Dec. 28, 2011
Predicting what to expect from the Sacramento Kings at this juncture of an abbreviated NBA season is a sucker's fantasy.
An improved product is not too much to expect from a young, talented squad led by head coach Paul Westphal. The Kings finished the 2010-11 season with a 24-68 record for a .293 winning percentage.
Westphal admits he doesn't know what to expect from his young squad. His assistant coaches say the team has worked and played hard, but how that translates to the regular season is an unknown.
Initially, the Kings have to create an identity. Who are they? On what are they going to hang their hats? They talk of establishing a defensive focus, but that comes possession by possession, not sentence by sentence.
Heading into tonight's home game against the Chicago Bulls, the Kings (1-1) have shown that improved defensive focus. Actually, the Kings scrambled offense againat Portland Tuesday night consistently put the defense into a trick bag.
Certainly, the re-acquisition of veteran strongman and leader Chuck Hayes has helped.
Hayes brings an understanding of the game's nuances. He has a willingness and know-how to do all the little things most young players will not.
Kings center/forward DeMarcus Cousins said before Hayes had returned that the veteran had begun to support the defense by talking and helping the younger players recognize the need for improved communication.
As much as defense represents an individual devotion to slow your personal assignment, ultimately it's about a team-wide ability and commitment to protect the basket and contest shots.
Currently, the Kings have shown they'll play hard. Now, can a young team also play smart? One without the other breeds inconsistency.
Westphal said Wednesday his team's offensive woes stemmed from a lack of patience and a failure to execute the offense's second and third options. It seems simple to move the ball from one side of the floor to other.
However, teams, not only the Kings, consistently fall prey to defensive pressure early in the possession and quickly jack up shots. Good offenses make opposing defenses work to guard.
Yes, the Kings are virtual neophytes, but back when Sacramento was hanging out atop the Western Conference and had one of the league's most potent offenses, former coach Rick Adelmsn's major lament was his team's offensive impatience and unwillingness to move the ball from side to side.
That was a veteran crew known for its team-wide ball movement. Today's edition is exactly the opposite - young and without an established offensive presence.
These Kings, like their predecessors, play without a traditional pass-first point guard. The two starting guards, Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton, are more scorers than playmakers.
However, more of the league's teams have gone that route in recent years. There is more than one way to run an offensive attack.
In order for the Kings to quickly approach their potential, moving the ball to the open man must become an offensive staple. Everybody can get their shots - and good ones, at that - without selfish play.
Showing posts with label Tyreke Evans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyreke Evans. Show all posts
Monday, December 26, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Kings making moves to become relevant
It has taken nearly three months, but the Sacramento Kings have become worthy for time spent viewing.
Actually, the Kings (8-25) only were unworthy of watching if you were looking for victories. Winning was the game’s feature they couldn’t decipher.
Now, they’ve won three of their past four home games and with Thursday night’s 122-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento earned its first win over a plus-.500 team.
Moreover, the Kings recently have begun to receive productive play from four, five and even six players. That was not happening a month ago and still isn’t something coach Paul Westphal can wake up in the morning and count upon.
Really, though, counting upon major nightly, consistent production from five or six players only is a dream/fantasy for coaches on any level.
Yet, when you are the Kings, it’s time to appreciate blessings. Seeing patience and nightly growth from DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, ages 20 and 21, respectively, is a blessing.
Surely, Evans has played a number of excellent games during his brief time as a King, but this performance was as complete as I’ve seen. His scoring (27 points) was timely and impactful and against solid defensive guards in Aaron Afflalo and Chauncey Billups.
More importantly, Evans looked to make plays for his teammates. He had a season-high 12 assists, in part, because the Kings made a season-high 56.4 percent of their field-goal attempts.
However, it also was because Evans made timely deliveries to give teammates layups, dunks and wide-open jumpers.
Include five rebounds, two steals and only one turnover in more than 41 minutes and there is the type of performance Westphal needs to get his team on the right track.
Cousins continues to show more poise and composure. His shot selection is improving and subsequently, his field-goal percentage rises.
By the way, when you see Cousins get excited over referee’s calls, keep this in mind. He received a technical in the third quarter for his reaction over a non-call.
He also heard Denver’s Carmelo Anthony threaten in front of an official to beat up Omri Casspi and go without a word.
That’s the type of stuff NBA officials need to clear up. It’s one thing to give stars calls non-stars don’t receive. Yet, stars often are allowed to say things other players are not.
All that does is give stars more belief they are untouchable and make others believe they are not getting a fair shake.
Think Cousins needs to feel that anymore than he already does?
Cousins, though, consistently reveals more facets of his skill set. It’s always important to remember he’s 20 years old.
There are parts of Cousins’ game that barely have been touched. There are things he’ll soon learn he can do that he never imagined himself capable.
That’s what growing up as a player and a person is about.
Now, as a team, the Kings have to prove they take their show on the road. They begin a six-game East Coast road trip in Toronto.
Certainly, it’s easier to play at home, but if Sacramento can use its longest trip of the season to display consistency of performance and focus, it can continue to improve.
They’ll need continued production from Omri Casspi, Francisco Garcia, Beno Udrih, Pooh Jeter and Carl Landry.
Samuel Dalembert and Jason Thompson need to continue pounding the boards to help the Kings continue to lead the league in second-chance points (16.4) per game.
Dalembert wants the Kings to show him more time, but he’s got to show he can score consistently around the basket to earn that.
No doubt he is a defensive impact guy, but missing six-footers is not the way to increase playing time.
Side note: Dalembert’s decision to attend the recent funeral of long time Philadelphia sports Phil Jasner was as classy a move as I’ve seen from a player during 32 years in the game.
And I’ve seen many classy acts unlike others who lump all young athletes into one group of knuckleheads with no sense and awareness of how fortunate they are.
Indeed, I’m aware how many knuckleheads populate, but I’m also aware of how many chumps there are in my profession and many others.
Actually, the Kings (8-25) only were unworthy of watching if you were looking for victories. Winning was the game’s feature they couldn’t decipher.
Now, they’ve won three of their past four home games and with Thursday night’s 122-102 victory over the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento earned its first win over a plus-.500 team.
Moreover, the Kings recently have begun to receive productive play from four, five and even six players. That was not happening a month ago and still isn’t something coach Paul Westphal can wake up in the morning and count upon.
Really, though, counting upon major nightly, consistent production from five or six players only is a dream/fantasy for coaches on any level.
Yet, when you are the Kings, it’s time to appreciate blessings. Seeing patience and nightly growth from DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, ages 20 and 21, respectively, is a blessing.
Surely, Evans has played a number of excellent games during his brief time as a King, but this performance was as complete as I’ve seen. His scoring (27 points) was timely and impactful and against solid defensive guards in Aaron Afflalo and Chauncey Billups.
More importantly, Evans looked to make plays for his teammates. He had a season-high 12 assists, in part, because the Kings made a season-high 56.4 percent of their field-goal attempts.
However, it also was because Evans made timely deliveries to give teammates layups, dunks and wide-open jumpers.
Include five rebounds, two steals and only one turnover in more than 41 minutes and there is the type of performance Westphal needs to get his team on the right track.
Cousins continues to show more poise and composure. His shot selection is improving and subsequently, his field-goal percentage rises.
By the way, when you see Cousins get excited over referee’s calls, keep this in mind. He received a technical in the third quarter for his reaction over a non-call.
He also heard Denver’s Carmelo Anthony threaten in front of an official to beat up Omri Casspi and go without a word.
That’s the type of stuff NBA officials need to clear up. It’s one thing to give stars calls non-stars don’t receive. Yet, stars often are allowed to say things other players are not.
All that does is give stars more belief they are untouchable and make others believe they are not getting a fair shake.
Think Cousins needs to feel that anymore than he already does?
Cousins, though, consistently reveals more facets of his skill set. It’s always important to remember he’s 20 years old.
There are parts of Cousins’ game that barely have been touched. There are things he’ll soon learn he can do that he never imagined himself capable.
That’s what growing up as a player and a person is about.
Now, as a team, the Kings have to prove they take their show on the road. They begin a six-game East Coast road trip in Toronto.
Certainly, it’s easier to play at home, but if Sacramento can use its longest trip of the season to display consistency of performance and focus, it can continue to improve.
They’ll need continued production from Omri Casspi, Francisco Garcia, Beno Udrih, Pooh Jeter and Carl Landry.
Samuel Dalembert and Jason Thompson need to continue pounding the boards to help the Kings continue to lead the league in second-chance points (16.4) per game.
Dalembert wants the Kings to show him more time, but he’s got to show he can score consistently around the basket to earn that.
No doubt he is a defensive impact guy, but missing six-footers is not the way to increase playing time.
Side note: Dalembert’s decision to attend the recent funeral of long time Philadelphia sports Phil Jasner was as classy a move as I’ve seen from a player during 32 years in the game.
And I’ve seen many classy acts unlike others who lump all young athletes into one group of knuckleheads with no sense and awareness of how fortunate they are.
Indeed, I’m aware how many knuckleheads populate, but I’m also aware of how many chumps there are in my profession and many others.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Kings lose again; Evans talks foot procedure
Imagine attending an NBA game with the Sacramento Kings playing host to the Los Angeles Clippers Monday night at Arco Arena and what evolved before you was an entertaining, competitive – OK, not always well-thought out – contest with both also-rans showing promise for the future.
Ultimately, the outcome came down to the luck of the bounce.
And as things usually go when you’ve lost eight straight and an almost unbelievably-bad 22 of your past 24 games, bounces aren’t exactly flowing on the positive for Sacramento.
Kings’ guard Tyreke Evans hurried a one-handed tap of a missed rebound and tip by rookie DeMarcus Cousins. Evans’ shot rolled off the rim at the buzzer and left the Kings on the negative side of a 100-99 defeat.
Evans began that portion of the possession when it was ruled he’d was in the act of attempting a three-point shot when fouled by Clippers forward Ryan Gomes with 1.9 seconds left.
The whistle appeared to come before Evans stopped dribbling to raise for the shot, but with L.A. holding a 100-97 lead, the second-year guard was awarded three free-throw attempts.
Evans swished the first two attempts, but slightly short-armed the third and it bounced off the rim. Cousins appeared to have an opportunity to tip in the miss, but never left the floor.
“(Clippers’ rookie) Blake (Griffin) pulled me down,” Cousins said of the explosive second-year performer who lined up with inside position on the attempts. “I could have tipped that ball in. But the ref didn’t call it so there is nothing I can do about it. It was a great effort by Blake.
“A sneaky play,” Cousins said of Griffin, “but he did a tough thing.”
Kings coach Paul Westphal said he had a chance to view the replay before entering the post-game media session, but said he didn’t want to comment for fear of being fined.
“Report what you saw,” the coach said.
Once again, the Kings appeared to have defied the odds while leaving the floor in defeat when signs pointed to victory.
The Clippers (10-22) committed 22 turnovers to minimize their their 48-34 rebounding advantage. Sacramento made a season-high 13 three-point field-goal attempts and shot 50 percent from behind the arc.
Evans scored a season-high 32 points during a sweet battle with Clippers guard Eric Gordon (31 points). Evans shot 11 of 24 from the field (including three of six from three-point range) and then dropped another bomb post-game.
Evans said he and agent Bob Myers had discussed possibly undergoing a procedure on his left foot that hopefully would correct the plantar fasciitis giving him problems.
“I talked to my agent about getting something done,” Evans said while admitting he didn’t know much about the procedure.
Evans said it was possible the procedure could be done following the all-star break. He also said the procedure might disable him for three to four months. He did not say why he said last week his foot no longer an issue. Nor did he say why he might wait until mid-February before undergoing the procedure.
Evans appears to be in a quandary about how to get his foot treated.
He also said his agent was supposed to get back to him with more information.
Perhaps the most informative stance Evans took was his foot felt pretty good Monday night and he’s cleared his mind over the weekend aided by an hour-long conversation with his mother visiting from Chester, Pa.
“I didn’t really want to talk to anybody, not my brothers or anybody,” Evans, 21, said. “My mom knocked on my door and I didn’t want to let her in, but I did.”
Smart move, No.1, Evans said because his mom doesn’t play with the cane she uses to help get around.
“I’ve always been pretty laid-back,” he said, “and I usually don’t talk about stuff with people. All this losing has been tough, so I’ve just been trying to go out and have fun. I was trying not to let it show. I talked with my mom and grandma and I’ve got to put it behind me… put it in the past.”
Evans never did get specifically into what has been bothering him over the past couple of months.
“It’s something between me and my family and I’ll just leave it at that,” he said.
Evans also said he was fouled by Clippers guard Baron Davis while attempting a short baseline jumper with about nine seconds remaining and the Kings trailing, 98-97.
“Baron Davis fouled me but (the referees) didn’t call it and we haven’t been getting calls like that all year,” Evans said truthfully.
Perhaps the saddest situation is the Kings realize even the Clippers are getting calls they are not.
It’s clear the officiating crew of Derrick Stafford, Leroy Richardson and Gary Zielinski –already gave all-star status to Griffith, a soon-to-be all-star. Griffith, whose picture can be found in the dictionary next to athletic, beast-like human, scored 24 points, grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and had four assists.
“It’s not hype with that guy,” Westphal said of Griffith, “he’s really that good.”
His presence was a major reason why the Clippers held a 50-26 advantage in points scored in the paint.
And it didn’t hurt Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro to bring in former Kings forward Ike Diogu, who scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds during 22 minutes.
Said Westphal truthfully and perhaps self-incriminatingly, “I can’t remember a team that has held a fourth-quarter lead recently as many times as we have with nothing to show for it.”
Ultimately, the outcome came down to the luck of the bounce.
And as things usually go when you’ve lost eight straight and an almost unbelievably-bad 22 of your past 24 games, bounces aren’t exactly flowing on the positive for Sacramento.
Kings’ guard Tyreke Evans hurried a one-handed tap of a missed rebound and tip by rookie DeMarcus Cousins. Evans’ shot rolled off the rim at the buzzer and left the Kings on the negative side of a 100-99 defeat.
Evans began that portion of the possession when it was ruled he’d was in the act of attempting a three-point shot when fouled by Clippers forward Ryan Gomes with 1.9 seconds left.
The whistle appeared to come before Evans stopped dribbling to raise for the shot, but with L.A. holding a 100-97 lead, the second-year guard was awarded three free-throw attempts.
Evans swished the first two attempts, but slightly short-armed the third and it bounced off the rim. Cousins appeared to have an opportunity to tip in the miss, but never left the floor.
“(Clippers’ rookie) Blake (Griffin) pulled me down,” Cousins said of the explosive second-year performer who lined up with inside position on the attempts. “I could have tipped that ball in. But the ref didn’t call it so there is nothing I can do about it. It was a great effort by Blake.
“A sneaky play,” Cousins said of Griffin, “but he did a tough thing.”
Kings coach Paul Westphal said he had a chance to view the replay before entering the post-game media session, but said he didn’t want to comment for fear of being fined.
“Report what you saw,” the coach said.
Once again, the Kings appeared to have defied the odds while leaving the floor in defeat when signs pointed to victory.
The Clippers (10-22) committed 22 turnovers to minimize their their 48-34 rebounding advantage. Sacramento made a season-high 13 three-point field-goal attempts and shot 50 percent from behind the arc.
Evans scored a season-high 32 points during a sweet battle with Clippers guard Eric Gordon (31 points). Evans shot 11 of 24 from the field (including three of six from three-point range) and then dropped another bomb post-game.
Evans said he and agent Bob Myers had discussed possibly undergoing a procedure on his left foot that hopefully would correct the plantar fasciitis giving him problems.
“I talked to my agent about getting something done,” Evans said while admitting he didn’t know much about the procedure.
Evans said it was possible the procedure could be done following the all-star break. He also said the procedure might disable him for three to four months. He did not say why he said last week his foot no longer an issue. Nor did he say why he might wait until mid-February before undergoing the procedure.
Evans appears to be in a quandary about how to get his foot treated.
He also said his agent was supposed to get back to him with more information.
Perhaps the most informative stance Evans took was his foot felt pretty good Monday night and he’s cleared his mind over the weekend aided by an hour-long conversation with his mother visiting from Chester, Pa.
“I didn’t really want to talk to anybody, not my brothers or anybody,” Evans, 21, said. “My mom knocked on my door and I didn’t want to let her in, but I did.”
Smart move, No.1, Evans said because his mom doesn’t play with the cane she uses to help get around.
“I’ve always been pretty laid-back,” he said, “and I usually don’t talk about stuff with people. All this losing has been tough, so I’ve just been trying to go out and have fun. I was trying not to let it show. I talked with my mom and grandma and I’ve got to put it behind me… put it in the past.”
Evans never did get specifically into what has been bothering him over the past couple of months.
“It’s something between me and my family and I’ll just leave it at that,” he said.
Evans also said he was fouled by Clippers guard Baron Davis while attempting a short baseline jumper with about nine seconds remaining and the Kings trailing, 98-97.
“Baron Davis fouled me but (the referees) didn’t call it and we haven’t been getting calls like that all year,” Evans said truthfully.
Perhaps the saddest situation is the Kings realize even the Clippers are getting calls they are not.
It’s clear the officiating crew of Derrick Stafford, Leroy Richardson and Gary Zielinski –already gave all-star status to Griffith, a soon-to-be all-star. Griffith, whose picture can be found in the dictionary next to athletic, beast-like human, scored 24 points, grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and had four assists.
“It’s not hype with that guy,” Westphal said of Griffith, “he’s really that good.”
His presence was a major reason why the Clippers held a 50-26 advantage in points scored in the paint.
And it didn’t hurt Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro to bring in former Kings forward Ike Diogu, who scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds during 22 minutes.
Said Westphal truthfully and perhaps self-incriminatingly, “I can’t remember a team that has held a fourth-quarter lead recently as many times as we have with nothing to show for it.”
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Kings have more issues than LeBron has haters
The Sacramento Kings have lost five straight and 11 of their past 12 games. They are 4-12 overall and an incredibly poor 2-8 at home.
Friday night, the Kings travel to play the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers who (in the words of late comedian Robin Harris) will be ‘pissed to the highest of pisstivity’ (no, that’s not a word) after losing four straight games.
The next night the Kings host the Dallas Mavericks, who currently share the NBA’s longest winning streak (with Utah) at seven.
Coach Paul Westphal felt the need Monday to kick the team’s first-round draft choice, DeMarcus Cousins, out of practice.
Tyreke Evans, last season’s Rookie of the Year, for the first time of his 21 years, is having difficulty scoring.
Moreover, judging Evans from his words, he’s feeling like some of his teammates think he’s at times playing selfishly.
“I’m thinking team-first,” Evans said. “If I score and guys (aren’t) getting touches then that’s when they just stop playing and think I’m selfish. So I try to go out there and get my teammates involved and to play hard.
“I’m just trying to figure out, whether it’s score or get assists, how to get us going.”
That some of his teammates feel Evans plays selfishly comes as no surprise because at times I’ve felt the same way.
Evans clearly is feeling the weight of the constant losing. Evans is a talent trying to lead when in a best-case scenario he would be the one being led. As we know, though, this is far from a best-case scenario.
Cousins, meanwhile, is another talent attempting to find his way. He’s in a new place and time. He’s a first-time professional dealing with, and seeing new situations.
A lot is made of Cousins’ immaturity and at 20 years and three months he’s hardly a finished product. He’s got a lot to learn and he doesn’t know as much as he thinks.
The kid should be focused only on himself and improving his game. Yet, he thinks he knows so much he feels entitled to question his coaching staff. Looking back on my life, one of the most important things to learn is when to shut up.
And 55, I’m much better at it, but sometimes I falter.
Cousins said Tuesday before the game he’d said nothing to Westphal and the coach had said nothing to him.
“I haven’t said (anything) to him and he didn’t say anything to me,” said Cousins, who then scored 20 points on nine of 16 field-goal attempts and grabbed eight rebounds in nearly 23 minutes of the 107-98 loss to Indiana.
“It’s a new day. I didn’t dwell on it. We’ve got to move on.”
When asked why he didn’t talk to Cousins the day after tossing him from practice, Westphal said with a laugh, “He heard enough from me (Monday).”
That may have been true, but it may not have been the whole truth. There is the possibility that the rookie doesn’t like the coach. Cousins probably doesn’t know Westphal well enough to know if he likes him or doesn’t.
Truthfully, it’s neither here nor there. Cousins is an employee and has to find a way of dealing with his boss respectfully. I haven’t liked each of my supervisors but I never was intentionally disrespectful. That’s unprofessional and learning to be a pro is one of the new obstacles Cousins faces.
It might help the young boy to realize Westphal wants nothing more than to consistently help him uncover more of his talent.
Westphal was asked if dealing with Cousins will compare with any past player-coach relationships.
“Oh, yeah,” the coach said with an incredulous look. “Have you looked at who I’ve coached?”
I hadn’t, but I now have. Over the years while coaching Phoenix and Seattle, Westphal had 3½ seasons of Charles Barkley and 2½ seasons of Gary Payton. Throw in Tom Chambers, Oliver Miller, Dale Ellis, a sometimes intoxicated Vin Baker, Ruben Patterson and my main man, the incendiary Vernon Maxwell.
That’s one special group of players and hardly a mouth monitor between them.
Yeah, Cousins has a long, long, long way to go before he gets into that neighborhood of mind-speak.
