[Grades] Grades v. Lakers 12/12/2016

Happiest with the game by which non-Cuz?

  • Koufos

    Votes: 8 15.1%
  • Collison

    Votes: 15 28.3%
  • Casspi

    Votes: 8 15.1%
  • Temple

    Votes: 22 41.5%

  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#1



Link to Boxscore

Starters
14min 7pts (2-6 0-3 3-3) 5reb 2ast 2stl 1blk 0To
Gay ( INC ) -- at some point in the second quarter strained his hip flexor, which is another injury which can linger, and disappeared from the lineup. Probably says something that it took so long for anybody to notice and talk about it.

35min 31pts (12-21 2-3 5-7) 16reb 5ast 2stl 3blk 8To
Cousins ( A- ) -- has started to develop the healthy distaste for all things L.A. you'd hope for out of a Kings star. the defense was there from the very start. Does not like Randle, and smothered him into silence all game long + turned the momentum of the game with a thug flop that caused a Lakers meltdown in the 1st.. Protected the rim. But his first half offense was a continuation of the Utah struggle. Then the third happened and he exploded back into Boggiedom.

32min 10pts (5-7 0-0 0-0) 7reb 0ast 3stl 1blk 0To
Koufos ( A- ) -- picks up his minus for his early minutes when he really let Mozgov get the better of him in another sluggish start for us. But was brought in several times to stabilize the bench, and gave us a great second half, catching and finishing his stuff around the hoop, and really being a stout interior wall on defense.

4min 0pts (0-0 0-0 0-0) 0reb 0ast 0stl 1blk 1To
McLemore ( INC ) -- only got 4 minutes in before taking a knee to the thigh and having to leave the game. Had a nice block while he played. Have to see now how this goes, because deep thigh bruises are an injury that can really linger.

32min 20pts (7-11 4-7 2-6) 1reb 4ast 1stl 0blk 2To
Collison ( B+ ) -- in the first half continued undyamic play and was getting burned on defense. But he and Cuz led the 3rd quarter charge that broke the game open, and while he blinked back out in the 4th, still had the impression maybe he is the guy who can step up with more shot opportunities if Rudy has to miss time now.

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Bench

30min 13pts (6-10 1-1 0-3) 6reb 3ast 1stl 0blk 1TO
Casspi ( A- ) -- really stepped up for us with Rudy going down. Was virtually the only competent bencher in the first half, then got the start in the 2nd half and he and Temple helped to really pump energy into the starting crew as we blew the Lakers out and smothered them with defense.

11min 8pts (4-6 0-0 0-0) 4reb 0ast 1stl 0blk 2TO
Cauley-Stein ( C+ ) -- there's a lot of garbagetime hero to this grade, as while the game was actually on scored two quick hoops, then proceeded to get replaced early twice by Koufos as our bench was shaky with him in the middle. But in the final minute had a fun not entirely competent stretch of banging the offensive boards and being relentless there to finally get some numbers.

26min 8pts (3-9 0-4 2-2) 6reb 5ast 4stl 0blk 4TO
Lawson ( B ) -- messy but dynamic, all or nothing. But most hyped up and involved he's been in several games. Lack of shooting really hurt at times, made mistake,s but also made a lot of plays on defense, with hustle, creating shots while spending much of the night playing alongside other ballhandlers in Collison or Temple.

31min 16pts (7-8 2-2 0-0) 1reb 1ast 1stl 0blk 1TO
Temple ( A- ) -- called upon to play major minutes when Ben went down, and critically cranked up his offense to help us make up for the loss of Rudy. Knocked down nearly everything he shot, and was an amazing +41 in his 31 minutes of action.

12min 0pts (0-1 0-1 0-0) 1reb 3ast 1stl 0blk 1TO
Tolliver ( C ) -- was looking borderline unplayable until he found a way to contribute with thee high hard passes for assists inside in his second stint. Really needs to refind his stroke though.

13min 3pts (1-5 1-3 0-0) 0reb 0ast 0stl 0blk 1TO
Afflalo ( F ) -- got the surprise minutes with the injuries, and the way coach always says be ready to play at any time? Well he wasn't. Looked like he would rather be anywhere but there. problem in New York too when brought off the bench. Lifeless and racked up -23 +/- in 13 min.
 
