I didn't see this posted anywhere else...but my apologies in advance if someone else has already posted it...if not, ENJOY!! 
Just One Game…
As tough as it is to do, Sacramento has to get over the way it played on Saturday and prepare for game two on Tuesday without dwelling on the negative.
For one, because that’s about as bad of an offensive performance through three quarters as the team has had in the playoffs since losing game one to the Utah Jazz in 1999. For two, Tuesday now becomes that much more important.
The Kings looked like a team just getting to know each other for the first time in the first half, which is actually not that far from the truth. With Brad Miller playing his first game since breaking his leg and Bobby Jackson playing his second, the Kings were playing as a whole squad really for the first time since the big trade in February.
Unfortunately, the first game had to come in the playoffs.
Tag-Factor…
A lot of credit for the Kings’ second-half run has to go to Greg Ostertag.
The big fella came in and immediately made an impact, keeping the Sonics’ bigs off the offensive glass and changing shots. He was so effective that he ended up playing almost all of the second half, and may force Rick Adelman to play him a lot more this series.
The reason for Tag’s success? He matches up well with the Sonics big guys, Danny Fortson, Reggie Evans and Jerome James, and is allowed to bang a little more in the playoffs versus the regular season, when he seems to pick up fouls quicker than a sweat.
Good and the Bad…
I like to call this section the good and the bad, taking a look at different aspects of the game and separating them into two categories.
Good: Seattle’s big men
Bad: Kings point guards
Jerome James was a game changer and ended up hitting the biggest shot of the night, while Reggie Evans was his usual rebounding maniac self. The Kings’ point guard tandem of Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson hit only one of their 23 shots, and combined for only three points, six assists, and four turnovers.
Good: Both teams’ offensive rebounding
Bad: Both teams’ defensive rebounding
Both teams combined to grab 43 offensive rebounds, which means that both teams did a poor job of boxing out their opponent
Good: Serbia-Montenegran Peja Stojakovic’s shooting
Bad: Serbian-Montenegran Vladimir Radmanovic’s hair
Peja Stojakovic looked pretty good all night, and I would say has healed sufficiently from a groin injury. Radmanovic on the other hand played in his first game since breaking his leg and sported some braids with white beads that would have made the Williams sisters proud.
Random Thoughts…
We will probably never see Mike Bibby shoot again like he did on Saturday. Blame it on the short lay-off he had this week, unable to practice because of a sore ankle, because his legs were just not there.
It looks like Cuttino’s second half magic from the regular season carried over to the playoffs. He struggled in the first three quarters then exploded in the fourth.
I’m not sure if it was me, but the game seemed to really lack the normal playoff intensity until the fourth quarter. A couple of times, with the way both teams struggled, it felt like it was just another Seattle-Sacramento matchup from the 82-game regular season.
The problem with Saturday’s loss is that the Sonics really didn’t play well either, and you have to hope that it wasn’t Sacramento’s best chance to steal a game in Seattle.
http://aol.nba.com/kings/news/The_Inside_Dishat_Seattle_Gm-139846-58.html
Just One Game…
As tough as it is to do, Sacramento has to get over the way it played on Saturday and prepare for game two on Tuesday without dwelling on the negative.
For one, because that’s about as bad of an offensive performance through three quarters as the team has had in the playoffs since losing game one to the Utah Jazz in 1999. For two, Tuesday now becomes that much more important.
The Kings looked like a team just getting to know each other for the first time in the first half, which is actually not that far from the truth. With Brad Miller playing his first game since breaking his leg and Bobby Jackson playing his second, the Kings were playing as a whole squad really for the first time since the big trade in February.
Unfortunately, the first game had to come in the playoffs.
Tag-Factor…
A lot of credit for the Kings’ second-half run has to go to Greg Ostertag.
The big fella came in and immediately made an impact, keeping the Sonics’ bigs off the offensive glass and changing shots. He was so effective that he ended up playing almost all of the second half, and may force Rick Adelman to play him a lot more this series.
The reason for Tag’s success? He matches up well with the Sonics big guys, Danny Fortson, Reggie Evans and Jerome James, and is allowed to bang a little more in the playoffs versus the regular season, when he seems to pick up fouls quicker than a sweat.
Good and the Bad…
I like to call this section the good and the bad, taking a look at different aspects of the game and separating them into two categories.
Good: Seattle’s big men
Bad: Kings point guards
Jerome James was a game changer and ended up hitting the biggest shot of the night, while Reggie Evans was his usual rebounding maniac self. The Kings’ point guard tandem of Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson hit only one of their 23 shots, and combined for only three points, six assists, and four turnovers.
Good: Both teams’ offensive rebounding
Bad: Both teams’ defensive rebounding
Both teams combined to grab 43 offensive rebounds, which means that both teams did a poor job of boxing out their opponent
Good: Serbia-Montenegran Peja Stojakovic’s shooting
Bad: Serbian-Montenegran Vladimir Radmanovic’s hair
Peja Stojakovic looked pretty good all night, and I would say has healed sufficiently from a groin injury. Radmanovic on the other hand played in his first game since breaking his leg and sported some braids with white beads that would have made the Williams sisters proud.
Random Thoughts…
We will probably never see Mike Bibby shoot again like he did on Saturday. Blame it on the short lay-off he had this week, unable to practice because of a sore ankle, because his legs were just not there.
It looks like Cuttino’s second half magic from the regular season carried over to the playoffs. He struggled in the first three quarters then exploded in the fourth.
I’m not sure if it was me, but the game seemed to really lack the normal playoff intensity until the fourth quarter. A couple of times, with the way both teams struggled, it felt like it was just another Seattle-Sacramento matchup from the 82-game regular season.
The problem with Saturday’s loss is that the Sonics really didn’t play well either, and you have to hope that it wasn’t Sacramento’s best chance to steal a game in Seattle.
http://aol.nba.com/kings/news/The_Inside_Dishat_Seattle_Gm-139846-58.html
Last edited:
