Agreed on every front, although I’d like to see Brown start improving some of his challenges. I don’t entirely blame him as his staff is partially responsible for that too. Those 4 guys are the core, everyone else we have on the roster should be able to support these 4 guys and allow them to play to their strengths.
[Game] Sacramento Kings vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 12/23/2023, 7:00PM PST 10:00PM EST
- Thread starter Tetsujin
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As Coach said, the game started with there not being enough "shrinkage" on the Gobert pick and rolls. Put in plain English, it simply means that the Kings' guards avoided getting in Gobert's way as he was rumbling to the basket. Not exactly the toughness that Brown was looking for. Heurter wasn't the only one waving at Gobert as he lumbered to the basket, but I'm naming him because he was putrid in defense in this game, hence his 15 minutes of play. Barnes wasn't much better on defense. The Wolves did whatever they wanted in the first quarter in the paint and of course it gave them a lot of confidence for the rest of the game.
The Kings' grit and overall game was enhanced when Duarte, Lyles and Sasha were inserted into the lineup. Sasha was taken out even though he had contributed immediately upon entering the game with a tip, a rebound, and a steal. He's got to be wondering what the heck he can do to get playing time - Coach wants grit, I give grit, I get taken out of the game. Lyles made the unconfident play of passing instead of shooting at the end of the game, which hurt. But I'm not blaming Lyles.
The roster doesn't work. Two fifths of the starters - Heurter and Barnes - are absent defensively. But Brown wants defense. Problem? Duarte, Lyles and Sasha are fighting for minutes and are getting jerked into and out of the lineup like Marionettes. They can play some defense and provide grit, at least more than Heurter and Barnes, but Coach apparently sees some offensive shortcomings (inability to penetrate and make plays?) and possibly is playing Heurter and Barnes in order to trade them. McNair is the one that has to provide the solution, as Brown is left trying to get the square pegs into round holes. There needs to be consistent minutes for some of these bench players and some of those minutes should be coming from the traded Heurter and Barnes. It's particularly frustrating to me that Lyles, who was so valuable last year in many wins, has been a shell of himself this year.
The Kings' grit and overall game was enhanced when Duarte, Lyles and Sasha were inserted into the lineup. Sasha was taken out even though he had contributed immediately upon entering the game with a tip, a rebound, and a steal. He's got to be wondering what the heck he can do to get playing time - Coach wants grit, I give grit, I get taken out of the game. Lyles made the unconfident play of passing instead of shooting at the end of the game, which hurt. But I'm not blaming Lyles.
The roster doesn't work. Two fifths of the starters - Heurter and Barnes - are absent defensively. But Brown wants defense. Problem? Duarte, Lyles and Sasha are fighting for minutes and are getting jerked into and out of the lineup like Marionettes. They can play some defense and provide grit, at least more than Heurter and Barnes, but Coach apparently sees some offensive shortcomings (inability to penetrate and make plays?) and possibly is playing Heurter and Barnes in order to trade them. McNair is the one that has to provide the solution, as Brown is left trying to get the square pegs into round holes. There needs to be consistent minutes for some of these bench players and some of those minutes should be coming from the traded Heurter and Barnes. It's particularly frustrating to me that Lyles, who was so valuable last year in many wins, has been a shell of himself this year.
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