Spoilers?

[VF21]

A new blog entry has been added:

[drupal=72]Spoilers?[/drupal]

The Kings travel to Oakland and a game against the Golden State Warriors. While Warriors fans cheered the Kings in their match against the Nuggets, chances are they won't be cheering for the guys in purple come Tuesday night.

The rest of the season (with the exception of Portland) is against playoff-bound teams. The Kings can't earn a spot in the post-season but they can have an effect on those who will be in the hunt for the title.

There are things to watch for as the season winds down. We're seeing more of Spencer Hawes and it's hard to believe he's only 19. We're seeing heart from Shelden Williams and have to wonder if it will be enough to keep him around. We're seeing increased skill from Francisco as a possible point guard and team leader. We've seen more improvement from Kevin Martin, as he continues to refine his game and find new ways to contribute. Especially noteable is his passing, which is definitely on the rise.

Only five more games - and then TDOS. What a long, strange year it's been. And the off-season could prove to be interesting, to say the least.

Now, let's get ready for some Kings basketball!

GO KINGS!

 

[Fear the Putin]

eh w.e....we'll still get screwed over by the lottery ball

 

[venom_7]

Denver fans are throwing a fit because Reggie said that the Nuggets were a horse**** team. Reggie says he didn't say that, but I couldn't care less because I vehemently agree with him.

 

[fnordius]

And yet, go too far over that line and you have a mouth like Shaq or Phil Jackson, and that's disgusting IMO. Some lines are better left uncrossed.

I hope it's not true.

 

[Widowmaker2k]

As bad as we've been this season, I'm still not ready for the offseason. It's been great to see such development from the kids. People said we'd have to wait 3 or 4 years for Spencer to be any good, but he seems to be coming along nicely. And obviously, Kevin Martin is single handedly making this team worth watching, although let's just hope he's not our new Mitch Richmond.

 

[Lurknomo]

I don't see Francisco Garcia skills as a point guard improving at all. Team leader and mean face guy yeah. Point guard, no way.

 

[VF21]

I didn't say he's going to replace Jason Kidd or anything. I've seen some decent passing from him lately and I've noticed he's playing at just a slightly slower, more controlled rate. When he does play the 1, it seems as though he's actually looking for his teammates which was never his strong suit.

I'm not saying he'll be a point, but I think he's improving in the skills needed to fill in on an occasional basis.

 

[Lurknomo]

I didn't say he's going to replace Jason Kidd or anything. I've seen some decent passing from him lately and I've noticed he's playing at just a slightly slower, more controlled rate. When he does play the 1, it seems as though he's actually looking for his teammates which was never his strong suit.

I'm not saying he'll be a point, but I think he's improving in the skills needed to fill in on an occasional basis.

Okay, thats reasonable. I just don't think going forward he should be depended on as a regular backup point.

 

[VF21]

Oh, we're in total agreement on that.

 

[tyrant]

Oh, we're in total agreement on that.

I dont agree. he needs to step up his game a little more to convince me he can handle the ball and make professional decisions. im not satisfied with just "flashes". its gona take more than his baby hair for me to start looking at him as a dough christie.

 

[VF21]

I dont agree. he needs to step up his game a little more to convince me he can handle the ball and make professional decisions. im not satisfied with just "flashes". its gona take more than his baby hair for me to start looking at him as a dough christie.

You don't agree that Lurknomo and I agree? Um, okay...

You have to start somewhere. I'm encouraged by the maturity I'm seeing in Garcia's game. Is it a finished product? Of course not. But he has shown a little more court sense and it seems as though he's becoming more confident with each game.

 

[venom_7]

You have to start somewhere. I'm encouraged by the maturity I'm seeing in Garcia's game. Is it a finished product? Of course not. But he has shown a little more court sense and it seems as though he's becoming more confident with each game.

Also VF21 has shown that she doesn't have tunnel vision some fans have. Sure Cisco had a bunch of turnovers against LA and generally made some bad decisions, but the few games before that he has been pretty swell in that role. He's played back up pg before, but I understand the frustration about turnovers and such that from time to time seem to haunt him. Just yall should keep in mind that its easy to make mistakes when your offense is 'pass to Ron and watch.'

 

[bajaden]

I dont agree. he needs to step up his game a little more to convince me he can handle the ball and make professional decisions. im not satisfied with just "flashes". its gona take more than his baby hair for me to start looking at him as a dough christie.

I think he would fit well into a triangle offense, similar to the one the Bull's used to run. He has improved his game a lot this year, and believe me, I'm one of his harshest critics. He has a toughness and a confidence that I like, and he's also a team player.

My point is, He has stepped up his game this year over last year, and he is making more professional decisions. He's been more consistant and the flashes, as you call them have been more of bad plays than good plays. Thats a reversal from last year. The Christie comparison is not a bad one, but remember, it took Christie 4 or 5 years to become the player he was, and even at that, he still forced the ball sometimes. Or left his feet with no where to go with the ball. I think Garcia is mentally tougher than Christie, and has the potential to be better. We'll see. Time will tell..

 

[tyrant]

i dont question his heart or integrity. but i question his decision making and his ability. he's not going to be an all league defender. which is something doug was. christie was our 2nd ballhandler, he had an excuse for some of his turnovers. garcia doenst handle the ball that much and he still finds a way to crap on some of our possessions.

 

[G_M]

And obviously, Kevin Martin is single handedly making this team worth watching, although let's just hope he's not our new Mitch Richmond.

Ummm...would it be a bad thing if he were the next Mitch Richmond?

 

[fnordius]

i dont question his heart or integrity. but i question his decision making and his ability. he's not going to be an all league defender. which is something doug was. christie was our 2nd ballhandler, he had an excuse for some of his turnovers. garcia doenst handle the ball that much and he still finds a way to crap on some of our possessions.

I don't think it's a matter of absolutes, like "Garcia is worse at PG than any starter in the NBA," I think it's relative, like "Garcia is a lot worse than Beno, but lately he hasn't been much worse than AJ, and either one is better than nothing."

His ball handling is not good, but neither is that of almost any King. Beno: 113th best Assist/TO ratio in the NBA. Brad: 166th best. Artest: 208. Salmons: 239. Garcia: 292. Douby: 312. Moore: 323. Hawes: 359. Williams: 368. In short, everyone but Brad has an assist/TO ratio which is somewhere between mediocre and terrible for their position, and Brad's is only exemplary because most of his rivals have hands like Mikki or Dampier.

So in that context, I'm okay with Cisco. His turnovers are a pain, but they're not as ugly as that 11-assist/game trend we had going before Beno came along. It's basically him, Artest, Salmons or Douby, and I think he's the lesser evil at this point in his development.

But I really, really do want another actual PG next year. One is not enough, and re-signing AJ would be an act of pathetic desperation.

 

[VF21]

I don't think it's a matter of absolutes, like "Garcia is worse at PG than any starter in the NBA," I think it's relative, like "Garcia is a lot worse than Beno, but lately he hasn't been much worse than AJ, and either one is better than nothing."

Exactly.