That's how you start a new season 
The Kings christen a new arena tonight, begin a new era, and do so in bold and confident spirits with 1-0 record following their unadulterated thrashing of the baby-faced Suns.
In my Game 1 preview, I predicted a final of 110-93, off by a total of 4 points (113-94). I will try to do better next time. I also predicted the starting line-up, fairly obvious two weeks into camp, the first man off the bench, and primary variables conducive to comfortable route, namely minimizing TOs (only 13 after leading the pre-season), denying open 3s (4-16, 25% for the Suns), and pounding the paint, which Kings did in the second quarter with the bench mob, and third with Boogie time.
What I did not expect (or predict) was Temple looking like Andre Miller in his prime, smooth as butter with his mid range (6-8 FGs). I also expected Lawson to work defensively, but did not expect him to be as effective as he was, holding Bledsoe to 16 points and 4 TOs.
The difference between Lawson's tenacity on the floor versus Rondo, even Collison, with willingness to pick up 3/4th court, is sharp. Lawson has a bit of a bulldog in him, with low center of gravity, unafraid of contact. To delay a team getting into their set even by 2-3 seconds shortens the clock by that much with an out-front effort that is contagious.
The Kings won despite their backcourt going 5-16 FGs, Boogie playing 25 minutes, and Koufos wearing the oven mitts for hands like he wore last season (1-6 FGs).
To Koufos credit, he was stellar in second quarter defensively, as the good guys surged to an 18 point margin.
Joerger introduced a nice wrinkle. He took Lawson out of the game early in 1st, subbing with Temple. He did so to bring Lawson back in to start the second, a deft move to give second unit more natural QB. Look for Joerger to sub out Lawson early tonight to provide more stability to second team as primary ball handler.
Besides the issue of competence, and not looking like something out of the King Tut exhibit on the bench, I noticed a difference between Joerger and Karl in regards to foul trouble. Joerger sat Boogie longer with two fouls in the 2nd, and longer with 4 in the 4th. Karl was more willing to gamble.
This bears watching as the season wears on, including tonight.
I think this can be a positive in disguise. If Boogie knows when he picks up reaching fouls he is going to sit for a prolonged time, unlike last year, I think he will be more inclined to defend with his feet than hands. It is a hard habit to break when the opponent shows the ball not to swipe at it. I also love Boogie's willingness to give up his body to draw offensive charges. But there has to be a middle ground between commitment to defend and ability to stay on the floor.
For my liking, Boogie was a bit too demonstrative over fouls, with incredulous look a handful of times. At what point do we conclude, especially with Joerger emphasis on D, that Boogie is going to be foul prone for rest of his career? Our best player avoiding chronic foul trouble is going to be key to making the playoffs.
I loved Boogie's enthusiasm from the sidelines, especially in 1st quarter when we raced out to a 12 point lead. The whole bench was up, lead by his ebullience. This is good, a collective attitude that Karl did not engender with his aloofness and cranky arrogance.
Barnes is going to squeeze Omri for minutes, who drew Joerger's wrath for two careless TOs. The perimeter defense may be the most dramatic change from season ago, led by Ben, Affalo, Temple and Ty. The only hole I saw was Rudy, whose lateral agility does not look to be improved much since his Achilles treatment.
Joerger's D did seem to allow for switching. It appears if a guy is not a baller and defenders are of like size, switching is permitted. If a guy is baller, no switching, or else you are likely to get burned. In other words Rudy and Omri will switch on Marquis Chriss. If Chris Paul has the ball, switching is forbidden to keep your best defender on him.
Now onto tonight:
The joint will be jumping and the guys in black will be intent on crashing our party. When Joerger looks at the Spurs, he has to envision a team he would like to emulate. The Spurs are a methodic, precise, structured execution machine with a lot of player movement and unselfishness. They are stingy as heck on defense with mistakes called out (see Pop) not overlooked (see Karl). Its hard to beat a team that does what you want to do better.
Yet we match up with well with them with the exception of SF. I think Rudy will take this match-up personally, as chance to get make a statement against the DPOY in Kawhi, who is a guy that also looks like Top 10 scorer with the retirement of Timmy and the decline of their guards.
No prediction tonight, because I will never predict a Kings loss! But I will say if we can get the game over 100 points, our chances improve. If the game is in the mid 80s or 90s, edge to Spurs. Watch Jonathon Simmons off the bench. He is a havoc maker of the Gerald Wallace mold. Boogie can dance on Aldridge and Gasol by pulling them away from basket, shake bake and eviscerate.
If Boogie tries to bully in the paint without space or edge, he's going to get denied and frustrated. And if he goes begging for a whistle, it is only going to preclude a long night. There are not a lot of easy baskets to be had versus the Spurs, so it would be nice if we can make 3s (looking at you Ben) and force TOs and change ends in a blaze of glory.
Oh what the heck, I will make a prediction:
Kings 99
Spurs 94
Let's do this!