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#3
And YOU get a tech! And YOU get a tech! and.... YOU get a tech! Everybody gets a tech!!!:D

Gay (B) was playing well before the hip flexor which he got diving for a loose ball
Koufos ( B+) had a good game with 10 pts 7 rebs and 3 steals and a block!
Cousins (A-) just keeps filling the stat sheet in every category which unfortunately included turnovers where he had 8!:eek: lost a mark for those
Collison (A) I would like to see consistent games like this from DC
Ben Mac ( INC) Hopefully his injury isnt serious. seemed like a supersized charlie-horse
Tolliver ( C+) gets the plus for the assists. i have noticed he commits offensive fouls often when driving in the paint in what limited mins he has played this season
Casspi (A-) Very nice game from Casspi. no glaring WTH moments and played within himself to a nice stat line
WCS ( C+) gets a you got me nod with the quiet and unitentional stat padding. hey, whatever can get him going i am for it
Lawson (B+) had a great all around game, lost a notch for going 0-4 from three. if he could knock a few of those down it would really help
Temple (A+) Continues to impress game after game. "next man up" as his said to Kayte. Just a class act Elmers Glue Guy
Afflalo (D+) i have nothing to add here
 
#4
Great win tonight!!!!

I thought Afflalo might've been sitting due to an injury or something...but apparently, he's just been benched. I'm fine with McLemore or Temple taking his minutes. Afflalo doesn't even look like the player he was on the Knicks. I think we're seeing him in his deep decline?

On a completely random side note, Brandon Ingram is not ready for the NBA. He belongs with our rookies.....in the DL.
 
#5
Regardless of the circumstances a Kings win over the Lakers is better than finding money in an old coat.

That said, Vlade and the rest of the Kings FO still have a choice to make - they can trade Cousins and start a serious rebuild effort or they can continue to try to build a winning team around him.

I would advocate for a rebuild but if they are going to keep trying to win with Cousins (and it seems like that's the plan) then a couple things are going to have to happen.

(1) Rudy needs to be dealt. When he and Cousins share the floor there's too much ISO ball, too much standing around and a predictable, ineffective offense. Plus Rudy clearly wants out.

(2) The Kings need a true sixth man/bench scorer. That Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford type who can come in, get hot, create his own shot and put pressure on the defense.

(3) They need a new starting lineup. I understand the rationale of starting Koufos but enough with the slow starts. I don't understand the rationale of starting Afflalo or McLemore. The problem is that starting Temple (who has certainly earned it) weakens an already shaky bench.

And long term the Kings need a second star. Either a top tier PG or a wing who stretches the defense.
 
#7
Regardless of the circumstances a Kings win over the Lakers is better than finding money in an old coat.

That said, Vlade and the rest of the Kings FO still have a choice to make - they can trade Cousins and start a serious rebuild effort or they can continue to try to build a winning team around him.

I would advocate for a rebuild but if they are going to keep trying to win with Cousins (and it seems like that's the plan) then a couple things are going to have to happen.

(1) Rudy needs to be dealt. When he and Cousins share the floor there's too much ISO ball, too much standing around and a predictable, ineffective offense. Plus Rudy clearly wants out.

(2) The Kings need a true sixth man/bench scorer. That Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford type who can come in, get hot, create his own shot and put pressure on the defense.

(3) They need a new starting lineup. I understand the rationale of starting Koufos but enough with the slow starts. I don't understand the rationale of starting Afflalo or McLemore. The problem is that starting Temple (who has certainly earned it) weakens an already shaky bench.

And long term the Kings need a second star. Either a top tier PG or a wing who stretches the defense.
I saw the game and didn't see what you are talking about at all. But I guess that's why we are both here.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#8
On a completely random side note, Brandon Ingram is not ready for the NBA. He belongs with our rookies.....in the DL.
Couldn't agree more. He's definitely a dude that probably could have done with another year or two under Coach K in Duke. His body looks like rookie Kevin Martin's did (not a good thing) and his game can't match up with his natural ability at this point.
 
