What changes can Kings make to come out stronger in the 1st Quarter every game?

[ockingsfan]

The Kings continue to play with fire every night. Come out flat and dig a hole and desperately try and climb out for the rest of the game.

Almost every game, they go down by 10-20 points early on and then come storming back by the 4th Quarter.

Sometimes they are able to make the comeback and win, but too often, they come up short.

What can the Kings do to prevent these types of 1st quarter every night and play a solid 48 minutes every game?

Suggestions???

 

[NewArena]

start WCS

 

[swisshh]

You need a proper PF so Cuz can be at center, and then play inside-out a bit more. They play far out on offense and put no pressure on defense. The bench succeeds because Lawson/WCS penetration/lob combo collapses defenses and gets shots. They can also rotate better defensively. The starters, with Cuz and Boogie, rotate slowly.

This isn't a knock on Kosta at all. It's just an awkward line-up that needs to play at a slow, slow pace and so it is easily blitzed in first quarters.

 

[kingsboi]

maybe experiment Trill and Boogie together? other than that, nothing you can really do. Joerger has tried a lot of different lineups, all but those two on a consistent basis. If Trill continues to show he can be a respectable mid range shooter, no reason he shouldn't start.

 

[SLAB]

Change starting Cuz and Kosta. It's an awful pairing, and they do not compliment each other at all. Both players are better when the other isn't on the court. My call is WCS and Boogie. Their skillsets are built to play together. Gotta start building their chemistry ASAP.

 

[miltonap]

Hypnotherapy

 

[Larry89]

WCS plays better at center than PF, but Cousins with Kosta is awful, maybe start Tolliver and Cousins again?

 

[funkykingston]

Collison
McLemore
Casspi
Cauley-Stein
Cousins

Is a starting five I'd like to see. I don't particularly like Ben starting but with Temple hurt (and a guy Joerger likes off the bench) the only other options are Afflalo who has been terrible and Richardson who shows promise but still has too many lapses.

Anyway, that lineup has enough shooting to space the floor while WCS can guard mobile bigs so Boogie doesn't have to.

The reserves would be

Koufos
Tolliver
Barnes
Temple or Afflalo or Richardson
Lawson

Which I think also works. Boogie makes up for Trill's rebounding deficiency and Koufos can do the same with Tolliver.

 

[kingdivac]

Hamstrings are notoriously chronic injuries - not looking good for Lawson unfortunately. It's rotten luck for the Kings too.

 

[gunks]

No more Cuz/Kosta.

It's been an awful pairing all year. I get that we haven't really had a legit starter quality PF on the roster, and WCS was awful until recently. ....

.... but now that WCS is showing signs of life again, Joerger should do everyone a favor and let him start next to Cuz. KK will be an excellent backup.

 

[jcwkings]

Start WCS or trade for a starting caliber PF.

 

[The Hammer]

Hypnotherapy

Actually... yes.

It's completely mental.

 

[Fear the Putin]

 

[John Galt]

I went with the Red Bull but really I think if we had a more intense shootaround routine it would help. That and caffeine.

 

[Kingsfan23]

Certain players just don't provide energy, and they are starting, Afflalo is certainly one

 

[jcassio]

Kosta wins 9 of 10 jump balls; I'd keep him in the starting lineup until the first timeout. In contrast, Cuz has won about 1 jump ball in his whole NBA career.
Richardson or Casspi would give them a bit more shooting punch in the early going.
Another issue is not protecting the ball. But we can't keep Cuz out of the starting lineup in order to cut down on the turnovers, can we?

 

[upinsmoke]

I've always leaned towards starting your better defenders because you get turnovers and easy buckets then sub in some more firepower later in the quarter.

 

[ockingsfan]

Kosta wins 9 of 10 jump balls; I'd keep him in the starting lineup until the first timeout.

Really? Is there a link to this stat or is this just your guess?

 

[ockingsfan]

In contrast, Cuz has won about 1 jump ball in his whole NBA career.

If WCS starts, he would probably do the jump balls, I would think.

You probably wouldn't want to risk injury with DMC doing the jump ball regularly.

 

[Bricklayer]

Kosta wins 9 of 10 jump balls; I'd keep him in the starting lineup until the first timeout. In contrast, Cuz has won about 1 jump ball in his whole NBA career.
Richardson or Casspi would give them a bit more shooting punch in the early going.
Another issue is not protecting the ball. But we can't keep Cuz out of the starting lineup in order to cut down on the turnovers, can we?

Not unless we also want to eliminate all our assists, since he's our PG.

 

[VF21]

Really? Is there a link to this stat or is this just your guess?

If it's a guess, I'd say he's pretty close. I believe it's even been mentioned by Grant and Jerry a few times.