Twix
Starter
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12134319p-13005397c.html
Selfish play has Adelman alarmed
Injuries also concern the coach following the Kings' dreadful performance against the Spurs.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 25, 2005
It sounded funny coming from Kings coach Rick Adelman on Monday afternoon. Funny as in strange, as in rare, but not as inaccurate.
http://ads.sacbee.com/RealMedia/ads...l/64313865323634663431663263626230?_RM_EMPTY_ "We're not a selfish team," he said, "but we played selfishly (in Sunday night's 103-73 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs). But like I said, if someone would have told me our starters would have one assist in a game, I'd say you're crazy. If that doesn't say to them that they didn't move the ball, I don't know what ever is going to say it."
Adelman noted that the Kings have played poorly before and viewed what they failed to do the next day on film.
"The film always tells on us," he said. "But I don't remember us doing that at home."
That's because Adelman and the current Kings were nowhere near Sacramento a little more than nine years ago, when the team last suffered such a lopsided beating at home. However, when Houston delivered that 133-93 drubbing Dec. 12, 1995, the Rockets were the reigning NBA champions. And those Kings were just hoping to make the playoffs, unlike the current team that considers itself one of the league's best and a legitimate title contender.
With the New Jersey Nets visiting Arco Arena tonight, Adelman said he hoped to regain the services of power forward Chris Webber. He did not play in the second half Sunday after spraining his right ankle early in the second quarter.
Adelman sounded less hopeful about energetic reserve swingman Maurice Evans, who has a pulled groin muscle.
"We're going to have to wait and see how he feels," the coach said. "But I don't know."
Webber and Evans didn't practice Monday, and they weren't alone. Guard Mike Bibby (ankle) and forward Peja Stojakovic (back) were idled, too.
This season, the Kings have shown a tendency to play down to the level of their opponents. Sacramento has struggled against some lower-echelon teams and lost to New Orleans on the road and Golden State at home.
But other than during their 1-4 start, the Kings usually have competed well against the NBA's best, including an 86-81 home victory over the Spurs on Jan. 2. That was not the case Sunday, when they played impatiently and lazily on the offensive end and without care for each other on the defensive end.
"You can lose to (the Spurs)," Adelman said, "but I never expected us to come out and play that way, where they just seemed to be a step quicker, a step higher in their jumping, everything. They just had a bounce to their step we didn't have."
Bibby said the Kings were wounded but not broken by the defeat.
"It was upsetting and embarrassing to lose by that much, and at home is really embarrassing," he said. "But to even lose by that much anywhere (is embarrassing). Even to lose at all hurts. It hurts your pride a little."
Bibby said the Kings are looking forward to the rematch with San Antonio on Thursday, when they start a three-game road trip.
"I was talking to Chris," he said of a Monday conversation, "(and saying) that we need to have payback on our minds when we go out there. Me, Webb and Peja were sitting there getting treatment, and we were talking about it. And that was one thing that came up."
Bibby has maintained the Kings need to be more committed to helping each other defensively.
"We let them do whatever they wanted on offense, and we just had an all-around bad game," he said. "It's shaken off. We watched film (Monday). We don't have that many games like that to where everything goes wrong.
"(Sunday's) game doesn't have anything with (tonight's) game. I think we'll be fine. We always respond (well)."
Selfish play has Adelman alarmed
Injuries also concern the coach following the Kings' dreadful performance against the Spurs.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Tuesday, January 25, 2005
It sounded funny coming from Kings coach Rick Adelman on Monday afternoon. Funny as in strange, as in rare, but not as inaccurate.
http://ads.sacbee.com/RealMedia/ads...l/64313865323634663431663263626230?_RM_EMPTY_ "We're not a selfish team," he said, "but we played selfishly (in Sunday night's 103-73 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs). But like I said, if someone would have told me our starters would have one assist in a game, I'd say you're crazy. If that doesn't say to them that they didn't move the ball, I don't know what ever is going to say it."
Adelman noted that the Kings have played poorly before and viewed what they failed to do the next day on film.
"The film always tells on us," he said. "But I don't remember us doing that at home."
That's because Adelman and the current Kings were nowhere near Sacramento a little more than nine years ago, when the team last suffered such a lopsided beating at home. However, when Houston delivered that 133-93 drubbing Dec. 12, 1995, the Rockets were the reigning NBA champions. And those Kings were just hoping to make the playoffs, unlike the current team that considers itself one of the league's best and a legitimate title contender.
With the New Jersey Nets visiting Arco Arena tonight, Adelman said he hoped to regain the services of power forward Chris Webber. He did not play in the second half Sunday after spraining his right ankle early in the second quarter.
Adelman sounded less hopeful about energetic reserve swingman Maurice Evans, who has a pulled groin muscle.
"We're going to have to wait and see how he feels," the coach said. "But I don't know."
Webber and Evans didn't practice Monday, and they weren't alone. Guard Mike Bibby (ankle) and forward Peja Stojakovic (back) were idled, too.
This season, the Kings have shown a tendency to play down to the level of their opponents. Sacramento has struggled against some lower-echelon teams and lost to New Orleans on the road and Golden State at home.
But other than during their 1-4 start, the Kings usually have competed well against the NBA's best, including an 86-81 home victory over the Spurs on Jan. 2. That was not the case Sunday, when they played impatiently and lazily on the offensive end and without care for each other on the defensive end.
"You can lose to (the Spurs)," Adelman said, "but I never expected us to come out and play that way, where they just seemed to be a step quicker, a step higher in their jumping, everything. They just had a bounce to their step we didn't have."
Bibby said the Kings were wounded but not broken by the defeat.
"It was upsetting and embarrassing to lose by that much, and at home is really embarrassing," he said. "But to even lose by that much anywhere (is embarrassing). Even to lose at all hurts. It hurts your pride a little."
Bibby said the Kings are looking forward to the rematch with San Antonio on Thursday, when they start a three-game road trip.
"I was talking to Chris," he said of a Monday conversation, "(and saying) that we need to have payback on our minds when we go out there. Me, Webb and Peja were sitting there getting treatment, and we were talking about it. And that was one thing that came up."
Bibby has maintained the Kings need to be more committed to helping each other defensively.
"We let them do whatever they wanted on offense, and we just had an all-around bad game," he said. "It's shaken off. We watched film (Monday). We don't have that many games like that to where everything goes wrong.
"(Sunday's) game doesn't have anything with (tonight's) game. I think we'll be fine. We always respond (well)."
. Just like the Horry shot in '02. The Lakers were predicted to be the Champ last year, not the Spurs. But they did a great job versus the Lakers until the 4 straight loss! They are a great team, a Championship caliber every year since winning the title in '99, with only the Lakers as the two teams been in the Finals the last 5 years! They are not overated, they are simply the best!
