http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13858272p-14698036c.html
Ailene Voisin: Petrie's hand will be forced if team continues to flop
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 14, 2005
Whether owed to intelligent design or simply the evolutionary, natural order of things, the Kings have arrived at a place that is putting the squeeze on basketball president Geoff Petrie. A few more games like this - lack of energy, lack of teamwork, lack of fundamentals, lack of anything that warrants the familiar, full-throated support of the Arco Arena crowd - and the Big Boss will be forced to make an excruciatingly difficult, emotional move.
He will have to change coaches, change directions, adjust the attitude.
He will have to silence the crowd.
Or when was the last time the Kings were booed on four separate occasions, booed as they trudged off the court, dispirited losers of a 105-95 decision Sunday night to the previously 0-5 New York Knicks? The grumbles about head coach Rick Adelman are becoming louder and more pronounced. The season-ticket holders are griping less about the price of admission than the quality of the effort. Acknowledging the changing face of the franchise necessitated by the health of Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson, along with the advanced age of Vlade Divac and Doug Christie, most Kings partisans are patiently awaiting Petrie's next masterful rebuilding project. There is a grudging acceptance of the obvious need to move on.
But not like this, not at this point of the season. The league's most loyal, impassioned fans deserve more, certainly more inspired, enthusiastic performances than what the Kings have delivered of late.
"Come on, guys, act like you care," bellowed one fan seated behind the press table.
"Did you guys already quit?" yelled another.
Certainly it appears so, that the players are no longer responding as Adelman begins his eighth season here as head coach - an eternity by NBA standards. Utah's Jerry Sloan is an anamoly, an NBA freak of nature. Most coaches cite four to five years in one location as the outer limits of sustained employment. And while every coach is subjected to second-guessing on the airwaves and in print, the Kings' ongoing dilemma is less about X's and O's than about heart and soul.
Are they listening? Do they still hear him? Is he still able to inspire, long one of Adelman's strengths? For whatever reason, it simply isn't happening, not on defense, where the Kings appear sluggish, repeatedly failing to converge in the lane (relinquishing a stunning 52 points in the paint to these Knicks), and on offense, where the scheme seems ill-suited for the current assemblage of starters. There is no semblance of a collective commitment, or even of feistiness, and the body language is acutely troubling; this is a dead team walking. "We had no communication out there tonight," said Mike Bibby. "We need to work out our problems because I know they can be fixed."
These Kings might not be contenders, but surely they are better than they have displayed, clearly too deep and too talented to allow a formerly winless New York club to waltz into Arco and sprint out with its first victory. The Knicks and new coach Larry Brown needed a victory in the worst way.
Yeah, well, so did the Kings. Yet once again, they squandered the best homecourt advantage in the league, provoking deserved catcalls and criticism almost shockingly uncommon in this old barn of a building. Besides allowing the visitors to dominate the basket area, the Kings committed 21 turnovers, often because of a basic failure to move the basketball.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim belongs in the low post, and when not otherwise being the recipient of Brad Miller's crisp, creative passes, more swiftly passing out to open teammates. Bonzi Wells needs to stop fretting about his reputation and let loose with a few demonstrative dunks. Miller has to reassert himself as a bruiser underneath. Peja Stojakovic has to repeat his 31-point, eight-rebound, two-assist performance and absolutely should be the Kings' No.1 offensive weapon. And Bibby has to find his game, then find Peja.
"I don't know what it is," the dejected point guard said afterward. "The system ... I can't seem to get him (Stojakovic) the ball."
The voices in the locker room have become a siren song, confusion and dysfunction reigning. Kenny Thomas wonders why he isn't playing. Brian Skinner can't get on the floor. Same for the physically punishing Corliss Williamson. Newcomer Jason Hart even openly questioned the team's mental preparation. "We didn't have the correct approach to the game," he said Sunday night.
So if you're Petrie? So if this continues? He will be out of options, forced to make the logical, if painful decision, never mind the absence of an obvious (and defensive-minded) replacement. He will have to cut the cord.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Voisin must be beside herself with glee. She gets to advocate the removal of the hated RAdelman under the guise of showing concern for and about the fans.
I only have one thing to comment on:
Um, what????
