KINGS! Summer League-Vegas Gm 5 - 7/13/17 (round 2 vs Mavericks)

Here we go again! Game time is 5:30 pm PDT on ESPN2.

We're gonna have fun. Look for newest King Bogdan B. to be in the crowd.

#GoKings

Imprint on the game

Hopefully, Fox plays. But if he doesn't, I would like very much for Jackson to handle the ball a lot. Eventually, he might be a good "point forward" in this league. Looking for Skal to continue getting better. Skal, stop the dribbling without going anywhere! Some goes for you too, Papa! Just get the ball and shoot the ball with no dribble!

DSJ was my favorite prospect for the Kings, and I was really upset we didn't at least bring him in. This is the thing I hate most about scouting prospects.. I love what I've seen from Fox so far, but I just can't help but feel like they passed up on a more talented player. Sucky weird dilemma. Comes down to scouting skills vs. hope. I hope Fox ends up being the better player.

Will be a really fun matchup if Fox is playing.

Papa after the game last night...

No way afox doesn't play he wasn't ruled out for the summer and I'm sure Mason won't play meaning we need a guard to play

I love Papa's surly attitude. I think I have something for angry centers. Keep it up, and keep backing it up big man.

So the question is, did Papa have a good game last night because he was motivated to prove the haters wrong? Which would remind me of WCS becoming a strong rebounder after he got tired of people hating on him for that.
I think players can elevate their games by finding the motivations that work for them. For some, it might be about proving the haters wrong. For others, it might be about seeking the coach's approval. For others, it might be about getting a better contract.

I think he may have got annoyed he lost a couple of rebounds.

But the players rotated well when he had the ball in his hands, that helps him not only pass but do some other things. Team seemed to play better fitting Papa ball.

Seriously I'm so hyped for the Fox Smith matchup both are elite athletes and potential all stars. The best part is they both compete hard and are good defenders (smith when he wants too). He went toe to toe with Jackson and was playing hard defense I expect the same ba Fox

I hope Fox gives it a go if healthy enough. Interested to see how Skal, Papa and Justin play coming off a win.

Win, Lose, or Draw, I want to see solid play from all of the players on our roster. I want to see how the defend pick-and-rolls, I want to see how they set and come off screens, I want to see how quickly and correctly they make decisions on and off the ball. I've never cared about wins or losses in Summer League but I certainly would not be upset if the Kings kept winning.

I'm beginning to think that players just don't learn to defend the p-n-r until they get to the NBA. It seems it's one of the most difficult things to learn to do effectively.

Sometimes this criticism is justified and sometimes not. Putting the ball down with dribble is sensible when a player is out of balance and needs to collect himself. Putting the ball down on in traffic is not a problem if you power dribble and get big to protect ball and to collect yourself and get into superior position and go up strong. This is what Papa G is trying to do. His strength, court awareness and reaction time needs to catch up with size. When he gets stronger in his lower base and lighter on his feet, it will be easier for him to stop on a dime and go up on balance and shoot or dunk. But since he is still working on conditioning and strength he does not possess the agility or power to catch and finish in one motion. This is a skill. It is more than a "bad habit" he needs to break. He needs to become a superior conditioned athlete so he does not need the dribble to prevent tripping over his own two feet.

Any word on Fox?

Defending the Pick and Roll

Always try to disrupt the offense. Pressuring the ball makes dribbling and passing more difficult, and increases the chances of an offensive mistake. To defend the pick and roll at the wing or centerfield, here are some tactics:

• Trap the dribbler and go over the screen.
• Hard show and go over.
• Pinch, squeeze, or push up and under or through.
• Trap and aggressively switch the rescreen.
• Show and go under.
• Stop the dribbler and go over.
• Jump out to stop the ball and go through.
• Hug the screener and go under.
• Jump and trap the dribbler early before the screen can be set.
• Defend the roll man with a big-to-big rotation.
  Note: On the weak side make sure to cover the top, elbow, and box.
• Switch pick and roll - you can always switch equal size players.
• Short-clock situations - switch regardless of size.

I think the most difficult play to defend in all of basketball is the Pick and Roll.

From: http://www.coachesclipboard.net/BasketballDefensePicknRoll.html

I was just messing around and googled "defending the pick and roll"... I found coachesclipboard.net and there's some pretty interesting stuff in there.

Sean Cunningham‏Verified account@SeanCunningham 13s14 seconds ago


As expected De'Aaron Fox playing. Warming up on the court presently. Malachi Richardson not playing as expected.

Sean Cunningham‏Verified account@SeanCunningham 19s19 seconds ago


Frank Mason III will not play.

Jason Jones‏Verified account@mr_jasonjones 14s14 seconds ago


Fox is playing today. No Mason, Richardson, Hield

No Hield? WTF?

I believe it was a choice earlier that he would only play in the first three games.

Hey, I don't hear that annoying gravelly voice.

PapaG seems to be improving incrementally. And the guy with the canary feathers in his hair is definitely growing on me.

JJ just fine with longer NBA 3 pt line - Fox at this point not so much. But he's sure dropin' dimes OK!

Oh yeah. I like me some Fox to Jackson.

Damn, I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!

Great start!

I thought we were gonna get steam rolled in this game, but now I've obviously jinxed the good start.

Mavs won the Orlando Summer League and undefeated in Vegas. Basically the Warriors of the summer league.

JJ. Wow.

I feel like JJ has some Clay Thompson in him.....anybody else see that?