I think that as time goes by, the vets like MT and Salmons are going to get reduced playing time as they play their way out of the lineup and Ben improves with experience. Where we go at SF has to be Luc at some point. I also think that at some point down the road, Ray is activated and plays backup minutes. SF will have to be addressed in the offseason. It's just not very good there right now.
[Grades] Grades v. Warriors 11/02/2013
- Thread starter Bricklayer
- Start date
Always thus. Absolutely the way of this board. Can we win the next game? How can we win the game? I'll bet Malone doesn't throw in the towel. I don't think Cousins will have much trouble figuring out what he needs to do to play winning basketball in our next game. Our outside shooters are mostly taking good shots that they make. Keep it up.
Sure was a lousy Kings effort. Let's hope Malone does better.
Sure was a lousy Kings effort. Let's hope Malone does better.
Thornton is not receiving star status, he is simply starting just like three other guys who do not have star status. Once the decision was made ( and a good one it was) to not start McLemore but play him a lot, the die was cast for at least the first games of the season. There is no one else to start AND Thornton is paid play-him-or- trade-him money.
Thornton will start until the dust clears on the viability of players at the 3 and 4 positions. If Mbah a Moute gets healthy and is feasible as a starter then other options become available. You don't have to start Salmons out of position at the three any more, you can start him at the two position. Such a change makes you taller and better defensively at both positions.
Will the coach make these choices? He will if it improves the team in his eyes. And, oh yes, Thornton would then be traded.
Thornton will start until the dust clears on the viability of players at the 3 and 4 positions. If Mbah a Moute gets healthy and is feasible as a starter then other options become available. You don't have to start Salmons out of position at the three any more, you can start him at the two position. Such a change makes you taller and better defensively at both positions.
Will the coach make these choices? He will if it improves the team in his eyes. And, oh yes, Thornton would then be traded.
Good thoughts. One of the reasons IMO, that Salmons has struggled, is simply the fact that he's not a real forward. He's a long gaurd, who has the ability to give shooting guards a challenge on defense. As soon as you put him at a physical disadvantage in a position against heavier stronger players, much of his potential is gone before the game starts. To have any potential of effectively playing small forward, he would have had to get very serious with a strength and weight lifting program, which it certainly appears he never did. So be it, he's a long gaurd.
I agree with you, if they don't want to start Benny Mac yet, lets hope we can start Moute, Salmons at gaurd, and I'm adding Landry. This season, this season,..which we've already been told is not about win total
I agree with you, if they don't want to start Benny Mac yet, lets hope we can start Moute, Salmons at gaurd, and I'm adding Landry. This season, this season,..which we've already been told is not about win total
I don't see the speed that you see in Thornton. I continually see him trail his man by a considerable margin. By the time he catches up, the ball is already released for a shot. I rarely see him put any defensive pressure on his man.
You mention his lack of "right decisions", and maybe that has something to do with not defending his man. A guy can have good foot speed, but if his ability to anticipate plays is substandard it can all go for naught. So maybe he does have good foot speed, but his "decision-making" is so poor that it offsets it.
You mention his lack of "right decisions", and maybe that has something to do with not defending his man. A guy can have good foot speed, but if his ability to anticipate plays is substandard it can all go for naught. So maybe he does have good foot speed, but his "decision-making" is so poor that it offsets it.
No one in the league, not Miami, not Houston is beating the Warriors on a back to back in Oracle, so can't be too upset with the loss, just didn't compete well enough. I have went from lambasting the Landry signing (which I still don't care for), to welcoming what he can do in the midst of this underperforming big rotation
I'm impressed with Mr. McLemore thus far. The naysayers are solely choosing to focus on what he can't yet do well, as they typically always do, but he's shown flashes of developing into a really good player. If the naysayers saw Steph Curry or Klay Thompson's play the first couple months into their rookies seasons, they'd recognize that, despite only 1 full collegiate season under his belt, #16 looks to be further along than they were.
Unlike the past few first round picks the Kings have made, McLemore doesn't look completely lost, overmatched, or without potential.
Unlike the past few first round picks the Kings have made, McLemore doesn't look completely lost, overmatched, or without potential.
Last statement is quite true.
But no, he isn't nearly as impressive as early Curry. Ballhandling ballhandling ballhandling. Its a massive separator when talking about guards.
Klay though remains possible. Certainly with his athleticism Ben has a chance to be more than Klay Thompson. Whether he'll ever be as prolific who knows. But its a closer comparison of hopeful outcomes.
But no, he isn't nearly as impressive as early Curry. Ballhandling ballhandling ballhandling. Its a massive separator when talking about guards.
Klay though remains possible. Certainly with his athleticism Ben has a chance to be more than Klay Thompson. Whether he'll ever be as prolific who knows. But its a closer comparison of hopeful outcomes.
Lots of shots hit the front of the rim last night. That is a sign of fatigue. Playing the Clippers is not easy and it took it out of the Kings. Forget the Warriors game and move on. It is no time for drastic changes. Maybe everyone who watched the Warriors game now realizes how far this team has to go to make the playoffs. Good to see some production at the 2. The 3 and 4 positions have been poor in all 3 games.
You could see his ball handling and confidence in it improving. Last night he dribbled into a couple if his shots, we just need him to take 2 dribble then a shot and be able to drive to the rim after a shot fake.
