sacbee
Shots, defense are off the mark
Breakdowns at both ends of the court put the Kings in a spot only hard work can fix.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 6, 2004
HOUSTON - If Bobby Jackson had not said it into a microphone, it would have been hard to believe.
"My shots ain't falling," Jackson said following a long Friday afternoon practice in the Toyota Center, where the Kings meet the Houston Rockets tonight. "I've just got to stop shooting."
Huh? Jackson, the shoot-first, often shoot-second, sixth man, has made just 25 percent (5 of 20) of his field-goal attempts in the Kings' first two games, losses in Dallas and San Antonio.
Assistant coach Pete Carril was walking by when he overheard Jackson's critical self-analysis.
"You can say that again," Carril said.
And Jackson agreed with the Hall of Famer.
"It's a learning experience, and I'm learning every day," Jackson said. "I talked to coach (Rick Adelman) about what I should do and what he wants me to do when I'm in there with the second group of guys, because they kind of watch me do my own thing. And I've just got to move the ball and let it come back to me and take what (the defense) gives me. I'm shooting too many threes, and I'm not in a rhythm.
"The good thing is it's only the second game of the season. So there'll definitely be a change (tonight)."
Adelman certainly hopes there is a change, because if there isn't, his team likely will come home with an 0-3 record for Tuesday night's home opener against Toronto.
The last time the Kings started 0-3 was the 1997-98 season, the year before Adelman, Webber and success arrived in town. They started 0-4 that season and finished 27-55.
Adelman, who downplays his team's chances when it is playing well, is trying to impress upon all who will listen - especially his players - that only hard work and concentration will allow his team to get on track.
"Right now, we're just not playing like a very good basketball team," he said, "and all you can keep doing is try to address the issues and see if it can't carry over into the game. I think anybody who keeps talking about us being one of the elite teams is missing the boat. Our team is different for a lot of reasons, and my main concern is that we get a chance to get to the playoffs and then you move from there.
"To get where we want to get, it's going to take work."
It's going to take work preventing the opposition from making 47 percent of its shots - the clip at which Dallas and San Antonio converted. It's going to take work to prevent opposing players from freely driving down the middle.
And it's going to take work to be patient enough to move the ball and themselves to get good shots.
Most often, an impatient offense has led to 43.6 percent shooting by Chris Webber, 27.6 percent shooting by Peja Stojakovic and Jackson's low output.
It's also much easier to shoot when you're not facing double-digit deficits and inherent pressure that comes with them.
The Kings need to relax, as free-agent rookie Erik Daniels did during a little competition after practice, when he had to make 2 of 10 half-court shots with two thousand bucks on the line - and made his first two attempts.
The Kings would not be averse to a little luck like that, but Adelman would prefer to see them concentrate defensively enough to give themselves a chance to succeed.
"Like I told them (Friday)," he said, "if you don't defend well enough to give yourself a chance to win in the fourth quarter, then you're not going to have a chance to win on the road, especially against good teams. "We don't have a lot of what I would say are good defenders, but we certainly can be better as a team defensively."
Shots, defense are off the mark
Breakdowns at both ends of the court put the Kings in a spot only hard work can fix.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 6, 2004
HOUSTON - If Bobby Jackson had not said it into a microphone, it would have been hard to believe.
"My shots ain't falling," Jackson said following a long Friday afternoon practice in the Toyota Center, where the Kings meet the Houston Rockets tonight. "I've just got to stop shooting."
Huh? Jackson, the shoot-first, often shoot-second, sixth man, has made just 25 percent (5 of 20) of his field-goal attempts in the Kings' first two games, losses in Dallas and San Antonio.
Assistant coach Pete Carril was walking by when he overheard Jackson's critical self-analysis.
"You can say that again," Carril said.
And Jackson agreed with the Hall of Famer.
"It's a learning experience, and I'm learning every day," Jackson said. "I talked to coach (Rick Adelman) about what I should do and what he wants me to do when I'm in there with the second group of guys, because they kind of watch me do my own thing. And I've just got to move the ball and let it come back to me and take what (the defense) gives me. I'm shooting too many threes, and I'm not in a rhythm.
"The good thing is it's only the second game of the season. So there'll definitely be a change (tonight)."
Adelman certainly hopes there is a change, because if there isn't, his team likely will come home with an 0-3 record for Tuesday night's home opener against Toronto.
The last time the Kings started 0-3 was the 1997-98 season, the year before Adelman, Webber and success arrived in town. They started 0-4 that season and finished 27-55.
Adelman, who downplays his team's chances when it is playing well, is trying to impress upon all who will listen - especially his players - that only hard work and concentration will allow his team to get on track.
"Right now, we're just not playing like a very good basketball team," he said, "and all you can keep doing is try to address the issues and see if it can't carry over into the game. I think anybody who keeps talking about us being one of the elite teams is missing the boat. Our team is different for a lot of reasons, and my main concern is that we get a chance to get to the playoffs and then you move from there.
"To get where we want to get, it's going to take work."
It's going to take work preventing the opposition from making 47 percent of its shots - the clip at which Dallas and San Antonio converted. It's going to take work to prevent opposing players from freely driving down the middle.
And it's going to take work to be patient enough to move the ball and themselves to get good shots.
Most often, an impatient offense has led to 43.6 percent shooting by Chris Webber, 27.6 percent shooting by Peja Stojakovic and Jackson's low output.
It's also much easier to shoot when you're not facing double-digit deficits and inherent pressure that comes with them.
The Kings need to relax, as free-agent rookie Erik Daniels did during a little competition after practice, when he had to make 2 of 10 half-court shots with two thousand bucks on the line - and made his first two attempts.
The Kings would not be averse to a little luck like that, but Adelman would prefer to see them concentrate defensively enough to give themselves a chance to succeed.
"Like I told them (Friday)," he said, "if you don't defend well enough to give yourself a chance to win in the fourth quarter, then you're not going to have a chance to win on the road, especially against good teams. "We don't have a lot of what I would say are good defenders, but we certainly can be better as a team defensively."
