[Game] Kings vs. Trail Blazers - 4/14/2024 - 12:30PM PDT/3:30PM EDT

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QWERTYLICIOUS

QWERTYLICIOUS

Starter
#1
#1
Is it too much to ask for a Kings victory on my Pop's 75th birthday?

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
 
megapoxy

megapoxy

Bench
#4
#4
Portland with several doubtful/questionable/absent players as always in their last matches. No injured players for the Kings apart from Kevin and Malik ofc.
Kris Murray, Keegan's twin, has become a starter and he averages more than 10 points per match in April spending 34 minutes on the court. So we will see the twins guarding each other much more often than we did months ago (with Kris blocking Keegan at one point). Due to the shortage of healthy/available players Kris played 88 minutes in the last 2 matches.

I just realized how early this match is...2.30 am local time for me, not so convenient, and usually Kings not doing so well playing early in the weekend at home vs "bad"/"depleted" teams.

https://twitter.com/statuses/1779319565081891226
 
Dime Dropper

Dime Dropper

All-Star
#5
#5
Considering this is a must-win game against a short-handed team with nothing to play for, I suspect we keep true to our form and lose this one after having a sizable lead in the 3rd.

3-7 over the last 10 with everything to play for. This team is incredibly frustrating and lacks confidence, mental fortitude and a killer instinct. I'm tired of the excuses. Mike Brown needs to do better leading this team.
 
B

bball_nomad

G-League
#8
#8
Spring time!!! Spring cleaning time! Let's clean our heads from all the gloom, sadness and blues :) We win today, then after play-in drama, we will play one of Nuggets, Thunder or Wolves. Who cares about regular season record then? All teams had botched games (we are the best in that category), injuries and what's not. Real pros have no fear. For 3 before mentioned top 3 West teams, match-up against Kings is a problematic one.
I still hope that reffing in the play-offs will be less atrocious.
One game at a time.
My goal for the Kings this season remains the same: win a play-offs series. Then - who knows ;)
 
B

bball_nomad

G-League
#10
#10
ikon_zero said:
There's no way Kris would beat his brother with the playoffs on the line... right?
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Twins like to play pranks :) They could switch uniforms and nobody would know ;) Keegan dresses up as a Blazer thus transforming himself into a Trojan Horse circa 2024. Way too many options for the Kings to come up on top today, but as I said - Kings are the best of the best to mess up everything too ;)
 
N

New Era

Starter
#11
#11
As frustrating as this season has been, if we somehow can get through the play-in game and get to a 7 game series against the Nuggets, Wolves, or OKC we are right back to where we were last year, except not having to play the defending champs who own us. None of the regular season would matter at that point. We could do some damage against those teams, especially if we get Monk back by then.
 
C

Caccia

Starter
#14
#14
New Era said:
As frustrating as this season has been, if we somehow can get through the play-in game and get to a 7 game series against the Nuggets, Wolves, or OKC we are right back to where we were last year, except not having to play the defending champs who own us. None of the regular season would matter at that point. We could do some damage against those teams, especially if we get Monk back by then.
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And he may be back. Monk is set to be reevaluated next Friday, the day of the last play-in game. He himself said progress is better than expected.
 
B

bball_nomad

G-League
#15
#15
New Era said:
As frustrating as this season has been, if we somehow can get through the play-in game and get to a 7 game series against the Nuggets, Wolves, or OKC we are right back to where we were last year, except not having to play the defending champs who own us. None of the regular season would matter at that point. We could do some damage against those teams, especially if we get Monk back by then.
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Yep. I sheepishly smile when I think about top 3 West teams fans. Them facing Kings in the first round??? They can't hurt nor make Domas into the non-entity. Take anyone of 3 of them and by the game 4-5 in the series their starting front line, bench bigs will be on their last breath and legs. Domas said in one interview, that he adjusted his diet. To be more lean. Surprisingly, he actually gained couple pounds while reducing his body fat. 250 + lbs of bones, cartilages and top grade muscles. I even expect Barnes to get himself together for the play-off series. He is a experienced, quality veteran. Players like Barnes can lose their focus during the regular season cause it's the same stuff year after year after year. Postseason is a new, real season ;)
 