Westphal says neither he nor the organization had blinders on when they drafted Cousins. The Kings knew Cousins was a vocally emotional talent.
“I love the guy,” the coach said of the player. “We’re going to have ups and downs and we’re going to have some more downs. We’re going to butt heads.
“We knew that when we drafted him. He’s our guy. We’re going to keep working with him. And he’s going to get better. And someday, we’ll look back, hopefully, and I’ll say, ‘You sure were a knucklehead.’
“And he’ll say, ‘I know, but thanks for sticking with me.’
“I mean, he’s got passion. And he also can be impatient and misplace his passion. And we’re trying to help him.”
But you also have to be respectful.
“I’ve heard a lot worse than DeMarcus has given me, believe me. I love DeMarcus and he’ll either love me know or he’ll love me soon again.”
In my opinion, Westphal Tuesday in that loss to Indiana went way beyond sensibility in the third quarter of the loss to Indiana, to show Evans he had his back during these tough times.
The Kings were going through one of those once a game tough stretches that kill them. Evans was turning the ball over and generally playing poorly. Luther Head scored the team’s only field goals during first 10 minutes of the quarter.
The situation called for Beno Udrih, who made each of his six first-half field-goal attempts on the way to 15 points, to replace Evans. Yet, the coach waited nine minutes before he subbed in Udrih.
Personally, I’d have squatted Tyreke’s butt with the quickness while the Kings were being outscored, 17-2, to start the quarter.
Said Westphal, “How can a young guy get to know how handle situations until he plays the minutes. I’m not going to take Tyreke out if misses a couple of shots or makes a couple of bad plays, like he’s no good., because I think he’s very good.”
Meanwhile, Evans says his team has to find a way to play a solid 48 minutes, and a team meeting last week didn’t help. Yet, he believes the team remains confident.
“Definitely,” he said. “We’ve got the players. (A lack of) execution is what is killing us. We’ve got to stay together.
“We’ve had a meeting, but it was like in one ear and out the other. It was without the coaches. I think it was Sunday.
“We’re just frustrated right now and we’re trying to find a way. It’s tough right now.”
On an entirely different front, Lebron James goes back to Cleveland for the first time and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
If I was James, I’d be trying to get 50 in our victory. If I’m playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, there’s little I wouldn’t do to drop an ‘L’ on his way out of town.
Intense feelings on both sides – not to mention the crowd - should make for a great game.
Friday night, the Kings travel to play the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers who (in the words of late comedian Robin Harris) will be ‘pissed to the highest of pisstivity’ (no, that’s not a word) after losing four straight games.
The next night the Kings host the Dallas Mavericks, who currently share the NBA’s longest winning streak (with Utah) at seven.
Coach Paul Westphal felt the need Monday to kick the team’s first-round draft choice, DeMarcus Cousins, out of practice.
Tyreke Evans, last season’s Rookie of the Year, for the first time of his 21 years, is having difficulty scoring.
Moreover, judging Evans from his words, he’s feeling like some of his teammates think he’s at times playing selfishly.
“I’m thinking team-first,” Evans said. “If I score and guys (aren’t) getting touches then that’s when they just stop playing and think I’m selfish. So I try to go out there and get my teammates involved and to play hard.
“I’m just trying to figure out, whether it’s score or get assists, how to get us going.”
That some of his teammates feel Evans plays selfishly comes as no surprise because at times I’ve felt the same way.
Evans clearly is feeling the weight of the constant losing. Evans is a talent trying to lead when in a best-case scenario he would be the one being led. As we know, though, this is far from a best-case scenario.
Cousins, meanwhile, is another talent attempting to find his way. He’s in a new place and time. He’s a first-time professional dealing with, and seeing new situations.
A lot is made of Cousins’ immaturity and at 20 years and three months he’s hardly a finished product. He’s got a lot to learn and he doesn’t know as much as he thinks.
The kid should be focused only on himself and improving his game. Yet, he thinks he knows so much he feels entitled to question his coaching staff. Looking back on my life, one of the most important things to learn is when to shut up.
And 55, I’m much better at it, but sometimes I falter.
Cousins said Tuesday before the game he’d said nothing to Westphal and the coach had said nothing to him.
“I haven’t said (anything) to him and he didn’t say anything to me,” said Cousins, who then scored 20 points on nine of 16 field-goal attempts and grabbed eight rebounds in nearly 23 minutes of the 107-98 loss to Indiana.
“It’s a new day. I didn’t dwell on it. We’ve got to move on.”
When asked why he didn’t talk to Cousins the day after tossing him from practice, Westphal said with a laugh, “He heard enough from me (Monday).”
That may have been true, but it may not have been the whole truth. There is the possibility that the rookie doesn’t like the coach. Cousins probably doesn’t know Westphal well enough to know if he likes him or doesn’t.
Truthfully, it’s neither here nor there. Cousins is an employee and has to find a way of dealing with his boss respectfully. I haven’t liked each of my supervisors but I never was intentionally disrespectful. That’s unprofessional and learning to be a pro is one of the new obstacles Cousins faces.
It might help the young boy to realize Westphal wants nothing more than to consistently help him uncover more of his talent.
Westphal was asked if dealing with Cousins will compare with any past player-coach relationships.
“Oh, yeah,” the coach said with an incredulous look. “Have you looked at who I’ve coached?”
I hadn’t, but I now have. Over the years while coaching Phoenix and Seattle, Westphal had 3½ seasons of Charles Barkley and 2½ seasons of Gary Payton. Throw in Tom Chambers, Oliver Miller, Dale Ellis, a sometimes intoxicated Vin Baker, Ruben Patterson and my main man, the incendiary Vernon Maxwell.
That’s one special group of players and hardly a mouth monitor between them.
Yeah, Cousins has a long, long, long way to go before he gets into that neighborhood of mind-speak.
Westphal says neither he nor the organization had blinders on when they drafted Cousins. The Kings knew Cousins was a vocally emotional talent.
“I love the guy,” the coach said of the player. “We’re going to have ups and downs and we’re going to have some more downs. We’re going to butt heads.
“We knew that when we drafted him. He’s our guy. We’re going to keep working with him. And he’s going to get better. And someday, we’ll look back, hopefully, and I’ll say, ‘You sure were a knucklehead.’
“And he’ll say, ‘I know, but thanks for sticking with me.’
“I mean, he’s got passion. And he also can be impatient and misplace his passion. And we’re trying to help him.”
But you also have to be respectful.
“I’ve heard a lot worse than DeMarcus has given me, believe me. I love DeMarcus and he’ll either love me know or he’ll love me soon again.”
In my opinion, Westphal Tuesday in that loss to Indiana went way beyond sensibility in the third quarter of the loss to Indiana, to show Evans he had his back during these tough times.
The Kings were going through one of those once a game tough stretches that kill them. Evans was turning the ball over and generally playing poorly. Luther Head scored the team’s only field goals during first 10 minutes of the quarter.
The situation called for Beno Udrih, who made each of his six first-half field-goal attempts on the way to 15 points, to replace Evans. Yet, the coach waited nine minutes before he subbed in Udrih.
Personally, I’d have squatted Tyreke’s butt with the quickness while the Kings were being outscored, 17-2, to start the quarter.
Said Westphal, “How can a young guy get to know how handle situations until he plays the minutes. I’m not going to take Tyreke out if misses a couple of shots or makes a couple of bad plays, like he’s no good., because I think he’s very good.”
Meanwhile, Evans says his team has to find a way to play a solid 48 minutes, and a team meeting last week didn’t help. Yet, he believes the team remains confident.
“Definitely,” he said. “We’ve got the players. (A lack of) execution is what is killing us. We’ve got to stay together.
“We’ve had a meeting, but it was like in one ear and out the other. It was without the coaches. I think it was Sunday.
“We’re just frustrated right now and we’re trying to find a way. It’s tough right now.”
On an entirely different front, Lebron James goes back to Cleveland for the first time and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
If I was James, I’d be trying to get 50 in our victory. If I’m playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, there’s little I wouldn’t do to drop an ‘L’ on his way out of town.
Intense feelings on both sides – not to mention the crowd - should make for a great game.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Kings always have one up their sleeves
The 2010 version of the Sacramento Kings is setting up to be quite interesting.
And it is just 15 games into the 82-game regular season. Already, the Kings have had major defensive, offensive and on-court chemistry issues.
Word is they’ve got a bunch of young talents, who are not showing an inclination to listen to the coaching staff or showing a collective dedication to hard work.
Until there is an acquisition of those two required traits, it will be difficult for the Kings (4-11) to maximize their strengths.
They’ve got 10 losses in their past 11 games entering tonight’s home game against the Indiana Pacers as an example of what not to do.
Other teams are experiencing problems of a similar nature to those of Sacramento. Consider the Miami Heat, a team many believed capable of contending for an NBA title this season after the free-agent signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh and the re-signing of Dwayne Wade.
The Heat’s problems aren’t exactly like Sacramento’s, yet attempting to mesh its considerable talent into a consistent force is very much akin to what is going on here.
Tyreke Evans, last season’s Rookie of the Year, is struggling. Of all the problems one would have imagined, Evans having difficulty scoring was not one.
Yet, that’s been a major problem early into his second pro season.
First-round draft choice, DeMarcus Cousins, was tossed from practice Monday afternoon, reportedly for running his mouth to the coaching staff. Like Evans, Cousins has had problems scoring and is shooting just 38 percent from the field.
It’s likely these players are experiencing these difficulties for the first times in their lives.
The Kings are coming off a weekend home loss to the Chicago Bulls that displayed their season in a microcosm. Sacramento was superb during the first half while establishing a 57-44 lead.
The Kings held a 71-57 advantage with 3:23 left in the third before their game disintegrated into basketball mush.
Then their fourth-quarter performance was so putrid it had to be seen to be believed.
Sacramento made just three of 21 field-goal attempts, committed eight turnovers and was outscored, 27 to nine.
That nine-point mention is not a typographic error. The Kings scored nine points during 12 minutes despite having 29 possessions.
Coach Paul Westphal still is attempting to find the right combination of players to invest in basics. Moving the ball to the open man, covering for teammates defensively and following the team’s principles would be an excellent beginning.
No one is expecting the Kings to consistently perform at a playoff level. Yet, the Kings clearly can play better than they have.
Antoine Wright was waived Monday and Hasaan Whiteside was sent to the NBDL to play with Reno.
Kings president Geoff Petrie said the team doesn’t plan to add any more players in the short term.
“We’ve got to find a way of playing better together,” Petrie said Monday. “We’ve got to generate a more consistent offense.”
There is another one of those basics the Kings must adopt.
And it is just 15 games into the 82-game regular season. Already, the Kings have had major defensive, offensive and on-court chemistry issues.
