[Game] VSL Game 3 (7/11/2023): Kings vs. Bulls 7pm PT 10pm ET (ESPN2)

[The_Jamal]

Jordan Ford sucking us right back in

 

[HndsmCelt]

I have to legit wonder if Jake is just pissing the coaches off or if he honestly can only play for a few minutes at a time without getting winded. I mean he's not heavy but it seems strange his play time is so short

 

[Tetsujin]

Wonder if the lack of playing time for Stephens is a conditioning thing. He hasn't looked bad in his stints tonight.

 

[Tetsujin]

Colby Jones with the slick pass man pic.twitter.com/osg7Zv7YSI

— cashiggy (@cashiggy11) July 12, 2023

 

[Caccia]

Wonder if the lack of playing time for Stephens is a conditioning thing. He hasn't looked bad in his stints tonight.

Anyone at this level can play more than four minutes in a row. It's more a matter of prioritization; he is undrafted and an afterthought. I saw all the coaches on the bench tell him "Good job!" when he went back to the bench.

 

[Tetsujin]

Keon is one of the best readers of passing lanes on defense I've ever seen.

 

[Ozymandias]

Heck of a showing from Ford so far. Nice bounceback after yesterday. Lets hope its more of the same in the 2nd half.

 

[SacTownKid]

The Kings didn't need a 3 and D 2/3 all along. They already had one and his name is Keon Ellis. And now he can run point as well. Wow.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Keon is one of the best readers of passing lanes on defense I've ever seen.

His improvement from last summer league is leaves and bounds. I think that's a bet that's going to pay off.

 

[Ozymandias]

Henri Drell is playing great for the Bulls...

 

[SacTownKid]

Might be time to change up this doubling the post stuff.

 

[Ozymandias]

I'm sure somewhere int he back of Coby Jones mind he's like "this guy again" in regards to Javonte Liberty-Freeman, who he probably had quite a few big east battles with..

I actually like Liberty-Freeman's game. He ALWAYS, without fail drops 15+ evertime i see him play.. n he's got 15 at the half..

should be a spicy 2nd half..

 

[Ozymandias]

Every effective minutes for Stephens. I say he's earned a few 3pt attempts in this second half.

I wonder if they are limiting his minutes due to conditioning, that'd be most likely. Also could be they want to micromanage him defensively? I'm not sure maybe thats way-off.

I would think somewhere, there's this mystery number, some target weight they have for him, unlikely his current 270lb form is really close to it, again maybe im way-off though.

Or they could be saving him for this second half which I hope is the case ---- As Commanche and Daum have combined for 1 board in 15 mins. Hoping we see at least 12 minutes for Stephens to get him to 20 total.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Also not facing intense ball pressure. Teams can trick their way into victories hounding the ball. Bobby Jackson kind of did that the year the Kings won.

The year the Kings won? As in singular?

 

[Ozymandias]

Excellent start to the 2nd half for Keon Ellis.

 

[dude12]

I’d sign Keon to a regular contract and go with Monk as the 3rd PG since Colby and Keon can also handle the ball. I can see Keon being used with Davion and Colby and just pressing the snot out of teams for short stretches when we need a jump start

 

[Caccia]

Excellent start to the 2nd half for Keon Ellis.

Nice screen by Stephens to open a clear lane for Ellis.

 

[Ozymandias]

In no way shape or form do we have an exceptionally talented SL team, especially without Queta, so these winnable games r ones we'll need to take if this teams gonna be a factor in the SL tournament.

 

[Ozymandias]

Nice screen by Stephens to open a clear lane for Ellis.

Stephens one of those dudes whos the size of a doorframe

 

[206Fan]

Slawson needs to develop an offensive game in the G

I was high on Slawson when we drafted him. However after watching him in limited SL minutes, I think it’s clear that he’s not an NBA player… if SL moves too fast for him, I think the GLeague might be a struggle as well. He’s probably going to spend the entire year in Stockton to finish his contract.

I can see him end up as a coach down the line though

 

[SLAB]

Keon has so many nice tools to work with.

 

[Ozymandias]

Ok yeah it is the defense btw thats gonna limit Stephens, and this bulls team can get downhill so we'll see him put to the test..;. this is a good spot to evaluate him from

 

[Tetsujin]

I see we've already stopped calling the new flop rule.

 

[KainLear]

I see we've already stopped calling the new flop rule.

I literally come logging in to say exactly this.

Can a coach challenge a flop? haha

 

[Tetsujin]

DAUMINATION

 

[Tetsujin]

Another Keon hammer 🤩https://t.co/eNkSyq2eH6

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) July 12, 2023

 

[SacTownKid]

Slawson starting to pick up the hustle.

 

[KainLear]

Had a feeling adding these kinds of judgment call rules, which means it is not immune to Superstar treatment, is just gonna create more unnecessary on-court drama.

But that might just be exactly what the NBA wanted all along. Combining forces with ESPN, it seems to me like they wanna play the "Superstar worship" where instead of finding drama in actual basketball games, they want us to focus on their off-the-court characteristics and worship them like celebrities.

 

[dude12]

I guess Slawson was the hub of the O in college, so everything is new to him. Wouldn’t give up on him yet

 

[Ozymandias]

very good showing here in the 3rd.. winnable game