If he can't become what klay tjompson is now in 2-3 years we are good. That would be a great 3rd maybe a good 2nd option when you have cousins
If he can't become what klay tjompson is now in 2-3 years we are good. That would be a great 3rd maybe a good 2nd option when you have cousins
I think Salmons just sucks. He bricks open shot after open shot, and he's done that since he came back to us in the draft trade. That has nothing to do with whichever position he's playing. On defense you might have a point, but you know what? We've been playing him at SF since 2008, before we traded him. So no excuses for him I'm afraid.
1) Many of those players do not get the minutes or star status that Thornton receives
2) Many of those players play on winning teams, or at least teams that haven't been a bottom 5 team in the NBA for the last several consecutive years
3) Many of those players shoot better than Thornton and create more opportunities for their team than Thornton (his assist numbers are horrid)
I could go on. The guy just hasn't proven that he has what it takes to contribute to a WINNING team, and he never will. As long as the Kings continue to bench potential talent for tried and proven losers, they will remain at the bottom of the league.
2) Many of those players play on winning teams, or at least teams that haven't been a bottom 5 team in the NBA for the last several consecutive years
3) Many of those players shoot better than Thornton and create more opportunities for their team than Thornton (his assist numbers are horrid)
I could go on. The guy just hasn't proven that he has what it takes to contribute to a WINNING team, and he never will. As long as the Kings continue to bench potential talent for tried and proven losers, they will remain at the bottom of the league.
C
This game was difficult to judge. When both curry and clay get hot from 27 feet out, it's tough on the defense.
McLemore played great. Many of the things he did didn't show up in the box score.
Cousins has trouble with Bogut. It's a style issue. Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan, two other skilled centers, also have all kinds of problem playing against Bogut. Bogut on the other hand, tends to have problems defending scrappy energy albeit less-skilled big men like Big Baby and Deandre Jordan.
The Kings' main issue to me right now is they need to add more length to the roster. Too many undersized players at various positions. Roster changes will take time. At the all-star break we should expect this to start.
McLemore played great. Many of the things he did didn't show up in the box score.
Cousins has trouble with Bogut. It's a style issue. Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan, two other skilled centers, also have all kinds of problem playing against Bogut. Bogut on the other hand, tends to have problems defending scrappy energy albeit less-skilled big men like Big Baby and Deandre Jordan.
The Kings' main issue to me right now is they need to add more length to the roster. Too many undersized players at various positions. Roster changes will take time. At the all-star break we should expect this to start.
i've been incessantly harping on this point since before the preseason began, but this kings team is seriously going to struggle this season when it comes to scoring in the paint. they're going to have games like this where they are simply unable to generate points at the rim. outside of DMC, and in the absence of carl landry, there's not a single player coach malone can rely on to take it inside. they've got exactly one consistent penetrator: isaiah thomas, but 1) he's still more inclined to shoot jumpers, and 2) he comes off the bench. i'm not suggesting that he should start, because a sixth man's role is precisely where he belongs. however, it leaves the starting unit absent of players who can successfully score at the rim. against the warriors, the kings foolishly attempted to get into a jump-shooting contest with the best jump-shooting team in the league, and they played themselves outta the game before halftime. their defense wasn't nearly strong enough to make up the difference, as the kings reverted to bad habits on the more important side of the ball...
Preaching to the choir. It was a point many people missed when we let Evans go. The ability to have someone that can get to the lane is a huge part of the nba today. It's fun to pretend that a pass first pg and a bunch of people running around is the key to offensive success. It just isn't the way the league is played today and all the top teams feature someone that can play iso, dribble-drive sets when needed.
I think many fans here just confused the selfish chaos created by Smart's inability to coach with a need for "team-ball". We do need to share, pass and move without the ball. It just can't be the only thing.
I think many fans here just confused the selfish chaos created by Smart's inability to coach with a need for "team-ball". We do need to share, pass and move without the ball. It just can't be the only thing.
The only real talent downgrade to the roster was the loss of Tyreke in the offseason. Douglas as a point guard was barely adequate on offense and certainly not a floor general, despite playing excellent perimeter D. You really couldn't start him without a star wing taking over floor leadership duties (think Mario Chalmers.) I already trust McCallum more to run the offense than I ever did Douglas.
Aldrich was a loss as pure hustle players are great for bench depth. Right now we have one center and four and a half power forwards, including Mbah a Moute and Hayes. Aldrich didn't really need to see the floor except when Cousins was in foul trouble. Now we are forced to bring JT off the bench just to preserve bench height at the 5.
Aldrich was a loss as pure hustle players are great for bench depth. Right now we have one center and four and a half power forwards, including Mbah a Moute and Hayes. Aldrich didn't really need to see the floor except when Cousins was in foul trouble. Now we are forced to bring JT off the bench just to preserve bench height at the 5.
C
I agree. That's why I liked the Landry signing. I thought it would help Cousins out tremendously. Fans who griped about Landry put too much stock in Cousins dominating in the post on a consistent basis, which no statistics have supported. He's brilliant at times and the potential is there, but consistency is still very poor. Cousins is still immature and still learning the game. Landry is not only great in the post, he also has a reliable midrange jumper. Whether Landry starts or comes off the bench, he was exactly the type of 20-25 mpg big man the Kings needed.
Actually, no, he does nothing to compliment Cousins at all. There's room for one and only one scoring oriented big man per starting lineup.. Can he provide some bench boost? Sure, perhaps. But given what a lousy fit he is next to Cousins we might need his bench scoring for 12-16min a night. The rest of the time he'll be out there providing the same non-support PPat does.