Word is they’ve got a bunch of young talents, who are not showing an inclination to listen to the coaching staff or showing a collective dedication to hard work.
Until there is an acquisition of those two required traits, it will be difficult for the Kings (4-11) to maximize their strengths.
They’ve got 10 losses in their past 11 games entering tonight’s home game against the Indiana Pacers as an example of what not to do.
Other teams are experiencing problems of a similar nature to those of Sacramento. Consider the Miami Heat, a team many believed capable of contending for an NBA title this season after the free-agent signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh and the re-signing of Dwayne Wade.
The Heat’s problems aren’t exactly like Sacramento’s, yet attempting to mesh its considerable talent into a consistent force is very much akin to what is going on here.
Tyreke Evans, last season’s Rookie of the Year, is struggling. Of all the problems one would have imagined, Evans having difficulty scoring was not one.
Yet, that’s been a major problem early into his second pro season.
First-round draft choice, DeMarcus Cousins, was tossed from practice Monday afternoon, reportedly for running his mouth to the coaching staff. Like Evans, Cousins has had problems scoring and is shooting just 38 percent from the field.
It’s likely these players are experiencing these difficulties for the first times in their lives.
The Kings are coming off a weekend home loss to the Chicago Bulls that displayed their season in a microcosm. Sacramento was superb during the first half while establishing a 57-44 lead.
The Kings held a 71-57 advantage with 3:23 left in the third before their game disintegrated into basketball mush.
Then their fourth-quarter performance was so putrid it had to be seen to be believed.
Sacramento made just three of 21 field-goal attempts, committed eight turnovers and was outscored, 27 to nine.
That nine-point mention is not a typographic error. The Kings scored nine points during 12 minutes despite having 29 possessions.
Coach Paul Westphal still is attempting to find the right combination of players to invest in basics. Moving the ball to the open man, covering for teammates defensively and following the team’s principles would be an excellent beginning.
No one is expecting the Kings to consistently perform at a playoff level. Yet, the Kings clearly can play better than they have.
Antoine Wright was waived Monday and Hasaan Whiteside was sent to the NBDL to play with Reno.
Kings president Geoff Petrie said the team doesn’t plan to add any more players in the short term.
“We’ve got to find a way of playing better together,” Petrie said Monday. “We’ve got to generate a more consistent offense.”
There is another one of those basics the Kings must adopt.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Little things keep Kings from improving
It seems as if it were just 2½ weeks ago the Sacramento Kings were 3-1 and preparing to play the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was.
Fast forward to Wednesday night against the New York Knicks, the Kings had lost five straight games, four at home and three to teams struggling as badly if not more than themselves.
The Kings raced to a 15-point lead near the end of the first quarter against New York, which had lost six straight, and the early consensus was Sacramento was moving toward stopping the bleeding with a reconfigured starting unit including Luther Head and Jason Thompson.
Wrong! Now the Kings have lost six straight entering tonight's home game against the New Jersey Nets.
The Kings went to their new second unit and allowed points so quickly, the term point-shaving entered the mindset. The Knicks scored so easily, it was like the Kings just had to be letting them, right?
After the game, coach Paul Westphal said this same second-unit Tuesday had battered the first unit so badly he almost felt sorry for his starters.
Against the Knicks, the second unit received what it had given in the previous day’s practice because during a 20-2 New York run I felt sorry for what predominantly was the Kings second unit of DeMarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi, Darnell Jackson, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih.
Or maybe it was that they were sorry. It was one of those two, well, maybe both.
The Kings twice ran away from players with the ball in the half-court. Those are a couple of moves that likely inspired Westphal to later compare their performance to ‘sub sixth-grade basketball that was indescribably bad.’
Now that was an accurate description. Include an incorrect traveling call on Cousins; an accurate traveling call on Cousins, an unnecessary 20-footer by Jackson, who appears to have 15-foot range at best; and a missed layup by Udrih; and the Kings had handed momentum to the Knicks like a friendly black jack dealer with an eight on a 13.
Check out this Kings defensive possession midway through the second quarter with four of the five starters in the game. Carl Landry had just made a jumper over Amare Stoudamire to cut New York’s lead to 38-37.
Then New York’s Toney Douglas (defended by Udrih) runs a high angle screen-roll with Stoudamire (defended by Samuel Dalembert). Stoudamire rolls and on the move gets stopped by Landry. Stoudamire goes to the floor.
Douglas passes to Ronny Turiaf at the top of the key with Stoudamire still on the floor. Turiaf takes one dribble and passes back to Douglas who has faded beyond the three-point line. He makes one hard dribble left to elude Udrih (yes, it was that easily done) and rises for a three-point attempt. Landry steps out to challenge the shot because Udrih now was behind Douglas.
The shot misses badly. Dalembert moves over to box out Turiaf. That leaves Stoudamire, who had risen from the floor, a wide-open path for a two-handed tap dunk and a 40-37 lead.
Now the Kings had spaced the floor on the opposite side with Danilo Gallinari (defended by Garcia) up top and Wilson Chandler (defended by Tyreke Evans) in the short right corner.
Evans remained in a four-foot area throughout the possession and basically did nothing. He didn’t go for the rebound nor did he attempt, maybe not even think about boxing out Stoudamire.
More importantly, Evans (last season’s NBA rookie of the year and 20-5-5 guy, yada, yada, yada) let his teammates down. He certainly could have and should have had Dalembert’s back when the center had Landry’s back who had had Udrih’s back.
On one possession, Udrih and Evans stunk it up defensively. In a five-man game, that’s 40 percent of your defense giving you nothing and the opposition everything.
It was just one possession, but the line between NBA success and failure can be that fleeting. Just like 17 days can turn into a 2½-week trip to hell and just like four minutes can turn a 31-18 Kings lead with 10:35 left in the second to a 38-35 Knicks lead with 6:30 left.
Heck, it wasn’t even four minutes of game time, but in real time it seemed less. And Westphal during one stretch called a time out with 8:59 left and followed with a 20-second time out 45 seconds later.
Now, the Kings had ample opportunities later to win this game, but this one stretch of play, low-lighted by one defensive possession, was an indicator of why they didn’t. It is a possession such as this that leads to Sacramento allowing a league-high 49.2 defensive field-goal percentage.
Moreover, it’s an example of how a team has to work in concert and trust each other defensively if it is going to be successful.
It’s not rocket science but it is a thinking man’s game.
Simply, though, let’s get back to Marty Mac’s theory of needing five or six players performing near or above their potential against the Knicks.
Landry, who is making me re-think his potential of scoring with his back-to-the basket, had 21 points and nine rebounds and played well.
Westphal credited his team with doing a better job of getting Landry the rock. Perhaps the Kings can begin to go inside to Cousins with more diligence and success, too.
Cousins committed a team-high five turnovers, but scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds.
Moreover, he played so hard, it was noticeably different than most of his teammates. The dude is intense. He plays as if he doesn’t want to lose. He sells out. I’m not sure I can say that about each of his teammates.
Donte Greene played 20 minutes, all in the second half and never came out of the game once he entered.
It could just be me, but his quickness and athleticism are needed on this team. He’s going to make mistakes, but when he’s playing really hard and relaxed, the Kings are a better team.
That’s three out of 12 who played well and that will not get the job done.
Evans scored a team-high 23, five of which came after the outcome had been decided. He added five rebounds and five assists, but soon must figure out how to stop leaving his feet and passing.
Being one who was guilty of the same thing, Evans has to stop taking off from so far away from the hoop and not knowing what he’s going to do. He’s got to get one dribble deeper on drives so he can fully take advantage of his strength and body control.
Moreover, he and Udrih both have to stop jumping into the air and passing almost blindly backwards. Those passes usually start the opponents’ fast break.
Udrih scored 18 and helped fuel the Kings fourth-quarter comeback with 11 points, but his recent defense has been embarrassing.
As Head said after the game, “This is so disappointing because we can play so much better than we’ve been playing.”
This is true and in the darkness, you’ve got to look for a little light somewhere. Sacramento’s light from one vantage point is it can play better. Maybe the Kings will when they truly get tired of getting their butts kicked.
It was.
Fast forward to Wednesday night against the New York Knicks, the Kings had lost five straight games, four at home and three to teams struggling as badly if not more than themselves.
The Kings raced to a 15-point lead near the end of the first quarter against New York, which had lost six straight, and the early consensus was Sacramento was moving toward stopping the bleeding with a reconfigured starting unit including Luther Head and Jason Thompson.
Wrong! Now the Kings have lost six straight entering tonight's home game against the New Jersey Nets.
The Kings went to their new second unit and allowed points so quickly, the term point-shaving entered the mindset. The Knicks scored so easily, it was like the Kings just had to be letting them, right?
After the game, coach Paul Westphal said this same second-unit Tuesday had battered the first unit so badly he almost felt sorry for his starters.
Against the Knicks, the second unit received what it had given in the previous day’s practice because during a 20-2 New York run I felt sorry for what predominantly was the Kings second unit of DeMarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi, Darnell Jackson, Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih.
Or maybe it was that they were sorry. It was one of those two, well, maybe both.
The Kings twice ran away from players with the ball in the half-court. Those are a couple of moves that likely inspired Westphal to later compare their performance to ‘sub sixth-grade basketball that was indescribably bad.’
Now that was an accurate description. Include an incorrect traveling call on Cousins; an accurate traveling call on Cousins, an unnecessary 20-footer by Jackson, who appears to have 15-foot range at best; and a missed layup by Udrih; and the Kings had handed momentum to the Knicks like a friendly black jack dealer with an eight on a 13.
Check out this Kings defensive possession midway through the second quarter with four of the five starters in the game. Carl Landry had just made a jumper over Amare Stoudamire to cut New York’s lead to 38-37.
Then New York’s Toney Douglas (defended by Udrih) runs a high angle screen-roll with Stoudamire (defended by Samuel Dalembert). Stoudamire rolls and on the move gets stopped by Landry. Stoudamire goes to the floor.
Douglas passes to Ronny Turiaf at the top of the key with Stoudamire still on the floor. Turiaf takes one dribble and passes back to Douglas who has faded beyond the three-point line. He makes one hard dribble left to elude Udrih (yes, it was that easily done) and rises for a three-point attempt. Landry steps out to challenge the shot because Udrih now was behind Douglas.
The shot misses badly. Dalembert moves over to box out Turiaf. That leaves Stoudamire, who had risen from the floor, a wide-open path for a two-handed tap dunk and a 40-37 lead.
Now the Kings had spaced the floor on the opposite side with Danilo Gallinari (defended by Garcia) up top and Wilson Chandler (defended by Tyreke Evans) in the short right corner.
Evans remained in a four-foot area throughout the possession and basically did nothing. He didn’t go for the rebound nor did he attempt, maybe not even think about boxing out Stoudamire.
