Skal Labissiere

#33
You saw today the difference between developing a guy and dangling the carrot in front of him like Joerger and co. have done with Skal and playing a kid a ton of minutes whether they deserve them or not in Chriss. Skal is humble but hungry like a rabid dog and Chriss looks like an entitled child who thinks he is gods gift to the Suns.
Chriss has documented anger issues. It's part of his problem with fouling so often and leads to the really poor body language.

I advocated for Chriss and Labissiere was one of my least favorite prospects but I'm really happy to be wrong. I think we have the better rookie
 
#35
and two years ago he was one of the top blue chip prospects in the country.

He's the grand prize of last year's draft imo.
This echoes something I stated recently. The kid wasn't the #1 or #2 rated player in the country for no reason. He has a ton of talent. Let's just hope that he doesn't end up like many others before him.

Tonight was simply a step in the process. Hopefully he continues to take more and more steps to a point where were not hoping anymore. When you draft a player, you're hoping they have a ceiling as high as Skal's.
 
#36
Yeah, we all have to remember that this performance was against a SUNS team that has the 3rd worst record in the NBA and is playing a rookie that really can't guard anybody right now. Still, it's better to see these types of performances even against the bottom level teams than not to see it at all.
It's also worth noting that the Kings traded away their best player (and the focus of the offense) and their rotation now includes the four players from the trade (one of whom is a rookie) and two Kings rookies who had only played a few minutes of garbage time previously.

Point being, this team is very, very raw and needs time to grow together. I think this roster is actually better than the Suns but their sloppiness and inexperience made for a closer game.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#38
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
My point was that this has been a perfectly good thread celebrating the emergence of Skal. Bringing Cousins into the discussion didn't seem to be necessary IMHO. Rubbing salt into wounds?

Anyway, I'll just keep being happy with what I saw tonight from this young kid whose future looks so incredibly bright. :)
 
#41
It's also worth noting that the Kings traded away their best player (and the focus of the offense) and their rotation now includes the four players from the trade (one of whom is a rookie) and two Kings rookies who had only played a few minutes of garbage time previously.

Point being, this team is very, very raw and needs time to grow together. I think this roster is actually better than the Suns but their sloppiness and inexperience made for a closer game.
Fair points. But I also think it very likely that a couple of those players currently in the rotation won't be part of the future. Only Buddy Hield is a virtual lock. But Tyreke isn't likely to be around long and who knows about Galloway??

Also, isn't it 3 and not 4? They landed Buddy, Tyreke, Galloway and a draft pick that isn't on the team yet.
 
#42
Fair points. But I also think it very likely that a couple of those players currently in the rotation won't be part of the future. Only Buddy Hield is a virtual lock. But Tyreke isn't likely to be around long and who knows about Galloway??

Also, isn't it 3 and not 4? They landed Buddy, Tyreke, Galloway and a draft pick that isn't on the team yet.
You're right that it is three players and not four.

But the fact that Evans and Galloway aren't part of the future doesn't really matter. McLemore isn't part of the future. And likely neither is Afflalo and/or Lawson and Collison. But they are here now and forced to figure out how to play together.

My only point is that regardless of how the rosters will look next year, if this Kings roster had the time together and the stability that the Suns have had, they'd be a significantly better team.

Tonight they were the better team anyway.
 

hrdboild

Hall of Famer
#44
Not to be underestimated: most GMs inheriting a bad team like to replace the roster with their hand-picked guys. Willie, Skal, PapaG, Malachi, Bogdan, and Buddy are all Vlade pickups as are the vets Koufos, Afflalo, Temple, and Tolliver. Cousins was not. Only Collison, Gay, and McLemore remain from the team Vlade inherited and I think we can safely say that at least 2 of those guys will be gone within the next year too. Geoff Petrie and Pete D'Alessandro both went through similar periods of cleaning house when they got the job. You can already see a new team identity forming around the group Vlade brought in -- humble hard-working guys who like to move the ball around and play for each other. It's a different look than we saw with Geoff's post-Webber/Vlade collection of shooters or Pete's iso-heavy Rudy and DeMarcus duo. It will take time to let this play out, but we need some stability around here to actually let players develop at their own pace so Vlade/Dave need to remain the braintrust for the forseeable future and we need to give them a chance to develop their team. We got spoiled by the Coach Adelman era -- it's far more typical for teams to slowly build their way into success than to fall into it overnight like that.
 

dude12

Hall of Famer
#48
You're right that it is three players and not four.

