SI: State of the Kings: Rumors of demise greatly exaggerated

#1
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/nba/10/15/state.kings/index.html

State of the Kings

Rumors of Saramento's demise greatly exaggerated

Posted: Friday October 15, 2004 5:58PM; Updated: Friday October 15, 2004 5:58P
By Kelly Dwyer, Special to SI.com


There is merit to the doom and gloom predictions sent the
Sacramento Kings' way. The team looked gimpy and past its prime in the playoffs last year, their best player wants a ticket out of town and the squad's unquestioned locker room leader fled via free agency. Coupled with dodgy depth and the onset of age and indifference, this team is seemingly ripe for a spiral down the standings.

Right?

Ostensibly, perhaps, but one shouldn't underestimate this squad. In spite of paring back the payroll a bit, the Kings still stand as one of the West's best. The starting lineup is still packed with talent, and Coach Rick Adelman usually saves his best coaching for the weeks leading up to Christmas. In other words, another of this club's patented November-December runs could be in the offing.

Last season was nutty. Chris Webber spent the first four months of the season on the shelf after microfracture surgery was performed on his left knee. Although he put up solid stats (18.7 points, 4.6 assists, 8.7 rebounds) when he returned, the numbers were more an indication of how much Adelman force-fed him the ball in an attempt to work him back into shape. Bobby Jackson started out hotter than July, but an abdominal strain caused him to miss a significant chunk of the season, too, and all of the playoffs.

And yet, for stretches, it worked. The team flowed out of the starting gate, winning 31 of its first 41 game. Vlade Divac, now with the
Los Angeles Lakers, rallied the team in Webber's absence, spearheading a potent inside-out attack that was beautiful to watch. Though Brad Millerhad shown signs of being a good passing center in the Eastern Conference, he flourished in the high post in Sacramento, and at a new position (power forward) to boot. With Divac and Miller hitting cutter after cutter with pinpoint precision, the Kings reeled off 102.8 points per game average -- downright legendary in today's turtle-paced NBA. They shot 40 percent from the arc and 80 percent from the line as a team, an astonishing feat. It wasn't long, though, before the second-half blues took over the club as it skidded into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed before being dispatched in the second round by Minnesota.

Putting the mark in marksman Peja Stojakovic came of age in his sixth season, firing in 24.2 points per game while hitting an incendiary 43 percent (from deep) and 93 percent (from the line) -- hot stuff. The numbers are all the more impressive when one considers the holes Stojakovic still has in his offensive game. He has very little post-up game to speak of and has yet to develop the step-back move that, half a country away, Larry Bird is begging him to work on. Even at 6-foot-10, Stojakovic can be held in check by a 6-6 guard, so as long as the shorter player works his way through the screens and stays focused on Peja when he doesn't have the ball.

But that's nitpicking

Even in his rookie campaign, when Stojakovic played only 21 minutes a game, it was obvious he had an innate ability to work with big men away from the ball. Three All-Star appearances later, there may be no scarier matchup for a defender than having to keep up with Stojakovic off the ball as Webber and Miller read a defense waiting to nail their All-Star forward with an assist at the slightest crack of daylight. The communication between C-Webb and Stojakovic may be nonexistent in the locker room, but on the floor, they're tighter than Difford and Tilbrook.

Finding their levels

And what of Webber, who returned from the injured list just in time to take the heat for Sacramento's late-season collapse? He's 31, on the downside of a controversial but arguably brilliant career, and the Kings are on the books for his maxed-out salary until '08. As out of synch as he appeared last year, Webber finally appeared to make peace with his body's current state during the Kings' competitive loss to the
Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals. Amid all of the hype over Kevin Garnett and the T'wolves, it's easy to forget how that particular series went seven games, with a floor-bound Webber and his Kings giving the Wolves fits each time down the floor. As evidenced in that series, Webber can still get his own shot, even if he can't jump over the Saturday edition of the Sacramento Bee.

While Divac's departure is a huge loss in the locker room, there's no reason the Kings can't at least approximate the potent attack they showcased last season, what with Webber down low and Miller in the high post.

Now able to shift back to his more natural position in the pivot, Miller should be able to pick up Divac's slack. Although Miller will guard centers on the defensive end, he'll need to spread the floor on offense, which shouldn't be hard for a passer this good. Freed from having to stay in front of the league's quicker power forwards, Miller should also be able to stay out of foul trouble for longer stretches. He'll have to find a way to stay healthy through the course of an entire season, though. For three years running, Miller has hurt his team with late-season injuries that carry over into the playoffs.

Shoot first, ask questions later

Quietly, Mike Bibby averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game last season. Bibby probably can't stay in front of assistant coach Pete Carril in practice, but as with most of the Kings, defense remains an afterthought. Bobby Jackson isn't the defender he was a few years back, and his 31-year old body has broken down two years running. That said, he's as important as anyone on this roster, a strong leader who keeps everyone involved without having to dish 12 assists off the bench. Keeping his frantic pace up will be difficult at his age, if only for 24 minutes a night.

An army of one Doug Christie, like Jackson, helps tie this team together. Christie isn't the lock-down defender he used to be (Christie probably played
Michael Jordan better than anyone else during MJ's second go-round with the Bulls.), but he keeps up with most players his size and does an admirable job on both guard positions and some of the league's better scoring small forwards. Offensively, he fills in the holes -- converting a 3-pointer from the corner or dropping a lay-ins off broken plays -- when the Kings' motion offense sputters. The Kings signed Courtney Alexander to learn under Christie, but Alexander hasn't shown much in a disappointing NBA career thus far.

