I can't vote for just one. But as a collective group the bench 25 bench points before the complete insertion in the fourth. Been like that for a few games now. Jimmer and Williams leading the way. They are settling into their roles and its really helping to not lose a lead when the bench comes in like earlier in the year. In fact a few times the lead has been extended. Rudy Gay been efficient and consistent for 15 games now and he seems to be finding his 3 pt stroke the last few. Had a subpar outing by Thomas the last game and cousins this game and I feel the bench is picking up that slack. Can't say enough about JT solid day in and day out. Knows his role and is executing to perfection. All this while our SG's continue to struggle with their shot. Defense from them is improved. If the shots ever start to fall this team will scare even the best of them.
[Grades] Grades v. Cavaliers 1/12/14
- Thread starter Bricklayer
- Start date
Well...
My wife and I had the pleasure of being able to fly up to Sacramento and sit lower bowl-side for both the Magic and the Cavaliers games.
This was the first time in about 4 years that we've been able to watch a game in Sacramento.
A 20 point win, and the 4th biggest point win in Franchise history...I'll take that.
Vivek can fly us up to watch his games whenever he wants.
Great games and great fun.
Now we'll see if we can carry this energy and good defensive play on the road. The fact that the next game is against the Pacers in front of a national audience should give the team plenty of incentive to bring it.
My wife and I had the pleasure of being able to fly up to Sacramento and sit lower bowl-side for both the Magic and the Cavaliers games.
This was the first time in about 4 years that we've been able to watch a game in Sacramento.
A 20 point win, and the 4th biggest point win in Franchise history...I'll take that.
Vivek can fly us up to watch his games whenever he wants.
Great games and great fun.
Now we'll see if we can carry this energy and good defensive play on the road. The fact that the next game is against the Pacers in front of a national audience should give the team plenty of incentive to bring it.
All Day Rudy Gay with another extremely smooth and efficient, complete game. When he gets the ball in isolation over any Small Forward not named LeBron it's going to be a positive play, with his best showing coming tonight.
I loved the 3:00 start time, giving me an opportunity to take my 6 year old to his first King's game today. I think he's good luck! GO KINGS!!!
I loved the 3:00 start time, giving me an opportunity to take my 6 year old to his first King's game today. I think he's good luck! GO KINGS!!!
I never wanted to start another IT arguement, I just want to point out that when IT has a bad game a lot of people on this board are ready to trade him for a real PG. When he has a good game they say they want that production off the bench. How many pass first defensive PG's are left in the league? Rondo, Paul and Conley to a lesser extent. Meanwhile the rest that would be considered good/great players (Westbrook, Curry, Rose, Lawson, Lillard, Irving, Parker, Wall, Deron Williams, Dragic, Bledsoe, Holiday) are all guys that score the ball. IMO Isaiah has done more than enough to belong on this list.
Rubio is a pass first PG. Speaking of Rubio, He's a FA in 14-15 right? He was pretty stoked about coming to Sac (lot of the experts had him pegged going to Sac). I don't want to turn this into a Rubio thread but I wonder if our FO is high on him because of his defense and passing ability and I wonder if they might take a stab at him in 2014-15. That's about a year before the arena opens so they might be looking to stock up on talent before the new arena opens..
Not that they would need to stock up on talent because that place is going to sell out for years and years. Vivek will be in for a treat. The Kings virtually run themselves because of the fans in Sac and our loyalty.
S
I'm sure many teams would love to have a Rubio. I also think that Rubio has a lot of up and he can improve even more. He was playing far above his current level prior to injury. I hope he can get back to that level. I don't see him leaving Minnesota, though. Albeit, they'll have to offload some quality players to make cap space for Rubio. So, there is a possibility. At the same time, I don't see IT staying as a 6th man no matter what we do so I guess it's best to ride out the remainder of the month or so and see if these how much IT's height impacts the game. It shouldn't impact too much as long as he's producing on the offensive end and we play solid TEAM defense like we did for the last 3 games. If that's the case then Kings just need a few veterans, starting SG and post defender to be a solid playoff team.
Thank you! It was incredible. I will most likely never again get the chance to sit that close to the action. It was wonderful and overwhelming, all at the same time. I shook hands with Pete D'Alessandro, waved at Vivek and Uncia03 and his lovely wife came over and introduced themselves. I actually made eye contact with Demarcus and he smiled at this little old lady in the #15 jersey.