I

ick300

Starter
#16
#16
whatever we talk this Kings are capable to beat any of the western conference in 1 game (expect Pelicans obviously ) and most of them in 4/7 (correct me if I am wrong but we don’t have another negative result in top 10?, actually now and suns )
So let’s hope the team will rise up for two strong games, 3 if necessary, and then we enjoy a real play offs :)
 
C

Caccia

Starter
#18
#18
Trey Lyles is listed as a "game-time decision" this afternoon with an illness.

Anthony Davis probably will play for the Lakers vs. New Orleans.
 
hrdboild

hrdboild

Moloch in whom I dream Angels!
Staff member
#21
#21
upinsmoke said:
Not a personal attack on you but that's a losing mentality. An issue that's plagued this squad all season.
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The Kings haven't exactly laid down either though. For the most part these are hard fought games that they're losing by a few points due to some sloppy play and, in at least two cases, legitimate gripes about officiating bias which have been reinforced by the L2M reports.

Every team in the fight for playoff seeding in the West right now is playing their hardest. Acknowledging that we are also doing so while missing two key rotation players is just a statement of fact not an excuse for poor performance.
 
Kingster

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#22
#22
QWERTYLICIOUS said:
How can it be considered "a losing mentality" when it is, actually, fairly loosely based on facts?
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It's an excuse, and a pretty weak one at that. If Fox or Sabonis are out, ok, that's huge. But Heurter didn't do anything all season before he got injured and Monk is a 6th man with defensive liabilities. If this team can't function without them then they are very fragile and in deep, deep trouble, especially as we all know Ellis and Mitchell have been positive surprises on this team.
 
pdxKingsFan

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#23
#23
hrdboild said:
The Kings haven't exactly laid down either though. For the most part these are hard fought games that they're losing by a few points due to some sloppy play and, in at least two cases, legitimate gripes about officiating bias which have been reinforced by the L2M reports.

Every team in the fight for playoff seeding in the West right now is playing their hardest. Acknowledging that we are also doing so while missing two key rotation players is just a statement of fact not an excuse for poor performance.
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I think my biggest objection is the growing criticism the team is "mentally weak". They might just be physically tired, which causes some mental errors as well as breakdowns late in game. The difficulty of our schedule has been pointed time and again and when you throw in the loss of two key players at the same position this isn't excuse making, it's just noteworthy.

We had one of the toughest schedules in the league. We lost two key players. The West is having an unprecedented level of winning where 2 WC teams are going to miss the playoffs and enter the all-time top 5 best records to miss the playoffs in NBA history. If 9/10 plays in from the East 3(!) teams with 45 or more wins are going to miss the playoffs, something that has only happened 5 times before this year.

This was never a one or two year project. The homerist homers know there are upgrades and tough decisions to be made. The goal is to have a team worth watching every single year and worth buying season tickets to go and see have a better than coin flip shot at winning each night and going home happy in the bask of the beam. Hopefully we all see a championship parade in our life times. Unless you like one of the blue chip teams most people don't see that. People living in NYC could root for the Nets and Knicks if they are inclined and still are waiting longer than the people in Portland since their last championship. If you were born after 1980 and are a fan of the Kings, Hawks, Suns, Clippers, Knicks, Nets, Jazz, Pacers, Blazers, Sonics/Thunder, Hornets, T'Wolves, Magic or Pelicans your team has never won a title in your lifetime and if you were born in the 70s like I was the odds are you are too young to remember when the Knicks, Sonics and Blazer did as well. I believe this team will be a 50 win team soon that wins consistently at home and gets 2 rounds into the playoffs and may have a WCF run or even a Finals run in them.
 
Elektrik

Elektrik

Bench
#25
#25
Dime Dropper said:
Considering this is a must-win game against a short-handed team with nothing to play for, I suspect we keep true to our form and lose this one after having a sizable lead in the 3rd.