More importantly, Evans (last season’s NBA rookie of the year and 20-5-5 guy, yada, yada, yada) let his teammates down. He certainly could have and should have had Dalembert’s back when the center had Landry’s back who had had Udrih’s back.
On one possession, Udrih and Evans stunk it up defensively. In a five-man game, that’s 40 percent of your defense giving you nothing and the opposition everything.
It was just one possession, but the line between NBA success and failure can be that fleeting. Just like 17 days can turn into a 2½-week trip to hell and just like four minutes can turn a 31-18 Kings lead with 10:35 left in the second to a 38-35 Knicks lead with 6:30 left.
Heck, it wasn’t even four minutes of game time, but in real time it seemed less. And Westphal during one stretch called a time out with 8:59 left and followed with a 20-second time out 45 seconds later.
Now, the Kings had ample opportunities later to win this game, but this one stretch of play, low-lighted by one defensive possession, was an indicator of why they didn’t. It is a possession such as this that leads to Sacramento allowing a league-high 49.2 defensive field-goal percentage.
Moreover, it’s an example of how a team has to work in concert and trust each other defensively if it is going to be successful.
It’s not rocket science but it is a thinking man’s game.
Simply, though, let’s get back to Marty Mac’s theory of needing five or six players performing near or above their potential against the Knicks.
Landry, who is making me re-think his potential of scoring with his back-to-the basket, had 21 points and nine rebounds and played well.
Westphal credited his team with doing a better job of getting Landry the rock. Perhaps the Kings can begin to go inside to Cousins with more diligence and success, too.
Cousins committed a team-high five turnovers, but scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds.
Moreover, he played so hard, it was noticeably different than most of his teammates. The dude is intense. He plays as if he doesn’t want to lose. He sells out. I’m not sure I can say that about each of his teammates.
Donte Greene played 20 minutes, all in the second half and never came out of the game once he entered.
It could just be me, but his quickness and athleticism are needed on this team. He’s going to make mistakes, but when he’s playing really hard and relaxed, the Kings are a better team.
That’s three out of 12 who played well and that will not get the job done.
Evans scored a team-high 23, five of which came after the outcome had been decided. He added five rebounds and five assists, but soon must figure out how to stop leaving his feet and passing.
Being one who was guilty of the same thing, Evans has to stop taking off from so far away from the hoop and not knowing what he’s going to do. He’s got to get one dribble deeper on drives so he can fully take advantage of his strength and body control.
Moreover, he and Udrih both have to stop jumping into the air and passing almost blindly backwards. Those passes usually start the opponents’ fast break.
Udrih scored 18 and helped fuel the Kings fourth-quarter comeback with 11 points, but his recent defense has been embarrassing.
As Head said after the game, “This is so disappointing because we can play so much better than we’ve been playing.”
This is true and in the darkness, you’ve got to look for a little light somewhere. Sacramento’s light from one vantage point is it can play better. Maybe the Kings will when they truly get tired of getting their butts kicked.
Friday, November 12, 2010
The painful education of growing up - the Sacramento Kings
It has been disappointing watching the Kings in their past two games. Collectively, they’ve stunk up the joint.
When Sacramento meets Phoenix Friday night, it’ll be a match up of two of the NBA’s worst defensive squads, so look for many, many points to be scored.
However, the Kings are youth-laden while the Suns are a veteran crew. When in doubt, take the experience.
When you can’t take care of the ball (19 turnovers in a 98-89 loss Wednesday night to Minnesota), you can’t muster consistent offensive production and you can’t find a way to keep an admittedly ultra-talented Michael Beasley and clearly improved Sebastian Telfair from dominating your squad, disappointing is the word that comes to mind.
Here’s another: $#@@&%%!!
Once again, the basics of Basketball 101 in Marty Mac’s World are a team usually needs four or five players doing what they do to snatch a victory.
It would be a good thing if one of those players was your best player.
However, Tyreke Evans was as terrible against the T-Wolves as Minnesota’s defense was determined to keep him from the basket. Omri Casspi scored 17 points in 27 minutes, but he was the first victim of Beasley’s assault.
Beasley treated Casspi as if he were his little brother. The second-year forward is an amazing talent but he was allowed to get off early, as almost every Kings opponent has been.
By the time, Donte Greene, yes, that Donte Greene, came off the bench for 3:40, Beasley was so hot, he’d have lit up an in-prime Dennis Rodman, the 6-foot-8 forward who already should have defended and rebounded his place in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Francisco Garcia, Samuel Dalembert and Antoine Wright followed in the procession of torches, uhh, defenders to get some from Beasley on the way a career-high 42.
Only Dalembert, Darnell Jackson and Beno Udrih (other than those four turnovers) played well.
That’s not enough to overcome missing 12 of 32 free-throws, committing 19 turnovers (many sloppier than unforced) and making just five of 20 three-point field-goal attempts.
That left the Kings with three straight home losses during a stretch eight home games in nine. It’s extremely early in the season; however, this is where habits are formed.
This is where identities are created and established.
Remember, identities can be negative. It’s important for a team to establish difficult-to-discern and measure qualities like toughness, confidence, teamwork and chemistry.
Yet, without those qualities, a team has no shot at success.
Right now, the Kings have none of these qualities.
And it’s the team’s composition that is most responsible for that status.
Minnesota assistant coach Bill Laimbeer was discussing talented young forward Kevin Love and working with a young team.
He was speaking of the Timberwolves and Love, but his words equally could be applicable to the Kings and Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins.
Laimbeer was asked how Love can improve.
“By learning the game, how to get more involved in a team structure, which all of our young guys have to learn,” he said of the T-Wolves. “Defensive wise he has to learn how to short cut things and take away other guys opportunities and discourage passes coming into the post because he’s not the tallest guy or the strongest guy.
“He has to do his work early in order to discourage his guy from getting the ball.”
Laimbeer, one of the league’s great intangible players as well most despised, said many dynamics go into team and individual growth.
“When you don’t get to grow up as a unit,” he said, “it can be frustrating. That takes a few years. As far as Kevin, he’s going to learn his way. When you are young like this, you are thinking about how I’m going to get mine and how I’m going to establish myself as a player. And unless you are surrounded by intense veterans who are winners, you are going to stub your toe along the way and these guys are no exception.
“He’s very young, yes, and that’s a positive and a negative. You are so young you want to get out of the bad habits you pick up because you don’t know any different. And quite frankly being on a team where he hasn’t won that’ll wear you down and you don’t want to get into that rut early in your career.”
Youth means learning how to make the most of one’s ability and skills. It means avoiding one’s weaknesses and mostly, how not to defeat yourself.
We have yet to see how long this process will take, or if will occur. And tonight against a veteran Phoenix team, we’ll get one more indication.
When Sacramento meets Phoenix Friday night, it’ll be a match up of two of the NBA’s worst defensive squads, so look for many, many points to be scored.
However, the Kings are youth-laden while the Suns are a veteran crew. When in doubt, take the experience.
When you can’t take care of the ball (19 turnovers in a 98-89 loss Wednesday night to Minnesota), you can’t muster consistent offensive production and you can’t find a way to keep an admittedly ultra-talented Michael Beasley and clearly improved Sebastian Telfair from dominating your squad, disappointing is the word that comes to mind.
Here’s another: $#@@&%%!!
Once again, the basics of Basketball 101 in Marty Mac’s World are a team usually needs four or five players doing what they do to snatch a victory.
It would be a good thing if one of those players was your best player.
However, Tyreke Evans was as terrible against the T-Wolves as Minnesota’s defense was determined to keep him from the basket. Omri Casspi scored 17 points in 27 minutes, but he was the first victim of Beasley’s assault.
Beasley treated Casspi as if he were his little brother. The second-year forward is an amazing talent but he was allowed to get off early, as almost every Kings opponent has been.
By the time, Donte Greene, yes, that Donte Greene, came off the bench for 3:40, Beasley was so hot, he’d have lit up an in-prime Dennis Rodman, the 6-foot-8 forward who already should have defended and rebounded his place in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Francisco Garcia, Samuel Dalembert and Antoine Wright followed in the procession of torches, uhh, defenders to get some from Beasley on the way a career-high 42.
Only Dalembert, Darnell Jackson and Beno Udrih (other than those four turnovers) played well.
That’s not enough to overcome missing 12 of 32 free-throws, committing 19 turnovers (many sloppier than unforced) and making just five of 20 three-point field-goal attempts.
That left the Kings with three straight home losses during a stretch eight home games in nine. It’s extremely early in the season; however, this is where habits are formed.
This is where identities are created and established.
Remember, identities can be negative. It’s important for a team to establish difficult-to-discern and measure qualities like toughness, confidence, teamwork and chemistry.
Yet, without those qualities, a team has no shot at success.
Right now, the Kings have none of these qualities.
And it’s the team’s composition that is most responsible for that status.
Minnesota assistant coach Bill Laimbeer was discussing talented young forward Kevin Love and working with a young team.
He was speaking of the Timberwolves and Love, but his words equally could be applicable to the Kings and Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins.
Laimbeer was asked how Love can improve.
“By learning the game, how to get more involved in a team structure, which all of our young guys have to learn,” he said of the T-Wolves. “Defensive wise he has to learn how to short cut things and take away other guys opportunities and discourage passes coming into the post because he’s not the tallest guy or the strongest guy.
“He has to do his work early in order to discourage his guy from getting the ball.”
Laimbeer, one of the league’s great intangible players as well most despised, said many dynamics go into team and individual growth.
“When you don’t get to grow up as a unit,” he said, “it can be frustrating. That takes a few years. As far as Kevin, he’s going to learn his way. When you are young like this, you are thinking about how I’m going to get mine and how I’m going to establish myself as a player. And unless you are surrounded by intense veterans who are winners, you are going to stub your toe along the way and these guys are no exception.
“He’s very young, yes, and that’s a positive and a negative. You are so young you want to get out of the bad habits you pick up because you don’t know any different. And quite frankly being on a team where he hasn’t won that’ll wear you down and you don’t want to get into that rut early in your career.”
Youth means learning how to make the most of one’s ability and skills. It means avoiding one’s weaknesses and mostly, how not to defeat yourself.
We have yet to see how long this process will take, or if will occur. And tonight against a veteran Phoenix team, we’ll get one more indication.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Fire Westphal? Hold your water!
People are absolutely nuts. Maybe that should read fans are nuts.
I’m reading now how the Sacramento Kings should fire Paul Westphal.
This is after they go 3-3 to begin the season. Hold your water, people.
Granted, I’ve got many questions regarding what the Kings are doing and/or trying to do.
Those things I’m trying to figure out and from the looks of, so are they, coach Westphal included.
One thing I’d ask of those who believe Westphal should be fired. Did you think he should be fired when the Kings were 3-1.
If so, then OK.
If not, then shut up and quit being reactionary to a couple of losses.