Ailene Voisin: Petrie's hand will be forced if team continues to flop
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, November 14, 2005
Whether owed to intelligent design or simply the evolutionary, natural order of things, the Kings have arrived at a place that is putting the squeeze on basketball president Geoff Petrie. A few more games like this - lack of energy, lack of teamwork, lack of fundamentals, lack of anything that warrants the familiar, full-throated support of the Arco Arena crowd - and the Big Boss will be forced to make an excruciatingly difficult, emotional move.
He will have to change coaches, change directions, adjust the attitude.
He will have to silence the crowd.
Or when was the last time the Kings were booed on four separate occasions, booed as they trudged off the court, dispirited losers of a 105-95 decision Sunday night to the previously 0-5 New York Knicks? The grumbles about head coach Rick Adelman are becoming louder and more pronounced. The season-ticket holders are griping less about the price of admission than the quality of the effort. Acknowledging the changing face of the franchise necessitated by the health of Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson, along with the advanced age of Vlade Divac and Doug Christie, most Kings partisans are patiently awaiting Petrie's next masterful rebuilding project. There is a grudging acceptance of the obvious need to move on.
But not like this, not at this point of the season. The league's most loyal, impassioned fans deserve more, certainly more inspired, enthusiastic performances than what the Kings have delivered of late.
"Come on, guys, act like you care," bellowed one fan seated behind the press table.
"Did you guys already quit?" yelled another.
Certainly it appears so, that the players are no longer responding as Adelman begins his eighth season here as head coach - an eternity by NBA standards. Utah's Jerry Sloan is an anamoly, an NBA freak of nature. Most coaches cite four to five years in one location as the outer limits of sustained employment. And while every coach is subjected to second-guessing on the airwaves and in print, the Kings' ongoing dilemma is less about X's and O's than about heart and soul.
Are they listening? Do they still hear him? Is he still able to inspire, long one of Adelman's strengths? For whatever reason, it simply isn't happening, not on defense, where the Kings appear sluggish, repeatedly failing to converge in the lane (relinquishing a stunning 52 points in the paint to these Knicks), and on offense, where the scheme seems ill-suited for the current assemblage of starters. There is no semblance of a collective commitment, or even of feistiness, and the body language is acutely troubling; this is a dead team walking. "We had no communication out there tonight," said Mike Bibby. "We need to work out our problems because I know they can be fixed."
These Kings might not be contenders, but surely they are better than they have displayed, clearly too deep and too talented to allow a formerly winless New York club to waltz into Arco and sprint out with its first victory. The Knicks and new coach Larry Brown needed a victory in the worst way.
Yeah, well, so did the Kings. Yet once again, they squandered the best homecourt advantage in the league, provoking deserved catcalls and criticism almost shockingly uncommon in this old barn of a building. Besides allowing the visitors to dominate the basket area, the Kings committed 21 turnovers, often because of a basic failure to move the basketball.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim belongs in the low post, and when not otherwise being the recipient of Brad Miller's crisp, creative passes, more swiftly passing out to open teammates. Bonzi Wells needs to stop fretting about his reputation and let loose with a few demonstrative dunks. Miller has to reassert himself as a bruiser underneath. Peja Stojakovic has to repeat his 31-point, eight-rebound, two-assist performance and absolutely should be the Kings' No.1 offensive weapon. And Bibby has to find his game, then find Peja.
"I don't know what it is," the dejected point guard said afterward. "The system ... I can't seem to get him (Stojakovic) the ball."
The voices in the locker room have become a siren song, confusion and dysfunction reigning. Kenny Thomas wonders why he isn't playing. Brian Skinner can't get on the floor. Same for the physically punishing Corliss Williamson. Newcomer Jason Hart even openly questioned the team's mental preparation. "We didn't have the correct approach to the game," he said Sunday night.
So if you're Petrie? So if this continues? He will be out of options, forced to make the logical, if painful decision, never mind the absence of an obvious (and defensive-minded) replacement. He will have to cut the cord.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Voisin must be beside herself with glee. She gets to advocate the removal of the hated RAdelman under the guise of showing concern for and about the fans.
I only have one thing to comment on:
Um, what????
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