3-7 over the last 10 with everything to play for. This team is incredibly frustrating and lacks confidence, mental fortitude and a killer instinct. I'm tired of the excuses. Mike Brown needs to do better leading this team.
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While Mike Brown certainly has to be held accountable, let us not forget that the players are not getting it done. Let’s also remember that Monty had an opportunity to make this team better before the season started, and before the trade deadline. He chose to run it back. In retrospect, this outwardly appears to have been the wrong move in at least as far as improving the team’s W-L outcome. I think we all know and realize that this team needs more. Even with Huerter and Monk out, our destiny was pre-ordained.
 
pdxKingsFan

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#26
#26
More perspective just because I guess that's my thing today. Don't worry, if we lose this game in spectacularly KANGZ fashion I'll join in on the hate parade I am sure.

In 1999 we returned 8 players from the prior year (16 players in 99, 14 in 99-00). In 2024 we returned 11 players. (20 players suited for Kings in 22/23 and 18 this year). Most of the "core" remained intact for 3 seasons.

I get the objections to "running it back", but those 11 players include Keon Ellis who is having a breakout year and who wasn't a main roster player last season as well as Kessler Edwards who was a mid-season trade. Other notable additions were Sasha Vezenkov who we were all excited about bringing who has shown some interesting skills but has been injured for half the season and Duarte who is a forum punching bag. Javale McGee was brought in for leadership and is also a fan favorite punching bag despite receiving praise from those in the org. We have two second round draft picks and there are some expectations around Colby to be on the main roster regularly next year. So running it back really boils down to hate on HB and our inability to trade Kevin Huerter when he struggled this season.
 
Kingster

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#29
#29
pdxKingsFan said:
I think my biggest objection is the growing criticism the team is "mentally weak". They might just be physically tired, which causes some mental errors as well as breakdowns late in game. The difficulty of our schedule has been pointed time and again and when you throw in the loss of two key players at the same position this isn't excuse making, it's just noteworthy.

We had one of the toughest schedules in the league. We lost two key players. The West is having an unprecedented level of winning where 2 WC teams are going to miss the playoffs and enter the all-time top 5 best records to miss the playoffs in NBA history. If 9/10 plays in from the East 3(!) teams with 45 or more wins are going to miss the playoffs, something that has only happened 5 times before this year.

This was never a one or two year project. The homerist homers know there are upgrades and tough decisions to be made. The goal is to have a team worth watching every single year and worth buying season tickets to go and see have a better than coin flip shot at winning each night and going home happy in the bask of the beam. Hopefully we all see a championship parade in our life times. Unless you like one of the blue chip teams most people don't see that. People living in NYC could root for the Nets and Knicks if they are inclined and still are waiting longer than the people in Portland since their last championship. If you were born after 1980 and are a fan of the Kings, Hawks, Suns, Clippers, Knicks, Nets, Jazz, Pacers, Blazers, Sonics/Thunder, Hornets, T'Wolves, Magic or Pelicans your team has never won a title in your lifetime and if you were born in the 70s like I was the odds are you are too young to remember when the Knicks, Sonics and Blazer did as well. I believe this team will be a 50 win team soon that wins consistently at home and gets 2 rounds into the playoffs and may have a WCF run or even a Finals run in them.
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Nothing against you or the overall post, but it seems we've heard this excuse beginning around Game 20 and then the refrain is brought up over and over, as if other teams are fresh as a daisy and the Kings for some strange mathematical reason are playing 2x the number of games that everyone else is. I don't see anybody on this team playing 40+ minutes a game and with the exception of Sabonis many have had some games off because of minor injuries. Heck, we heard this excuse coming out of the All Star break. Were they running marathons on the All Star break? We heard it for the entire month of January with Fox. The whole thing frustrates the hell out me. Is Brown truly running them into the ground in practice sessions? Is 20 or 25 minutes a game the max that Fox should play? Should Len's minutes be doubled so that Sabonis can get more rest? Is the overall team out of shape? Or is their stamina just congenitally less than other teams in the league? I'm dying to know the answer.
 
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