Though he won't start in Divac's absence, Greg Ostertag was brought in to provide frontcourt depth. General manager Geoff Petrie didn't throw a lot of money over the summer, but he's hoping Ostertag will replace what the Kings lost when Keon Clark and Scot Pollard ambled elsewhere a year ago. Ostertag blocks shots and rebounds with the best of them, and without Jazz coach Jerry Sloan bearing down on him, he should come through with a solid year. Still, Ostertag seems an odd fit for this team, given that his lumbering offensive game makes most observers want to bash their heads against a wall.

A bit more fleet of foot is Darius Songaila, had a fine rookie year. He won't be a star, but you could do worse at backup forward.

This isn't a championship team: they're too brittle, and the bench is too thin. But they will put together some winning streaks and initiate a few "Here Come the Kings!" articles in the press. But in the end, a happy end to the postseason will prove elusive yet again.


 
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#2
Con't

Center: Brad Miller -- Keeps getting better every year. It's hard to picture a more perfect fit than Miller and the Sacramento Kings. Unless, of course, you're a Hornets, Bulls, or Pacers fan.

Power Forward: Chris Webber -- Can get in trouble if he tries to do too much, or if Rick Adelman lets him do too much.

Small Forward: Peja Stojakovic -- Will he last the season in a Kings uniform? Well, if the Kings are smart, he should.

Shooting Guard: Doug Christie -- Fading, to be sure, but a huge key to Sacto's success.

Point Guard: Mike Bibby -- It's hard to think of a shooter in this league more consistent than Bibby.

Courtney Alexander -- Should have been a great fit in Dallas, Washington and New Orleans. But he hasn't translated his game to the pros, despite that perfect shooting-guard frame.

Matt Barnes -- And why not?

Alton Ford -- Good frontcourt help.

Bobby Jackson -- Boasts one of the highest basketball IQ's in the NBA.

Kevin Martin-- A potent scorer in college, Martin needs to watch Doug Christie like a hawk.

Greg Ostertag -- An underrated passer, he could fit in with these Kings.

Darius Songaila -- Why, again, did the Celtics give up on him?
 
#3
A great article. It's such a departure from what we've been reading lately. The articles seems to try its best to stay on the fence about the Kings, remaining optimistic yet realistic at the same time. But of course, I do disagree with the notion that this isn't a championship team. If last year's Laker's can make the Finals, I have no doubt that the Kings can. By the way, I'm not comparing the Kings to last year's Lakers-- I'm merely saying that a team of such low caliber can do it, virtually any half-way good team can. This Kings team is way beyond "half-way good" so I'm expecting big things.
 
#4
SI usually finds a way to say good things about the Kings. Hopefully, this year they won't be ranked first like the past few years, and the Kings can elude the curse...
 
#5
This isn't a championship team: they're too brittle, and the bench is too thin. But they will put together some winning streaks and initiate a few "Here Come the Kings!" articles in the press. But in the end, a happy end to the postseason will prove elusive yet again.


 

CruzDude

Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
#6
I too agree with the article. And in between the lines is the glaring but subtle thought that the Kings are a great 2nd round playoff team and once and a while get to the conference finals, but like the Jazz before them, who got to the finals twice, there is always someone out there with a bit more talent and a bit more defense to steal away the roses.

If we remember the early 90's and the 96-97 years of a disgruntled Mitch, what we have received since is a miracle and a top echelon team that wins 50 games and sometimes 60, and gives us great value for a season and deep into the playoffs. Is it anyones fault we don't have a ring? A fatefull tip away into the hands of Robert Horry or a missing 11 free throws and still going to overtime in the most heart renching game 7 of a conference final, or the Peja air ball. But for those the Kings would have been in the finals. There is a lot of teams out there who have never come so close.

So 2 games into a preseason is just that. Not much. And 17 time zones away to boot. Loosing by two points to the "home" team is fine with me. For now. I'll be in row J lower level for the Hornets. Then we can start to see what we have.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#7
I'm really, really glad they don't think the Kings are a championship team. As LP pointed out above, we don't really want SI to pick us to win it all... We might end up on their cover, and we know what that means!!!

All in all, a pretty fair article. Breath of fresh air.
 
#8
I liked the article:). Don't know about not being a title contender, but then again the lower the expectations the greater the appreciation!:p
 
#10
This certainly isn't the type of article that will spurn much discussion --- shame on the author for not providing any over-the-top statements which clearly have little bearing in reality.
 
#11
good article. it was fair. and i LOVED how they say we aren't a championship calibur team. i remember getting last year's SI that ranked the teams, and they picked the kings to win it all, and i remember thinking " oh crap" i'd much rather be underdogs then the favorites

i think we can do at least as well, if not better then last year. i think we are better then the t-wolves, and underneath the spurs. no doubt i think the spurs are the favorite in the west. but that doesn't mean they can't be beat.

if last year's lakers team, who didn't exaclty have a great bench, and didn't exactly play defense can make the finals, i see no reason why we can't at least make the confrence finals. maybe we are finally having our injuries at the right time of year :D *knocks on wood* it's not how we start, it's how we finish.

LETS GO KINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! make 2005 our year :D
 
#16
It looks like they just listed the guys with guaranteed contracts and the players in camp with NBA experience. Neither of which would apply to Bluthenthal or Minard.