#10
Couldn't agree more. He's definitely a dude that probably could have done with another year or two under Coach K in Duke. His body looks like rookie Kevin Martin's did (not a good thing) and his game can't match up with his natural ability at this point.
I think he's actually slightly heavier than Durant was as a rookie while being slightly shorter. The difference wa that Durant was so much more fluid. Ingram looks closer to Porzingis than Durant in terms of how he moves on the court. The difference is that he doesn't seem to have the killer instinct or fire of either of those guys.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#13
Despite everything:



2 games from 8th. 3 games from last. Only 7 quality teams in the West this year. The 8th spot is open to whoever reaches up to grab it.

And peeps don't understand how well differential predicts things. We've been the non-good team that has played teams the closest this year. There's actually a smaller gap between our +/- and Memphis's +/- than there is between ours and Portland's.
 
#14
Point differential does predict things pretty well if you pay attention early in the season. Seeding tends to end up along point differential lines. The anomalies are the Grizz and (right now) the Kings. One wins close games and gets blown out in losses. The other loses close games and blows out in wins.
 
#16
Despite everything:



2 games from 8th. 3 games from last. Only 7 quality teams in the West this year. The 8th spot is open to whoever reaches up to grab it.

And peeps don't understand how well differential predicts things. We've been the non-good team that has played teams the closest this year. There's actually a smaller gap between our +/- and Memphis's +/- than there is between ours and Portland's.
i think Utah is the weak one in comparison to Portland and the one more likely to drop a bit

hopefully
 
K

KingMilz

Guest
#17
I never wish injuries on anyone but at this point I don't care what it takes for Temple to be playing 35+minutes a game it's a joke that DJ has not played him and I don't care what it takes to get him playing as a starter/logging the most minutes on the team.
 
#18
What the hell is up with Afflalo?
That guy is shockingly bad, and really has little reason to be on an NBA court the way he's playing now.

I'm stunned we paid him $12 million to come here and do this to us.
He's been iso garbage for two years. Hasn't played defense in five.

He put up some numbers, but the kind that left him taking a one year deal with a garbage team.
 
#20
Temple and casspi could be in for an early Christmas with increased minutes due to injuries. Both have earnt their time and I don't feel we will lose much with them in the starting line up if Ben and Rudy are out
 
#21
(1) Rudy needs to be dealt. When he and Cousins share the floor there's too much ISO ball, too much standing around and a predictable, ineffective offense. Plus Rudy clearly wants out.
Now's the time. It has worked out well because Rudy is putting up good numbers and maybe we can pull something decent in trade even though he is expiring. But I'm at the point where I don't really care what comes back. 11 guys want to be here and bust ass, and there's Rudy who's putting the bravest face on that he can - but obviously has wanted out for a while now. I think team morale will be better once that is dealt with.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#24
Not having Gay & McLemore out there for the second half was a beautiful thing to watch. Even if the Kings get hosed next game versus Houston without Rudy, if they play harder, show more heart & effort I'll take that. Vlade...call up Malachi please.
 
#25
Gaps are closing up. Have to get the record in line.
PTS/G: 102.8 (21st of 30) Opp PTS/G: 103.5 (14th of 30)
Off Rtg: 106.6 (14th of 30) Def Rtg: 107.3 (17th of 30)
Good point. I think the problem so far has been that the team has lost in Off Rtg more than it has gained in Def Rtg (if my memory is is not failing concerning last season). I actually think that Joerger has to get that right. The defense needed significant improvement, but that got to be fixed in a way that does not hurt the offense too much.
 
#26
Seems Temple/Omri made a difference over McLemore/Gay, but are we going to see changes from it? Good to see Omri fully supplanting Barnes, and he is still an important player for us
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#29
Seems Temple/Omri made a difference over McLemore/Gay, but are we going to see changes from it? Good to see Omri fully supplanting Barnes, and he is still an important player for us
Barnes was not suited up last night.

The Tolliver minutes are actually the direct Barnes minutes, but Tolliver hasn't been making much of a case for himself in these stints.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#30
Good point. I think the problem so far has been that the team has lost in Off Rtg more than it has gained in Def Rtg (if my memory is is not failing concerning last season). I actually think that Joerger has to get that right. The defense needed significant improvement, but that got to be fixed in a way that does not hurt the offense too much.
Last year:
PTS/G: 106.6 (3rd of 30) Opp PTS/G: 109.1 (30th of 30)
Off Rtg: 106.0 (15th of 30) Def Rtg: 108.4 (22nd of 30)