[Game] Game 8: Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks, 11/11/14 5:30 PST 8:30 EST

Kings record for the season:


  • Total voters
    26

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Our two starting guards combined for 0 assists.

Our entire guardline combhined for 2 assists.

Our entire lineup outside of Cuz and Rudy combined for 4 assists.


Hence not Cuz nor any other big guy stands much of a chance of getting the ball comfortably.
I'm not going to sweat the starting shooting guard not having any assists, when he shoots fifty-percent from the field, and has four three-pointers. But, no assists from the starting point guard is unconscionable.
 
Collison is a better team player for us, than "you know who". That makes us better in the backcourt
I totally disagree. I've probably seen more of DC than anybody here over his career (watched most of his games as a hornet, some with the pacers and clippers) and he's been terribly inconsistent over the course of a season and never really established himself as a quality starter. He's very fast, and his quickness is an asset, and he's had stretches of good games, but he's not great at setting up guys or a consistent scoring threat. He's better defensively than IT, but when a team like this has no bench scoring and relies totally on two or three guys to make plays, then playmakers become more valuable, and IT makes plays.

I'd rather have Greivis than Sessions. I know I've been harping on Sessions, but it merits addressing, especially after Ray's rookie campaign. I honestly thought in the offseason Ray would be starting, and the fact that he can barely get minutes behind both a career backup in DC and a d-league PG in Sessions (seriously, he's at the bottom of the league at his position), keeps me scratching my head.
 
We need Collison, we need less iso, we need Cousins to stay out of foul trouble, we need to eliminate non-forced turnovers, and we need better refs.

Cousins with only two free throw attempts? Something's not right...
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
This is the concern I have as well; everything is smooth sailing, when we're winning. During the five-game winning streak, everybody was playing for each other, everybody was willing to make the extra pass, everybody was hustling on defense, everybody was fighting for rebounds, nobody was sweating their touches. As soon as we start to have problems, we revert to type.
IIRC at the end of the first quarter the Kings had 10 assists and 5 turnovers. They finished the game with 17 assists and 20 turnovers. I think that more or less tells the story.

That and Cousins having a +8 despite the team losing by 8. DMC has to stay out of foul trouble and on the floor for this team to win. He's so much more important on both ends than he gets credit for nationally. He's become a surprisingly good defender and on offense he draws so much attention. But mostly because when he's out and things aren't going well Gay reverts to Toronto Rudy.
 

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
I do legitimately hate to say this, but I feel like Thompson is going to continue to be as inconsistent with his effort this season as he's been for his whole career. If he had it every night he'd be a lot more valuable than he is.
 
Our two starting guards combined for 0 assists.

Our entire guardline combhined for 2 assists.

Our entire lineup outside of Cuz and Rudy combined for 4 assists.


Hence not Cuz nor any other big guy stands much of a chance of getting the ball comfortably.
Except Cuz and Rudy both have 12 TO's. that goes both ways
 
I totally disagree. I've probably seen more of DC than anybody here over his career (watched most of his games as a hornet, some with the pacers and clippers) and he's been terribly inconsistent over the course of a season and never really established himself as a quality starter. He's very fast, and his quickness is an asset, and he's had stretches of good games, but he's not great at setting up guys or a consistent scoring threat. He's better defensively than IT, but when a team like this has no bench scoring and relies totally on two or three guys to make plays, then playmakers become more valuable, and IT makes plays.

I'd rather have Greivis than Sessions. I know I've been harping on Sessions, but it merits addressing, especially after Ray's rookie campaign. I honestly thought in the offseason Ray would be starting, and the fact that he can barely get minutes behind both a career backup in DC and a d-league PG in Sessions (seriously, he's at the bottom of the league at his position), keeps me scratching my head.
IT makes plays for himself and gives up too much on the other end. The role he is in for Phx is ideal and even that may not be a great fit. And with regards to Ray tonight, he didn't do much. Not sure he made the most of his opportunity.
 
What a terrible 3 quarters of basketball!!! Its going to be interesting to see how they play against the Griz. Either good or bad, we'll soon know what to expect for the rest of the winter!!!
 
Blaming the refs never gets anywhere. This is Cuz's 5th season now, he should know how the refs are going to call fouls on him.

And even though Cuz only has 2 FT attempts, we've still shot 32 for the game, far above the average in the NBA.
One thing he has to do is stop trying to reach for balls in the backcourt. He didn't pick up any fouls doing that this game, but he did try to get the steal a number of times. I know you've got great hands Cuz, but the likelihood of you stealing the ball from guys as quick as Monta Ellis is practically zero. Do yourself a favor and stay away from those cheap ones.
 
What a terrible 3 quarters of basketball!!! Its going to be interesting to see how they play against the Griz. Either good or bad, we'll soon know what to expect for the rest of the winter!!!
Trying to push Gasol inside certainly doesn't seem like a viable tactic at this moment. Boogie needs his jumper.
 
IT makes plays for himself and gives up too much on the other end. The role he is in for Phx is ideal and even that may not be a great fit. And with regards to Ray tonight, he didn't do much. Not sure he made the most of his opportunity.
So who says he has to play a different role? I'd rather have a sparkplug who I can go to when I need something to happen than get absolutely nothing out of my reserve unit, especially if Cousins is in foul trouble, something he often has been over his career. I wouldn't have minded getting Ray or even another guard to pair with him and retain a top value in talent like that than dumping him because he doesn't "fit" where he shouldn't belong in the first place. Take advantage of the talent you have, and the kings haven't done that for a decade.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
The irony, of course, is that McLemore developing into a perimeter threat has inexplicably somehow made it harder for Cousins to get good looks inside.
In OKC Brooks basically tried to force someone else on the Kings to beat his team and no one stepped up. They fronted Cuz, doubled on the catch and played a very physical game inside.

The Mavs didn't really do anything out of the ordinary but then they seem to give up open threes to everyone leaving more guys in the paint.

I love what JT gives the team as an individual defender and rebounder but his offense has been as bad as I've ever seen from him. He used to at least have a reliable jumper from 10-12 ft to keep his man honest. Doesn't help that Rudy wants to operate close to the basket and that none of the PGs are great 3pt shooters.

This team could really benefit from a stretch four, at least as a way to counteract teams that just mob Cuz inside. A Horry type that could actually defend (well, Horry could defend when he wanted to which was usually only in the playoffs) would be ideal but even a really solid shooter like Ryan Anderson would help.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Blaming the refs never gets anywhere. This is Cuz's 5th season now, he should know how the refs are going to call fouls on him.

And even though Cuz only has 2 FT attempts, we've still shot 32 for the game, far above the average in the NBA.
Man, I can't ****ing believe this. I agree with andremiller07 and The_Jamal, on the same night, in the same thread... Maybe I need to call it a night, too.
 
Our two starting guards combined for 0 assists.

Our entire guardline combhined for 2 assists.

Our entire lineup outside of Cuz and Rudy combined for 4 assists.


Hence not Cuz nor any other big guy stands much of a chance of getting the ball comfortably.
The way our offense is in the half court does not lend itself to assists from guards. It's been dump it in to Cuz and Gay and let them create. Even when we swing the ball on the perimeter, its to get a better post entry angle.