There is something truly special building with our team. I was directly across from the bench and the camaraderie among the players is very reminiscent of the team that took my breath away.
Demarcus is amazing...no, beyond amazing. Until you see him up close you cannot truly get an idea of just how talented this young man is. After sitting there right by our basket for the entire first half, I have a whole new appreciation for just how much he puts up with. I cannot recall ever seeing so many hip checks, bumps, elbows, etc. that are just not called.
Isaiah is feisty. I have a much better appreciation for him than I had before. He's never still. I think his biggest problem may be he has so much energy that it's hard for him to keep it under control.
There is no chemistry issue between DMC and IT, or anyone else for that matter. I was at the Pelicans game right before Christmas and the difference between then and now is palpable. The guys talk to each other, Rudy and Cousins chat/strategize much more than I realized, and Mike Malone is more focused than any other coach in memory.
I'm exhausted but a very happy Kings fan.
There is something truly special building with our team. I was directly across from the bench and the camaraderie among the players is very reminiscent of the team that took my breath away.
Demarcus is amazing...no, beyond amazing. Until you see him up close you cannot truly get an idea of just how talented this young man is. After sitting there right by our basket for the entire first half, I have a whole new appreciation for just how much he puts up with. I cannot recall ever seeing so many hip checks, bumps, elbows, etc. that are just not called.
Isaiah is feisty. I have a much better appreciation for him than I had before. He's never still. I think his biggest problem may be he has so much energy that it's hard for him to keep it under control.
There is no chemistry issue between DMC and IT, or anyone else for that matter. I was at the Pelicans game right before Christmas and the difference between then and now is palpable. The guys talk to each other, Rudy and Cousins chat/strategize much more than I realized, and Mike Malone is more focused than any other coach in memory.
I'm exhausted but a very happy Kings fan.
I don't know if it was mentioned in the game thread tonight, but Mike Brown seemed determined to do whatever it took to pee DFC off but it just didn't work. I swear that Zeller was put out there more than once to try and get DFC into "angry big guy" mode. If the officials called all the fouls committed against Demarcus, he probably would have had 30 trips to the line...at least.
that was a nice emphatic win over a very bad team. i still don't understand why anybody was painting cleveland as a playoff lock before the season started. the acquisition of luol deng should help them over time, but outside of deng and kyrie irving, they're basically mediocre-to-poor everywhere else on the roster...
as for the kings, i remain impressed with their effort across the last three games. rudy effing gay, of all players, is proving to be something of a catalyst for the team's improved play. cousins is the cornerstone, but gay seems quite like the straw that stirs the drink. it's been nice to see IT settle down a bit, too. he may have scored a game-high 26 points tonight, but it was largely a result of the attention being paid to cousins and gay. he was the beneficiary of two high-level talents making the game easier for everyone else. regardless of his eventual role, that is how i want to see thomas play for the kings, as an effective foil to cousins and gay, rather than as a walking chip-on-his-shoulder...
now, three straight wins at home has been a welcome sight, but heading out on the road for six games is a different story altogether, and opening that road trip against the pacers is quite a tall order, indeed. they need not win that game to remain confident in the chemistry they're building as a team, but they do need to show up, compete at a high level, and demonstrate a continued commitment to defense...
as for the kings, i remain impressed with their effort across the last three games. rudy effing gay, of all players, is proving to be something of a catalyst for the team's improved play. cousins is the cornerstone, but gay seems quite like the straw that stirs the drink. it's been nice to see IT settle down a bit, too. he may have scored a game-high 26 points tonight, but it was largely a result of the attention being paid to cousins and gay. he was the beneficiary of two high-level talents making the game easier for everyone else. regardless of his eventual role, that is how i want to see thomas play for the kings, as an effective foil to cousins and gay, rather than as a walking chip-on-his-shoulder...
now, three straight wins at home has been a welcome sight, but heading out on the road for six games is a different story altogether, and opening that road trip against the pacers is quite a tall order, indeed. they need not win that game to remain confident in the chemistry they're building as a team, but they do need to show up, compete at a high level, and demonstrate a continued commitment to defense...