The Kings christen a new arena tonight, begin a new era, and do so in bold and confident spirits with 1-0 record following their unadulterated thrashing of the baby-faced Suns.
In my Game 1 preview, I predicted a final of 110-93, off by a total of 4 points (113-94). I will try to do better next time.
I also predicted the starting line-up, fairly obvious two weeks into camp, the first man off the bench, and primary variables conducive to comfortable route, namely minimizing TOs (only 13 after leading the pre-season), denying open 3s (4-16, 25% for the Suns), and pounding the paint, which Kings did in the second quarter with the bench mob, and third with Boogie time.What I did not expect (or predict) was Temple looking like Andre Miller in his prime, smooth as butter with his mid range (6-8 FGs). I also expected Lawson to work defensively, but did not expect him to be as effective as he was, holding Bledsoe to 16 points and 4 TOs.
The difference between Lawson's tenacity on the floor versus Rondo, even Collison, with willingness to pick up 3/4th court, is sharp. Lawson has a bit of a bulldog in him, with low center of gravity, unafraid of contact. To delay a team getting into their set even by 2-3 seconds shortens the clock by that much with an out-front effort that is contagious.
The Kings won despite their backcourt going 5-16 FGs, Boogie playing 25 minutes, and Koufos wearing the oven mitts for hands like he wore last season (1-6 FGs).
To Koufos credit, he was stellar in second quarter defensively, as the good guys surged to an 18 point margin.
Joerger introduced a nice wrinkle. He took Lawson out of the game early in 1st, subbing with Temple. He did so to bring Lawson back in to start the second, a deft move to give second unit more natural QB. Look for Joerger to sub out Lawson early tonight to provide more stability to second team as primary ball handler.
Besides the issue of competence, and not looking like something out of the King Tut exhibit on the bench, I noticed a difference between Joerger and Karl in regards to foul trouble. Joerger sat Boogie longer with two fouls in the 2nd, and longer with 4 in the 4th. Karl was more willing to gamble.
This bears watching as the season wears on, including tonight.
I think this can be a positive in disguise. If Boogie knows when he picks up reaching fouls he is going to sit for a prolonged time, unlike last year, I think he will be more inclined to defend with his feet than hands. It is a hard habit to break when the opponent shows the ball not to swipe at it. I also love Boogie's willingness to give up his body to draw offensive charges. But there has to be a middle ground between commitment to defend and ability to stay on the floor.
For my liking, Boogie was a bit too demonstrative over fouls, with incredulous look a handful of times. At what point do we conclude, especially with Joerger emphasis on D, that Boogie is going to be foul prone for rest of his career? Our best player avoiding chronic foul trouble is going to be key to making the playoffs.
I loved Boogie's enthusiasm from the sidelines, especially in 1st quarter when we raced out to a 12 point lead. The whole bench was up, lead by his ebullience. This is good, a collective attitude that Karl did not engender with his aloofness and cranky arrogance.
Barnes is going to squeeze Omri for minutes, who drew Joerger's wrath for two careless TOs. The perimeter defense may be the most dramatic change from season ago, led by Ben, Affalo, Temple and Ty. The only hole I saw was Rudy, whose lateral agility does not look to be improved much since his Achilles treatment.
Joerger's D did seem to allow for switching. It appears if a guy is not a baller and defenders are of like size, switching is permitted. If a guy is baller, no switching, or else you are likely to get burned. In other words Rudy and Omri will switch on Marquis Chriss. If Chris Paul has the ball, switching is forbidden to keep your best defender on him.
Now onto tonight:
The joint will be jumping and the guys in black will be intent on crashing our party. When Joerger looks at the Spurs, he has to envision a team he would like to emulate. The Spurs are a methodic, precise, structured execution machine with a lot of player movement and unselfishness. They are stingy as heck on defense with mistakes called out (see Pop) not overlooked (see Karl). Its hard to beat a team that does what you want to do better.
Yet we match up with well with them with the exception of SF. I think Rudy will take this match-up personally, as chance to get make a statement against the DPOY in Kawhi, who is a guy that also looks like Top 10 scorer with the retirement of Timmy and the decline of their guards.
No prediction tonight, because I will never predict a Kings loss! But I will say if we can get the game over 100 points, our chances improve. If the game is in the mid 80s or 90s, edge to Spurs. Watch Jonathon Simmons off the bench. He is a havoc maker of the Gerald Wallace mold. Boogie can dance on Aldridge and Gasol by pulling them away from basket, shake bake and eviscerate.
If Boogie tries to bully in the paint without space or edge, he's going to get denied and frustrated. And if he goes begging for a whistle, it is only going to preclude a long night. There are not a lot of easy baskets to be had versus the Spurs, so it would be nice if we can make 3s (looking at you Ben) and force TOs and change ends in a blaze of glory.
Oh what the heck, I will make a prediction:
Kings 99
Spurs 94
Let's do this!
