The last 2 minutes against the Suns..

[CruzDude]

I'm frustrated now and was frustrated in the last 3 minutes of the Suns game. Nash was always making something happen for the Suns with his motion and movement with the ball. Bibby can do the same. But in those last few minutes, on 3 consecutive times down the court, Bibby brought the ball down and passed it to CWebb in the left block. The same identical place every time. Then the other 4 kings would go stand around while CWebb tried unsucessfully to create a shot or something. No motion, no movement and no success. We went from 4 up to 2 down in that span.

Why? it didn't work then. it didn't work earlier.

The Kings are great at motion offense. Where did it go the last 2-3 minutes? Against a young athletic team you have to be creative to help offset better athleticism. But no. Same ole, same ole. Stand around and see if CWebb will do something. And not just last night either.

There. Got it off my chest. I feel better but would feel whole lot more if Bibby was the creator late in the game and everyone got back in their motion offense.

 

[bojan_pecanac]

I noticed that too. Every play in those last two minutes Webber got it down low and created something for Bibby or Miller. We should have just played the offense we do throughout the whole game. I guess Webber just wants to be the hero every close game. I think every game the Kings played that were close, Webber always took the last shot.

 

[crypticone]

I noticed that too. Every play in those last two minutes Webber got it down low and created something for Bibby or Miller. We should have just played the offense we do throughout the whole game. I guess Webber just wants to be the hero every close game. I think every game the Kings played that were close, Webber always took the last shot.

Here we go again. It's all Webbers fault. Give me a break.

 

[Bricklayer]

Now I WILL agree that throw it to Webber and just stand around is a poor play call, and perhaps poor execution by teammates doing the statue thing. But the general approach is exactly right -- you go to your main gun when things get tight at the end of the game. Just a question of liking to see some more movement and perhaps mixing the plays up a bit. But it has worked for us, and should have worked for us last night if only Brad had converted.

1) The first couple of possessions under 3:00 what happened was we decided to attack them in the post with Webb. He scored easily, then the Suns decided they needed to double, and on the next two possessions when the double came he swung it out of the post and the ball was moved around the perimiter until we found Cat for those two big threes. Then of course not surprisingly we tied to recreate that for a few more possessions but they had adjusted to it.

2) we are not, and have never been a PG centric team. Our offense NORMALLY goes through the high post player rather than having Bibby run around willy nilly ala Nash.

3) we've had great success late in games this year with what we're doing and that great success is attributable to...

4) and more basically, of course. People still haven't adjusted to the idea of having a superstar player who you go to down the stretch. This is generally the way it works for most good teams, and always had. Play the game + when things get tight go to your main man, whether it be Kobe or Duncan or KG or MJ or Hakeem or Zeke of Magic or Bird or whoever through the years + let him make the decisions to win it or lose it. You don't go all egalitarian down the stretch + pass it around hoping that SOMEBODY might hit a shot. That's been a colossal weakness of ours in years past. Who was the man? Who was going to step up? Who's responsibility was it? Now we finally know, and we're better off for it. Finally have the look, if not necessarily the talent, of a team that can big games.

 

[shaka zulu]

It's still kind of early this new Team the kings have esembled they are still feeling each other out they have still not not got used to playing with cuttino yet.From what I saw late in the game and early in the first quarter was that it was hard for the suns to defend Chris webber in the low post he was killing them down there and it wasn't anything amare or marion could do about that.If they played him single coverage he muscled them for either an easy two points or he got to the free throw line. and if they doubled him he kicked the ball out for 3 point Bombs by peja,cuttino,and Bibby.There were too many open shots it was scary.


The problem was the spacing was kind of messed up and this was due to cuttino not knowing where he was supposed to be.He still isn't sure what he is supposed to be doing exactly yet.You could see Webb waving everyone to give him some room to work and cuttino not knowing where he was supposed to be kind of hurt everyone and created a domino effect of bad spacing.What I did see positive was when Webber got doubled he had multiple shooters to deliver the ball too it seemed to me that it was too many people he could choose from. But what was difficult was cuttino not knowing where he needed to be especially in crunch time.But let cuttino get comfortable in the Offense, Teams better watch out because it is going to be hard to guard 5 guys who can score from all angles and not just 3 point shots but high percentage shots.Good shot because everyon is kinda of interchangeable

Think about it, if cuttino knew what he was supposed to be doing,You would have him and peja and Bibby and Brad all alternating the different good look shot position's.Cuttino would be in the corner for the double team on webber kick out 3 pt shot or peja could take that area and cuttino could go back door for an uncontested probably late defensive opposition switch foul 3 point play.Double chris Bibby's open for a top of the circle outside the 3 pt range long Bomb.Maybe bibby can go back door and cuttino slides and curls to that top of the circle area for a Deep long Bomb shot and Brad flashing in the lane for a 15 ft elbow jumper when Webb is doubled.What I saw was when they all get used to playing together and knowing what each other wants to do,They will be difficult to defend and especially if they play the SUNS in a 7 game series.It's going to be the same as playing the mavericks with nash but a little different.

amare cannot defend webb as dirk couldn't either.shawn marion cannot defend Brad miller it should be a lay up 3 point play feast for Brad.It will be like another layup drill like we had against Dallas in 2002.But we must go inside and slow the game down, get it at a low scoring pace and use our size advantage like we did against Dallas that year in 2002.