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Interesting. I feel like that's been a standard tactic against us this entire year (make DMC angry and hope he picks up some unnecessary fouls). The fact that he hasn't succumbed to that this season shows how much he's grown. I want to say he's growing into being a beast, but he's already that. It's scary to think he's still three or four seasons away from entering his prime.
VF21 already commented a bit, but I still want to comment further.
I disagree: Brown designed very good plan to deny him the ball. Boogie played unselfish and didn't force the issue. Rudy and others were peppering Cavs with shots and defense were starting to pick up. At some point Cuz forced the shot against seemingly the whole sagged in the paint team, and Cavs scored quick the other way which brought the lead further down. Malone took a timeout and coming out of it, Cousins and ball moved quickly and Boogie got deep forcing Varejao to foul, then within a few possessions he forced another foul on Varejao, and I think this was what finally broke Cavs, then Rudy made a couple more threes, and it was over. In short Cousins did force the issue, but he forced it through and that's against top defender and the whole team fighting him.
I disagree: Brown designed very good plan to deny him the ball. Boogie played unselfish and didn't force the issue. Rudy and others were peppering Cavs with shots and defense were starting to pick up. At some point Cuz forced the shot against seemingly the whole sagged in the paint team, and Cavs scored quick the other way which brought the lead further down. Malone took a timeout and coming out of it, Cousins and ball moved quickly and Boogie got deep forcing Varejao to foul, then within a few possessions he forced another foul on Varejao, and I think this was what finally broke Cavs, then Rudy made a couple more threes, and it was over. In short Cousins did force the issue, but he forced it through and that's against top defender and the whole team fighting him.
One of my good family friends works/worked for the Grizzlies back when Gay was playing for them. And what I highlighted reminds me of something he said about Gay, the part of his skill set he was most impressed with. He told me that when you see Gay up close and in person the way he moves around the court is stunning. He is so fast and smooth in the way he gets around the court he almost always gets a very slight advantage on his guy that can be hard to see on TV. It's a small advantage gained from the way he almost seems to slither (lack of a better word) through and around other players and lets him get to places and be in position to help out on both ends of the court.
This is the second series of plays that finally gave them a huge lead, it was in the early third. Cousins made 5 free throws, Rudy made those 2 threes (+a layup +1 ft) and IT made a layup that was assisted from Rudy and knocked down a tech. So our two big guys scored 14 points in 6 minutes and only allowed 8 points (3 Deng, 2 Kyrie, 3 Miles). It was a phenomenal 6 minutes and all put together from our main 2 guys making the right choices. I loved it!
Good sign:
Sean Cunningham @News10Sean1h
Rudy Gay on being with young, up-and-coming Kings team: "It's just fun to be a part of it. We can become a really good team."
Sean Cunningham @News10Sean1h
Rudy Gay on being with young, up-and-coming Kings team: "It's just fun to be a part of it. We can become a really good team."
2 questions
1. how was Bens defense today? It seems to be improving which is great when you have his athletic ability.
2. Do you guys think with a starting lineup featuring Ben/Gay/DMC paired with Malones scheme and a big like sanders could become a top 10 defense in the league? I think PDA will trade that pick cause he wants to win now and if bucks get embiid sanders will be traded. I think we will have enough scoring to be a contender but when to become a true contender you need great defense.
1. how was Bens defense today? It seems to be improving which is great when you have his athletic ability.
2. Do you guys think with a starting lineup featuring Ben/Gay/DMC paired with Malones scheme and a big like sanders could become a top 10 defense in the league? I think PDA will trade that pick cause he wants to win now and if bucks get embiid sanders will be traded. I think we will have enough scoring to be a contender but when to become a true contender you need great defense.
Dear Petie,
As a Rookie of the Year and an All Star I think I can speak on the subject of point guards. Let me take this opportunity to weigh in on your point guard situation, in case you may have some doubts on the matter. You need to get a "good" pass first point guard for your starting pg. Preferably he plays 35 minutes a game. Preferably, I can play against your new "good" point guard when our teams' play again. Please do whatever it takes to make the deal. I can't stand playing against that little cuss, Isaiah Thomas!!
Sincerely,
K.I.
As a Rookie of the Year and an All Star I think I can speak on the subject of point guards. Let me take this opportunity to weigh in on your point guard situation, in case you may have some doubts on the matter. You need to get a "good" pass first point guard for your starting pg. Preferably he plays 35 minutes a game. Preferably, I can play against your new "good" point guard when our teams' play again. Please do whatever it takes to make the deal. I can't stand playing against that little cuss, Isaiah Thomas!!
