his plans for who will play tonight and for how long, but he did say Miller has practiced well enough the past two days to establish a comfort level for him.
"He's going to be used," Adelman said of Miller, who played just eight minutes Saturday, his first game action since Feb. 27 because of a bruised right calf and a fractured left fibula. "I will have no reservations about using him for eight-minute stretches."
Miller could start or come off the bench. Adelman said he used Miller, Greg Ostertag and Brian Skinner with the first team during practice.
"He's going to start eventually," Adelman said of Miller.
Adelman said trying to work Miller and Jackson back into the flow hasn't only been difficult on him.
"Really, it's been unfair to all of these guys who have been playing because they've never played with Brad and Bobby," the coach said. "It takes time to learn how to play with each other. But I know we are a totally different team with Brad on the floor. You can see it in practice.
"When Brad is on the floor, it opens things up for everyone. If (the Sonics) want to leave Jerome James underneath the basket when Brad is out there, I can live with that. When Brad is on the floor, and we play pick-and-roll, then as a teammate you play that differently than when it's done with Brian or with Greg."
Offensively, Adelman wants his team to show more consistency. Defensively, he wants to know why limiting the Sonics to 87 points hasn't received more attention. Perhaps it was because the Kings scored just 82. "I know we can play a lot better, and I'm sure (the Sonics) are saying they didn't play well in the second half," Adelman said. "We can play better and still not win (Game 2). But I see no reason why we can't still win this series. We have to win one game (at KeyArena), and I'd like it to be this one."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12790706p-13641475c.html
Healed Kings players trying to leap into mix
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, April 26, 2005
SEATTLE - Rick Adelman knows he will hurt some feelings with how he manages playing time tonight. But that's life in the NBA, the Kings coach says.
"I can't play 11 guys," Adelman said Monday afternoon after his team completed a workout and before it boarded a flight to Seattle for Game 2 of its NBA first-round playoff series against the Seattle SuperSonics. "I was just searching the other day (in Game 1) to find a combination. Maybe I should just play seven people. That seems like a nice number."
Adelman was being sarcastic in reference to criticism he has previously received for using a short bench. But he knows he must put center Brad Miller on the floor as much as he can. He also wants to make sure guard Bobby Jackson, who like Miller is returning from a long injury-induced absence, receives ample playing time.
Everyone connected with the Kings said the team has had two solid practices, especially guard Mike Bibby, who's hoping to bounce back from a 1-of-16 shooting performance.
Adelman isn't concerned about Bibby bouncing back.
"I think Mike might have learned a lesson from last week," Adelman said. "He didn't do anything last week. He didn't shoot because his (left) foot was sore, and he may have learned he just can't do that. He may find out that even if he is sore, he'll have to do some things to stay sharp.
"And things aren't the same for him as they were before we made these trades. He is the guy now, and teams are going to do everything they can to take him out of the game. Teams are going to try and take him and Peja (Stojakovic) out of the mix, and he's going to have to make adjustments to that."
Adelman wouldn't discuss his plans for who will play tonight and for how long, but he did say Miller has practiced well enough the past two days to establish a comfort level for him.
"He's going to be used," Adelman said of Miller, who played just eight minutes Saturday, his first game action since Feb. 27 because of a bruised right calf and a fractured left fibula. "I will have no reservations about using him for eight-minute stretches."
Miller could start or come off the bench. Adelman said he used Miller, Greg Ostertag and Brian Skinner with the first team during practice.
"He's going to start eventually," Adelman said of Miller.
Adelman said trying to work Miller and Jackson back into the flow hasn't only been difficult on him.
"Really, it's been unfair to all of these guys who have been playing because they've never played with Brad and Bobby," the coach said. "It takes time to learn how to play with each other. But I know we are a totally different team with Brad on the floor. You can see it in practice.
"When Brad is on the floor, it opens things up for everyone. If (the Sonics) want to leave Jerome James underneath the basket when Brad is out there, I can live with that. When Brad is on the floor, and we play pick-and-roll, then as a teammate you play that differently than when it's done with Brian or with Greg."
Offensively, Adelman wants his team to show more consistency. Defensively, he wants to know why limiting the Sonics to 87 points hasn't received more attention. Perhaps it was because the Kings scored just 82. "I know we can play a lot better, and I'm sure (the Sonics) are saying they didn't play well in the second half," Adelman said. "We can play better and still not win (Game 2). But I see no reason why we can't still win this series. We have to win one game (at KeyArena), and I'd like it to be this one."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12790706p-13641475c.html