But the fact that Evans and Galloway aren't part of the future doesn't really matter. McLemore isn't part of the future. And likely neither is Afflalo and/or Lawson and Collison. But they are here now and forced to figure out how to play together.

My only point is that regardless of how the rosters will look next year, if this Kings roster had the time together and the stability that the Suns have had, they'd be a significantly better team.

Tonight they were the better team anyway.
They may want to consider keeping Galloway as a cheaper backup option.....right type of Vlade guy, earned his way through D League, can play some D, can knock down the 3
 
#50
From Jason Jones' Bee article about this last game:

He was the first Kings rookie with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds since Lionel Simmons had 35 points and 11 rebounds on April 9, 1991, against Dallas. Labissere’s points were tied for the second most by a rookie this season, one behind Joel Embiid’s 33. He also became the first Kings rookie with at least 32 points since Tyreke Evans had that many points Feb. 3, 2010, against San Antonio.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-blog/article138821943.html#storylink=cpy
This tidbit on Trill was also interesting:

Cauley-Stein had 14 points, 11 rebounds five assists, four steals and four blocks rebounds for the Kings (27-41), who rested starting point guard Darren Collison and key reserve Anthony Tolliver.

He’s only the sixth player to have four of each of those categories this season, joining Draymond Green (twice), DeMarcus Cousins, Dwyane Wade, Giannis Anteokounmpo and Anthony Davis.


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-blog/article138821943.html#storylink=cpy
 
#54
31, actually.

Reke and Boogie both hit the 30 pt plateau at a younger age than Skal did, in case anyone was wondering (It was probably only me).
In terms of the number of games - Tyreke hit 30 in his 18th game, Skal in his 19th and Boogie in his 80th.

Reke had the benefit of starting from the beginning and playing 37 mpg his rookie year though.
 
#55
Crazy stat... I had no idea!! We found the diamond(s?) in the rough in the most recent draft...



ESPN Stats and Information

In the Kings' victory over the Suns on Wednesday, Skal Labissiere became the first rookie to produce at least 30 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in a regulation win since Mike Gminski reached those totals for the Nets on Nov. 8, 1980. (via Elias Sports Bureau)

13m
 
#56
You saw today the difference between developing a guy and dangling the carrot in front of him like Joerger and co. have done with Skal and playing a kid a ton of minutes whether they deserve them or not in Chriss. Skal is humble but hungry like a rabid dog and Chriss looks like an entitled child who thinks he is gods gift to the Suns.
Not sure about the need to talk down about Chriss. He didn't even take a lot of shots... it's just that each time he missed, Grant pointed it out(probably to make Chriss look worse).
Chriss finished the game with 17pts 7rebs 5blks 2stls 2asts on 6-14 FG..which is more than good for a rookie.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#57
Not sure about the need to talk down about Chriss. He didn't even take a lot of shots... it's just that each time he missed, Grant pointed it out(probably to make Chriss look worse).
Chriss finished the game with 17pts 7rebs 5blks 2stls 2asts on 6-14 FG..which is more than good for a rookie.
Yeah but Grant can't fantasize about him with an NBA body like he does with Skal.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#58
So a few years ago we had a conversation on this board about guys in the NBA who could come from one direction, get a block, turn around, and get the rebound. As many on this board said, it is very rare when you see that from an NBA player. It takes both lateral quickness and jumping quickness. Skal had one of those plays in last night's game. Got the block from one direction and had the balance and quick jumping ability to get back in the play to get the rebound. You just don't see that kind of athletic ability every day, folks. He's a special player.