Sincerely,
K.I.
I am happiest for Coach Malone beating up on his old head coach. This has to be very gratifying for him in his path to becoming a winning head coach.
Rudy Gay is a special talent, with a complete game and so far a great attitude. He plays under control at all times and personifies "be quick but don't hurry." Coach Wooden
To any one that knows basketball, it is obvious that improving TEAM DEFENSE TAKES TIME. So much for the poll last week by forum members that indicated that 3/4 of you think that the Kings' defense will never be any good. This game is an indication of things to come. The Kings' demoralized the Cavaliers by the third quarter. This is precisely what good teams have done to the Kings for years.
I liked the comment by the coaching staff that the Kings' are still in training camp.
Several comments today that IT "was the high scorer ....but...." makes my case about how he is viewed on this forum by some.
Kingster's letter is a thing of beauty.
Rudy Gay is a special talent, with a complete game and so far a great attitude. He plays under control at all times and personifies "be quick but don't hurry." Coach Wooden
To any one that knows basketball, it is obvious that improving TEAM DEFENSE TAKES TIME. So much for the poll last week by forum members that indicated that 3/4 of you think that the Kings' defense will never be any good. This game is an indication of things to come. The Kings' demoralized the Cavaliers by the third quarter. This is precisely what good teams have done to the Kings for years.
I liked the comment by the coaching staff that the Kings' are still in training camp.
Several comments today that IT "was the high scorer ....but...." makes my case about how he is viewed on this forum by some.
Kingster's letter is a thing of beauty.
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Well, we showed we can annihilate a couple disinterested teams. And the blazers too! This is definitely progress. We won games we are supposed to win with our current talent level. It feels like years since that happened.
The relaxed schedule and lots of practice time really showed by the end of the home stand. That benefit of the schedule no longer applies for the next month or so. Two laughers is the best way I could think of to go into this stretch.
The team is coming together. Chemistry on the board and on the team is just a whole lot better after wins. Weird how that works.
Now, the road and much much better teams. Championship level. Let's see what we really have going here. I'll be irrationally hopeful about the future if we can just stay together as a team during the midst of a brutal trip. Just keep the effort up and don't get down if things that worked against Orlando and Cleveland don't go quite as well against OKC and Indiana.
All six teams on this trip see us as an easy win. Let's prove them wrong!
The relaxed schedule and lots of practice time really showed by the end of the home stand. That benefit of the schedule no longer applies for the next month or so. Two laughers is the best way I could think of to go into this stretch.
The team is coming together. Chemistry on the board and on the team is just a whole lot better after wins. Weird how that works.
Now, the road and much much better teams. Championship level. Let's see what we really have going here. I'll be irrationally hopeful about the future if we can just stay together as a team during the midst of a brutal trip. Just keep the effort up and don't get down if things that worked against Orlando and Cleveland don't go quite as well against OKC and Indiana.
All six teams on this trip see us as an easy win. Let's prove them wrong!
First, except for the beginning of the game, or I should say, the beginning of when Ben came into the game, where he got torched by Waiters a few times, he played pretty good defense. For the most part, he guarded Irving after that, and kept Irving either in front of him, or turned him into the help defense.. As to our draft pick. We can't trade our pick for a variety of reasons. One is that its already been traded although protected 1 through 12, and you can't trade 1st round picks two years in a row. So until the pick we owe the Cav's is resolved, we can't trade any 1st round pick until the 2018/19 year. I might add, that the idea of trading 1st round picks is coming to an end, unless you get a very good return on it. Why would you trade a 1st round pick for a role player, which is what you normally get, when you can aquire the same thing in the draft, with maybe more upside, and cheaper for 4 years.
This is the BYU Jimmer. A few of us wanted him to be drafted and I am not ashamed to say it. Perhaps the few of us were correct. Smart did him no favors. Malone is.
Perhaps the few of us were correct. Smart did him no favors. Malone is.
Not sure if coach told him to channel his inner BYU but for a team that needs production from the guard bench spot he is proving to be quite invaluable. He draws alot of attention and has shown he can run the offense as well as IT at times.
I would be dissapointed to see him go especially when you have thorton sucking it up and ben still being an enigma.