The difference with the Dallas nash's and the Suns nash's is they are more athletic but I think Dirk was harder to defend because you had to come out to play him and the dallas squad had more experience and they had more cerebal players.This suns Team is faster and they can get up and Down the floor at a quicker pace and nash has the basketball more than he did with Dallas.


Our advantage will be our playoff experience, we are more cerebal and we have the size advantage and we better start using it like we did against the maverick nash's.But overrall this present KINGS squad can score and they will be scary come playoff time and I don't think the SUNS want to see us.

We played tentative and timid and still jumped out to a 16 point lead.We over estimated there TEAM and it cost us the victory.We were kind of tight and expected more of a challenge.I thought things came way easy for us.But they will learn next time.

 

[Andriod_KiNg]

All i have to say is we had plenty of chances.. we got sloppy, missed FT's and lay ups and still had a chance to tie it... its over now.. i just want the sonics game to come quickly...

 

[Ryle]

Here we go again. It's all Webbers fault. Give me a break.

Yeah, those 12 assists last night.......what a ballhog.


This is the Kings base offense and Adelman does actually call it quite a bit. I think the team is comfortable in running it but damn, it's called a motion offense so move people!!!!!!

 

[Folsom Al]

Ditto ...

All i have to say is we had plenty of chances.. we got sloppy, missed FT's and lay ups and still had a chance to tie it... its over now.. i just want the sonics game to come quickly...

Shoulda/coulda/woulda .... kills us EVERY TIME !!!!

I totally agree .... Seattle here we come.

 

[Folsom Al]

What Game Were They Watching ????

Yeah, those 12 assists last night.......what a ballhog.

Just goes to show ya .... 10 people see an accident .... 10 different stories.

Now let's see ya play some good ball tonite vs Seattle

 

[kperica]

He had a perfectly good point...don't just chalk it up to webber-hatin'. The kings blow a lot of good leads down the stretch, and our offense becoming stagnant is the problem. If you have a tape, just compare those last minutes with the rest of the game. We tighten up, stop moving, and start playing like we're the goddam San Antonio Spurs. If you really have to attribute blame to somebody, I think it falls on Adelman to find a way to get us to execute down the stretch; it's not as though this is a new problem, and something needs to be done about it.

 

[Bricklayer]

He had a perfectly good point...don't just chalk it up to webber-hatin'. The kings blow a lot of good leads down the stretch, and our offense becoming stagnant is the problem. If you have a tape, just compare those last minutes with the rest of the game. We tighten up, stop moving, and start playing like we're the goddam San Antonio Spurs. If you really have to attribute blame to somebody, I think it falls on Adelman to find a way to get us to execute down the stretch; it's not as though this is a new problem, and something needs to be done about it.

Um..actually we have played quite well down the stretch this year. Two exceptions: 1) Minnesota; 2) San Antonio. Worrisome exceptions, and why they are the two dangerous teams for us. But hardly the story of the season. The real story has been how often we HAVE pulled it off down the stretch.

Worrying about our stretch/clutch paly this season is really missing the point -- if we weren't doing well in those categories this year we'd be struggling to break .500 -- EVERYTHING has been tight, and we have normally won them. But the concern is exactly the opposite, not that we don't win tight ones -- we do -- its that we hardly EVER blow anybody out.

Games decided by 10pts or more:
San Antonio 29-1
Phoenix 24-4
Miami 18-5
Seattle 19-7
Kings 12-6

Only three teams have been blown out less times than we have. But NINE teams have more blowout wins than we do, and 2 more are tied with us.

 

[Kingsgurl]

Not many blow-outs in the play offs, usually. I like the fact the Kings are playing, and for the most part winning, this year in tight games. There is no substitute for actual real game execution down the stretch, and it is far better, IMO, to find out what works and what doesn't during the regular season.

As for the suns game, I had no problem with the execution to GET the shot. The suns had no answer for Chris down low all night long. Double him, he was finding the open man, single coverage, he was scoring over them. Basically, we got two beautiful looks (the missed lay-up and the shot that Chris took that was short) Really couldn't have asked for a better look than either of those two.