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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.
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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. Don't know about not being a title contender, but then again the lower the expectations the greater the appreciation!
*knocks on wood* it's not how we start, it's how we finish. 