One of those came against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The other defeat was by a Memphis Grizzlies team one year ahead of the Kings in the growth process and definitely more athletic and talented at this point.
It doesn’t make a difference if the Grizzlies played two overtimes the night before. If it was six or seven overtimes, then OK, I’d see the point.
These are basically 22 to 30 year-old cats, who played 10 minutes longer than regulation. What? They can’t hoop two nights in a row. People, please?
Often times, I wonder if people who write some of the bizarre stuff they post ever really, truly laced up sneakers and competed. Most of the time, the answer I came up with is hell no.
Did you ever consider how pissed off, motivated and determine that team might be after just throwing away a game they'd dominated the night before? Isn’t that a factor?
You want to fire Westphal? Didn’t the Kings just hire homeboy? Can the man get more than one season and six games before kicking him to the curb?
Can he work with the same group of players for a minimum of two seasons so it’s clear to all what he’s trying to do? Or maybe it won't be clear and that'll also be a revelation.
An organization has to have stability and firing a coach every year or even every other year does not inspire stability.
There is no way a team can become a team without learning its rules and regulations and disciplines. Just because you have 12 players or 14 for that matter, doesn’t mean you have a team.
Teams go through adversity and become stronger as a result of lessons learned. What the Kings have is a nucleus that consists, in part, of Tyreke Evans (21 years old), DeMarcus Cousins (20), and Omri Casspi (22). Include Donte Greene (22, and his status is another discussion point), Hassan Whiteside (21) and there are five players, who still are shy of their 23rd birthdays. Add Darnell Jackson, who is 25 and has six games under his Sacramento belt and there is a collection of characters who don’t really know what they are doing.
They can’t because knowing what you are doing requires know-how. You know, doing it over and over again, like most of us have done in our given jobs/professions. And not when we were 20 or 21 or 22.
Just because these guys are tall and highly-paid doesn’t make them any different mentally or maturity-wise than others their age.
They have differing levels of maturity, intelligence and willingness to accept teaching or even acknowledge the need to be taught.
Westphal surely still is attempting to learn how to teach and reach these guys. The Kings have improved talent and size, but its collection by no means is so commanding that it is dominating.
OK, I could spend another four hours with the questions that surface with Westphal’s actions and decisions.
So, I’ll chill with those for the moment. Some of those might be answered, say, in the second or third weeks of the season. That was a joke for those of you taking this Kings thing a bit too seriously.
However, here’s a couple I hope to get the coach to answer by next week.
How many plays do you call a game? How many of those are pick and roll plays?
The Kings half-court offense often appears to have no direction. Is that because players fail to execute their roles? Or is it because it lacks direction.
How much time during practice does your team spend on defense? Is there a way to improve how stay in between your man and the basket? You know the basic concept of keeping one’s man in front of you?
So far, the Kings should be renamed the excavators since all they do is dig holes for themselves. That’s the most difficult way to win games.
Ahh, we'll get to Greene another day.
I’m reading now how the Sacramento Kings should fire Paul Westphal.
This is after they go 3-3 to begin the season. Hold your water, people.
Granted, I’ve got many questions regarding what the Kings are doing and/or trying to do.
Those things I’m trying to figure out and from the looks of, so are they, coach Westphal included.
One thing I’d ask of those who believe Westphal should be fired. Did you think he should be fired when the Kings were 3-1.
If so, then OK.
If not, then shut up and quit being reactionary to a couple of losses.
One of those came against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The other defeat was by a Memphis Grizzlies team one year ahead of the Kings in the growth process and definitely more athletic and talented at this point.
It doesn’t make a difference if the Grizzlies played two overtimes the night before. If it was six or seven overtimes, then OK, I’d see the point.
These are basically 22 to 30 year-old cats, who played 10 minutes longer than regulation. What? They can’t hoop two nights in a row. People, please?
Often times, I wonder if people who write some of the bizarre stuff they post ever really, truly laced up sneakers and competed. Most of the time, the answer I came up with is hell no.
Did you ever consider how pissed off, motivated and determine that team might be after just throwing away a game they'd dominated the night before? Isn’t that a factor?
You want to fire Westphal? Didn’t the Kings just hire homeboy? Can the man get more than one season and six games before kicking him to the curb?
Can he work with the same group of players for a minimum of two seasons so it’s clear to all what he’s trying to do? Or maybe it won't be clear and that'll also be a revelation.
An organization has to have stability and firing a coach every year or even every other year does not inspire stability.
There is no way a team can become a team without learning its rules and regulations and disciplines. Just because you have 12 players or 14 for that matter, doesn’t mean you have a team.
Teams go through adversity and become stronger as a result of lessons learned. What the Kings have is a nucleus that consists, in part, of Tyreke Evans (21 years old), DeMarcus Cousins (20), and Omri Casspi (22). Include Donte Greene (22, and his status is another discussion point), Hassan Whiteside (21) and there are five players, who still are shy of their 23rd birthdays. Add Darnell Jackson, who is 25 and has six games under his Sacramento belt and there is a collection of characters who don’t really know what they are doing.
They can’t because knowing what you are doing requires know-how. You know, doing it over and over again, like most of us have done in our given jobs/professions. And not when we were 20 or 21 or 22.
Just because these guys are tall and highly-paid doesn’t make them any different mentally or maturity-wise than others their age.
They have differing levels of maturity, intelligence and willingness to accept teaching or even acknowledge the need to be taught.
Westphal surely still is attempting to learn how to teach and reach these guys. The Kings have improved talent and size, but its collection by no means is so commanding that it is dominating.
OK, I could spend another four hours with the questions that surface with Westphal’s actions and decisions.
So, I’ll chill with those for the moment. Some of those might be answered, say, in the second or third weeks of the season. That was a joke for those of you taking this Kings thing a bit too seriously.
However, here’s a couple I hope to get the coach to answer by next week.
How many plays do you call a game? How many of those are pick and roll plays?
The Kings half-court offense often appears to have no direction. Is that because players fail to execute their roles? Or is it because it lacks direction.
How much time during practice does your team spend on defense? Is there a way to improve how stay in between your man and the basket? You know the basic concept of keeping one’s man in front of you?
So far, the Kings should be renamed the excavators since all they do is dig holes for themselves. That’s the most difficult way to win games.
Ahh, we'll get to Greene another day.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Kings get early test Wednesday against Lakers
It is perfect timing for the world champion Los Angeles Lakers to show up in Sacramento earnest.
No more exhibition games and no more regular-season games during which the Kings could spend the first halves looking like they wanted to give up 80 points.
Sacramento (3-1) gets the Lakers Wednesday night at Arco Arena and it’ll be something serious. Granted, serious and special come in different packages for the teams, Sacramento has an opportunity to prove something to itself.
This will be Sacramento’s first opponent destined for the 2011 playoffs. That’s a bit of a guess, but anyone betting against a Lakers post-season appearance is on for double-double wager at your local cheeseburger establishment.
Those who have watched the Kings win three of their first four games should be aware of how slim the margin can be between winning and losing. The Kings just as easily could be undefeated as winless.
Victories are not to be undersold, no matter the method of achievement. The ‘W’ is the bottom line.
And there is certain strength in being able to come back from double-digit deficits to get a win, even if a similar ugliness exists in the abhorrent performance that takes a team to such depths.
For example, the Toronto Raptors, in Monday night’s Kings home season-opener, literally conducted fast-break drills that ended in dunks and lay ups throughout much of the first half.
It wasn’t exactly the way the new-style Kings wanted to greet their sellout crowd. However, led by Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih, the Kings were able to hang around in the second quarter and eventually outscore the Raptors in each of the final three quarters.
Evans is a statistical phenomenon. He’s perhaps on his way to becoming the most unusual player I’ve had the opportunity to watch.
The guy can look like one of the most devastating drivers I’ve ever seen. Therefore, passing the ball, particularly in a one-on-one situation, is unnecessary, if not even foolish.
Then Evans can attack a defense, either in a half-court situation or on the break, and appear to be one of the most selfish cats ever. He has no problem driving into a group of three or four defenders and forcing up an off-balance attempt that seemingly has nary a chance of conversion.
On a similar possession, Evans can draw all of that attention and somehow find an open teammate he seemingly has no apparent ability to locate and hit for a basket or at the least, an easy opportunity.
And just like Monday night, despite the distractions of receiving his 2010 Rookie of the Year award before the game and missing the start of the second half with an upset stomach, Evans finished the night with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in nearly 37 minutes of action.
It was another night at the office for 21-year-old.
Not to be overlooked was the contribution/on-the-job training of center DeMarcus Cousins. The 20-year-old is on the early road to becoming a low-post, go-to-guy. Without him they become a jump-shot reliant, Evans-penetration dominated offense.
Cousins quickly is showing his mettle as a beast. Clearly, he’s ferocious on the boards and is capable of getting rebounds the Kings have struggled to get for years. Cousins rebounds in traffic. He rebounds with people on his back or on each shoulder. He rebounds with the hands of others on the ball, at least momentarily.
Yet, on this night, it was possible to watch him grow. He had two low-post moves blocked virtually before they left his hand by seven-foot non-shot blocker Andrea Bargnani.
Cousins, who played just 17 minutes, scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half. Ten of those came during the fourth quarter where he played Bargnani like an oboe.
The education taught in the first half already had been eaten, digested and evolved into a learned lesson in the fourth quarter. Cousins is an amazing case. Among all the words of critics heard about him during the draft, I can’t remember any of them mentioning his considerable intelligence.
Its clear Samuel Dalembert is rounding into shape. Dalembert grabbed a Kings’ season-high 14 rebounds in a little more than 22 minutes. His career-high is 23 boards. Dalembert’s tremendous length did not result in a blocked shot on the stat sheet, but if there was a stat for altered shots, he’d have had a couple.
What the Kings have lacked in recent years are players of impact - those who change the directions of a game with intelligence or heart in addition or independent of talent.
Omri Casspi didn’t do much in the first half, but his steal and driving dunk with 1:16 left in the third quarter was dynamic and quickly sent the crowd into a frenzy. Casspi outran the Raptors defenders and quickly forced down a surprising two-handed dunk.
“I just said, ‘(bleep) it,” Casspi said after the game.
Casspi clearly is unafraid of the moment. He scored 12 of his 14 in the second half and nine of those came on three of three three-point shooting in the fourth.
What Casspi appeared afraid of on this night were rebounds. He didn’t have one in nearly 33 minutes. Perhaps it was a positional thing. Toronto small forward Linas Kleiza had just one rebound during 34 minutes.
On a night, where Carl Landry’s jump shot was harassed by Reggie Evans (game-high 19 rebounds, 10 offensive), Darnell Jackson (eight points), Jason Thompson (seven points) and Luther Head (nine points, three assists) made impacts off the bench.
Donte Greene was the lone active player to receive a DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision). Coach Paul Westphal said after the game Greene has done nothing wrong.
“There is no problem with Donte,” the coach said of Greene, who started at small forward in the season-opener but has been replaced by Casspi. “There are only so many minutes. We had so many bigs out.
“I’ve found out Luther and Darnell can come off the bench with energy and I don’t need Omri to come off with his energy. But it’s nothing Donte has done. Right now, Omri is the answer to the equation. It’s more of the contributions of Luther and Darnell than it is a slam on Donte.”
Greene opted not to discuss the situation following the game.
No more exhibition games and no more regular-season games during which the Kings could spend the first halves looking like they wanted to give up 80 points.
Sacramento (3-1) gets the Lakers Wednesday night at Arco Arena and it’ll be something serious. Granted, serious and special come in different packages for the teams, Sacramento has an opportunity to prove something to itself.
This will be Sacramento’s first opponent destined for the 2011 playoffs. That’s a bit of a guess, but anyone betting against a Lakers post-season appearance is on for double-double wager at your local cheeseburger establishment.
Those who have watched the Kings win three of their first four games should be aware of how slim the margin can be between winning and losing. The Kings just as easily could be undefeated as winless.
Victories are not to be undersold, no matter the method of achievement. The ‘W’ is the bottom line.
And there is certain strength in being able to come back from double-digit deficits to get a win, even if a similar ugliness exists in the abhorrent performance that takes a team to such depths.
For example, the Toronto Raptors, in Monday night’s Kings home season-opener, literally conducted fast-break drills that ended in dunks and lay ups throughout much of the first half.
It wasn’t exactly the way the new-style Kings wanted to greet their sellout crowd. However, led by Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih, the Kings were able to hang around in the second quarter and eventually outscore the Raptors in each of the final three quarters.
Evans is a statistical phenomenon. He’s perhaps on his way to becoming the most unusual player I’ve had the opportunity to watch.
The guy can look like one of the most devastating drivers I’ve ever seen. Therefore, passing the ball, particularly in a one-on-one situation, is unnecessary, if not even foolish.
Then Evans can attack a defense, either in a half-court situation or on the break, and appear to be one of the most selfish cats ever. He has no problem driving into a group of three or four defenders and forcing up an off-balance attempt that seemingly has nary a chance of conversion.
On a similar possession, Evans can draw all of that attention and somehow find an open teammate he seemingly has no apparent ability to locate and hit for a basket or at the least, an easy opportunity.
And just like Monday night, despite the distractions of receiving his 2010 Rookie of the Year award before the game and missing the start of the second half with an upset stomach, Evans finished the night with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in nearly 37 minutes of action.
It was another night at the office for 21-year-old.
Not to be overlooked was the contribution/on-the-job training of center DeMarcus Cousins. The 20-year-old is on the early road to becoming a low-post, go-to-guy. Without him they become a jump-shot reliant, Evans-penetration dominated offense.
Cousins quickly is showing his mettle as a beast. Clearly, he’s ferocious on the boards and is capable of getting rebounds the Kings have struggled to get for years. Cousins rebounds in traffic. He rebounds with people on his back or on each shoulder. He rebounds with the hands of others on the ball, at least momentarily.
Yet, on this night, it was possible to watch him grow. He had two low-post moves blocked virtually before they left his hand by seven-foot non-shot blocker Andrea Bargnani.
Cousins, who played just 17 minutes, scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half. Ten of those came during the fourth quarter where he played Bargnani like an oboe.
The education taught in the first half already had been eaten, digested and evolved into a learned lesson in the fourth quarter. Cousins is an amazing case. Among all the words of critics heard about him during the draft, I can’t remember any of them mentioning his considerable intelligence.
Its clear Samuel Dalembert is rounding into shape. Dalembert grabbed a Kings’ season-high 14 rebounds in a little more than 22 minutes. His career-high is 23 boards. Dalembert’s tremendous length did not result in a blocked shot on the stat sheet, but if there was a stat for altered shots, he’d have had a couple.
What the Kings have lacked in recent years are players of impact - those who change the directions of a game with intelligence or heart in addition or independent of talent.
Omri Casspi didn’t do much in the first half, but his steal and driving dunk with 1:16 left in the third quarter was dynamic and quickly sent the crowd into a frenzy. Casspi outran the Raptors defenders and quickly forced down a surprising two-handed dunk.
“I just said, ‘(bleep) it,” Casspi said after the game.
Casspi clearly is unafraid of the moment. He scored 12 of his 14 in the second half and nine of those came on three of three three-point shooting in the fourth.
What Casspi appeared afraid of on this night were rebounds. He didn’t have one in nearly 33 minutes. Perhaps it was a positional thing. Toronto small forward Linas Kleiza had just one rebound during 34 minutes.
On a night, where Carl Landry’s jump shot was harassed by Reggie Evans (game-high 19 rebounds, 10 offensive), Darnell Jackson (eight points), Jason Thompson (seven points) and Luther Head (nine points, three assists) made impacts off the bench.
Donte Greene was the lone active player to receive a DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision). Coach Paul Westphal said after the game Greene has done nothing wrong.
“There is no problem with Donte,” the coach said of Greene, who started at small forward in the season-opener but has been replaced by Casspi. “There are only so many minutes. We had so many bigs out.
“I’ve found out Luther and Darnell can come off the bench with energy and I don’t need Omri to come off with his energy. But it’s nothing Donte has done. Right now, Omri is the answer to the equation. It’s more of the contributions of Luther and Darnell than it is a slam on Donte.”
Greene opted not to discuss the situation following the game.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Who are the Sacramento Kings destined to become
It’s anybody’s guess what the Sacramento Kings ultimately will become this season.
They could end up in the playoffs or the lottery. Currently, more folks likely would wager their valuables on the lottery.
Yet, three games into their campaign, the schedule indicates we’ll likely be receiving a GPS-type directional indicator before we sit down for turkey.
The Kings not only play their next four games at Arco Arena, but eight of their next nine and 10 of their next 13.
Sacramento opens its home campaign against the Toronto Raptors tonight before games Wednesday and Saturday nights, respectively, against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Statistics don’t mean much at this juncture; nor do records.
However, there are a few indicators, if proven to be reasonably legitimate, that prove somewhat telling.
So far, the Kings appear to have nine to 10 players capable of playing productive ball. One of the many questions surrounding them will be how consistently they can perform. Another will be what type of defensive mentality they can establish as a unit.
Sacramento has just one set of back-to-back games – Nov. 21 home vs. New Orleans and Nov. 22 in Salt Lake City against Utah.
The Kings were the lone NBA squad to begin its season with three road games, yet the schedule presents an opportunity for Sacramento to establish itself capable of successfully competing – or not.
There are a couple of phases the Kings immediately will have to correct if they are to take advantage of the early schedule.
The Kings won two of three road games despite consistently committing dumb, careless fouls. It’s one thing to foul defensively in an attempt to prevent a player from establishing good position or easily penetrating its defense.
Fouling to prevent lay ups or dunks are good because they are the last line of defense.
It’s another thing to foul by needlessly reaching or gambling to make a steal, particularly in the backcourt. Those fouls merely fuel the opposing offense as well as weaken the Kings.
Sacramento’s ability to convert fast-break opportunities has to improve. Three-on-two advantages are basic basketball plays that have to be converted at a high rate if the Kings are to continue as a high-scoring squad.
It would help if the Kings get the ball into the hands of Beno Udrih at every opportunity. Tyreke Evans may be listed as a point guard, but at this stage of his career, the talented second-year guard goes for his better than creating opportunities for others.
It is easier for a team to improve offensively. Everyone wants to score, but few want to make the mental and physical commitments required to defend.
Individually, the Kings have to be impressed by rookie DeMarcus Cousins, Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia, Samuel Dalembert, Luther Head, Udrih, Darnell Jackson and Evans.
Cousins has been a force offensively and has been the lone back-to-the-basket post weapon. Additionally, the 20-year-old can and will pass.
Landry has been its most dependable scorer, but does most of his work facing the basket.
Garcia and Omri Casspi have combined to shoot 12 of 23 from three-point range, while the rest of the squad is six of 23. Casspi was incredible with six of seven in the win over Cleveland, but was zero of six during the previous two games.
Hence, there is a level of consistency yet to be established. As good as Casspi was offensively, his hustle and toughness defensively were equally important to the win.
Dalembert, in a combined 23 minutes during two games, has shown he can anchor the defense and provides a badly-needed shot-blocking presence. Like most defensively-oriented centers, he wants to prove he can be a scorer.
Dalembert has been in the league too long to become something new. His offensive game should be limited to put-backs and rolling to the hoop on screen-roll plays. That’s it. Jump shots should be a rarity for Dalembert.
If Head and Jackson can continue to produce at relatively similar levels, they will provide coach Paul Westphal options one month ago he had no reason to believe existed. The pair has been solid and consistent, characteristics only a coach truly can appreciate.
Jason Thompson has to figure out how to become more effective offensively. The guy misses more four-to-six footers than normally imaginable. Meanwhile, exactly what the deal is with Donte Greene is unknown to me at this point. I’m interested in asking a few questions this week to try to get a clue.
Organizationally, the Kings did not expect Jackson to make the team entering training camp. Head was a question mark at best. So his current assist-to turnover numbers of 10-to-one certainly qualify as a surprise.
It’ll be fun to see what other surprises the Kings have to offer this month.
They could end up in the playoffs or the lottery. Currently, more folks likely would wager their valuables on the lottery.
Yet, three games into their campaign, the schedule indicates we’ll likely be receiving a GPS-type directional indicator before we sit down for turkey.
The Kings not only play their next four games at Arco Arena, but eight of their next nine and 10 of their next 13.
Sacramento opens its home campaign against the Toronto Raptors tonight before games Wednesday and Saturday nights, respectively, against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Statistics don’t mean much at this juncture; nor do records.
However, there are a few indicators, if proven to be reasonably legitimate, that prove somewhat telling.
So far, the Kings appear to have nine to 10 players capable of playing productive ball. One of the many questions surrounding them will be how consistently they can perform. Another will be what type of defensive mentality they can establish as a unit.
Sacramento has just one set of back-to-back games – Nov. 21 home vs. New Orleans and Nov. 22 in Salt Lake City against Utah.
The Kings were the lone NBA squad to begin its season with three road games, yet the schedule presents an opportunity for Sacramento to establish itself capable of successfully competing – or not.
There are a couple of phases the Kings immediately will have to correct if they are to take advantage of the early schedule.
The Kings won two of three road games despite consistently committing dumb, careless fouls. It’s one thing to foul defensively in an attempt to prevent a player from establishing good position or easily penetrating its defense.
Fouling to prevent lay ups or dunks are good because they are the last line of defense.
It’s another thing to foul by needlessly reaching or gambling to make a steal, particularly in the backcourt. Those fouls merely fuel the opposing offense as well as weaken the Kings.
Sacramento’s ability to convert fast-break opportunities has to improve. Three-on-two advantages are basic basketball plays that have to be converted at a high rate if the Kings are to continue as a high-scoring squad.
It would help if the Kings get the ball into the hands of Beno Udrih at every opportunity. Tyreke Evans may be listed as a point guard, but at this stage of his career, the talented second-year guard goes for his better than creating opportunities for others.
It is easier for a team to improve offensively. Everyone wants to score, but few want to make the mental and physical commitments required to defend.
Individually, the Kings have to be impressed by rookie DeMarcus Cousins, Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia, Samuel Dalembert, Luther Head, Udrih, Darnell Jackson and Evans.
Cousins has been a force offensively and has been the lone back-to-the-basket post weapon. Additionally, the 20-year-old can and will pass.
Landry has been its most dependable scorer, but does most of his work facing the basket.
Garcia and Omri Casspi have combined to shoot 12 of 23 from three-point range, while the rest of the squad is six of 23. Casspi was incredible with six of seven in the win over Cleveland, but was zero of six during the previous two games.
Hence, there is a level of consistency yet to be established. As good as Casspi was offensively, his hustle and toughness defensively were equally important to the win.
Dalembert, in a combined 23 minutes during two games, has shown he can anchor the defense and provides a badly-needed shot-blocking presence. Like most defensively-oriented centers, he wants to prove he can be a scorer.
Dalembert has been in the league too long to become something new. His offensive game should be limited to put-backs and rolling to the hoop on screen-roll plays. That’s it. Jump shots should be a rarity for Dalembert.
If Head and Jackson can continue to produce at relatively similar levels, they will provide coach Paul Westphal options one month ago he had no reason to believe existed. The pair has been solid and consistent, characteristics only a coach truly can appreciate.
Jason Thompson has to figure out how to become more effective offensively. The guy misses more four-to-six footers than normally imaginable. Meanwhile, exactly what the deal is with Donte Greene is unknown to me at this point. I’m interested in asking a few questions this week to try to get a clue.
Organizationally, the Kings did not expect Jackson to make the team entering training camp. Head was a question mark at best. So his current assist-to turnover numbers of 10-to-one certainly qualify as a surprise.
It’ll be fun to see what other surprises the Kings have to offer this month.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Baby steps work for newbie Kings
Three games into their 2010-11 NBA season, the Kings have displayed enough positive traits about which they can feel good entering Monday night’s home opener against the Toronto Raptors.
Sacramento came home Sunday morning with two victories in three road games to open their season. The methods of victory likely won’t become the blueprint for success.
Yet, the Kings have one of the league’s youngest teams. Any victory is a good one and any road victory should be appreciated that much more.
Ultimately, it won’t make a difference if the opponents - Minnesota, New Jersey and Cleveland – prove to be weaklings. As the Kings attempt to establish themselves as a solid team, one of the keys is defeating teams the league’s weaker teams.
Those are teams against whom confidence can be built and lessons to be learned.
Moreover, the Kings have a four-game home stand over the next 10 days during which they can use practice time to work on weaknesses.
The best way to look positively at the season’s first three games is consider the alternative. The Kings, who certainly could have won Friday night’s game in New Jersey, also could have lost each of the three games.
Perhaps the trip’s most impressive feature is getting two victories without playing particularly well as individuals.
Tyreke Evans missed the first game due to the league mandated suspension stemming from his reckless driving arrest this summer. Evans played erratically in both games, yet remains capable of taking over contests.
Evans’ growth will be a major determining factor in how quickly the Kings improve. There has been a constant harping on his perimeter shooting. His shot does look much better, but ultimately it will be his shot selection and decision-making that most influence his and the team’s advancement.
Evans has to find the fine line between being aggressive and trying to do too much. It is a line only supremely talented players encounter.
People question his shooting ability, yet it must be remembered he’s 21 and working with just one season of college. It’s no coincidence other young guards of similar experience – Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings and John Wall – also have similar mountains to climb.
Consider Hall of Fame guard Walt Frazier came out of Southern Illinois in 1967 incapable of making open 18-footers. Frazier played three years at SIU and ultimately became a seven-time NBA All-Star because of his ability to get where he wanted on the floor. Frazier worked on his shot and became one of the league’s best scoring guards because he combined shooting ability with getting the shots he wanted when we wanted them.
Currently, Evans, even in most half-court situations, relies on physical and natural ability. The sooner he learns how to survey situations and take advantage of defenses and defenders, the more prolific he’ll become. He won’t have to work as hard to score.
The Kings don’t need Evans attempting 19 and 20 shots as he did respectively against New Jersey and Cleveland, especially when many of them are forced attempts.
However, it merely is one important factor in the team’s overall learning process.
There are many basics upon which the Kings must improve to begin maximizing their potential. It’s clear to see they have improved team athleticism and depth.
Yet, running their offense more efficiently begins with making hard cuts. It includes developing the offensive patience to work for good shots and thereby forcing defenses to work.
The Kings want to run so they must secure defensive rebounds and run the floor hard collectively. However, they must work at converting fast-break opportunities. Right now, simply put, they stink on the break.
Perhaps more important is the Kings need to run hard to get back on defense. That commitment is paramount to becoming a sound defensive team.
They’ve taken a few baby steps towards becoming a viable team by winning a couple of road games they easily could have lost.
Momentarily, that will suffice.
Sacramento came home Sunday morning with two victories in three road games to open their season. The methods of victory likely won’t become the blueprint for success.
Yet, the Kings have one of the league’s youngest teams. Any victory is a good one and any road victory should be appreciated that much more.
Ultimately, it won’t make a difference if the opponents - Minnesota, New Jersey and Cleveland – prove to be weaklings. As the Kings attempt to establish themselves as a solid team, one of the keys is defeating teams the league’s weaker teams.
Those are teams against whom confidence can be built and lessons to be learned.
Moreover, the Kings have a four-game home stand over the next 10 days during which they can use practice time to work on weaknesses.
The best way to look positively at the season’s first three games is consider the alternative. The Kings, who certainly could have won Friday night’s game in New Jersey, also could have lost each of the three games.
Perhaps the trip’s most impressive feature is getting two victories without playing particularly well as individuals.
Tyreke Evans missed the first game due to the league mandated suspension stemming from his reckless driving arrest this summer. Evans played erratically in both games, yet remains capable of taking over contests.
Evans’ growth will be a major determining factor in how quickly the Kings improve. There has been a constant harping on his perimeter shooting. His shot does look much better, but ultimately it will be his shot selection and decision-making that most influence his and the team’s advancement.
Evans has to find the fine line between being aggressive and trying to do too much. It is a line only supremely talented players encounter.
People question his shooting ability, yet it must be remembered he’s 21 and working with just one season of college. It’s no coincidence other young guards of similar experience – Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings and John Wall – also have similar mountains to climb.
Consider Hall of Fame guard Walt Frazier came out of Southern Illinois in 1967 incapable of making open 18-footers. Frazier played three years at SIU and ultimately became a seven-time NBA All-Star because of his ability to get where he wanted on the floor. Frazier worked on his shot and became one of the league’s best scoring guards because he combined shooting ability with getting the shots he wanted when we wanted them.
Currently, Evans, even in most half-court situations, relies on physical and natural ability. The sooner he learns how to survey situations and take advantage of defenses and defenders, the more prolific he’ll become. He won’t have to work as hard to score.
The Kings don’t need Evans attempting 19 and 20 shots as he did respectively against New Jersey and Cleveland, especially when many of them are forced attempts.
However, it merely is one important factor in the team’s overall learning process.
There are many basics upon which the Kings must improve to begin maximizing their potential. It’s clear to see they have improved team athleticism and depth.
Yet, running their offense more efficiently begins with making hard cuts. It includes developing the offensive patience to work for good shots and thereby forcing defenses to work.
The Kings want to run so they must secure defensive rebounds and run the floor hard collectively. However, they must work at converting fast-break opportunities. Right now, simply put, they stink on the break.
Perhaps more important is the Kings need to run hard to get back on defense. That commitment is paramount to becoming a sound defensive team.
They’ve taken a few baby steps towards becoming a viable team by winning a couple of road games they easily could have lost.
Momentarily, that will suffice.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Kings' Donte Greene can show he gets 'it'
Now we get to see if Donte Greene can handle the opportunity and responsibility of being the Sacramento Kings’ starting small forward.
Greene, 22, can begin to legitimately establish the direction of his NBA career. He has the opportunity to show what type of player he wants to become.
At 6-foot-11 and what he said last week was approximately 245 pounds, Greene has a heretofore untapped world of athleticism, talent and potential.
His ability to add constant focus, desire, intensity and work ethic to the package will determine how quickly he can turn potential into production.
Greene is capable of becoming an essential and highly valuable piece of any ascent the Kings can make in the upcoming season and beyond.
Greene’s ability to defend different styles of players at small forward and shooting guard as well as some power forwards can make him a special and unique commodity. His speed, quickness and jumping ability afford him the option of being a tremendous weak-side defender with the understanding of intelligent and timely rotations.
Greene’s physical abilities combined with increased experience and understanding of the game affords him the opportunity to carve a niche on the team and in the league. And that’s before his offensive skills and talents are discussed.
He has to learn how those who excel in the NBA do so with mental toughness and discipline.
Moreover, they don’t do it once a week. Consistency is what evolves into excellence. Consider, back in the day, at his age, he’d just be coming out of college, presumably a more finished product talent-wise and from a maturity perspective.
Greene’s offensive game currently consists of making perimeter shots, running the floor and converting fast-break opportunities.
He has to become more productive in half-court possessions. Greene has to learn how to use the threat of his long-range shooting to get the basket where his athleticism can be utilized.
He has to learn how to get into the lane and take advantage of smaller and less athletic defenders. Playing off Tyreke Evans is a must since the second-year guard often will have the ball.
Greene, armed with this starting position, has to understand how to best indoctrinate his skills into the team concept at each end of the floor. He must recognize growth is a process that will not always transcend into immediate results, particularly on an individual statistical pace.
Greene, like the rest of his young teammates, must judge growth by improved team defense, increasingly productive and efficient team offense and victories. Most NBA veterans will speak to the desire of young players being more focused getting their games off more than a team-wide focus.
By subjugating any individual goals and making the team his primary focus, Greene can help turn talk of making the playoffs into more than just conversation.
However, he’s got to recognize how becoming a great free-throw shooter, more aggressive rebounder and defender and doing the little things that help games are more valuable than the occasional highlight dunk.
Greene, 22, can begin to legitimately establish the direction of his NBA career. He has the opportunity to show what type of player he wants to become.
At 6-foot-11 and what he said last week was approximately 245 pounds, Greene has a heretofore untapped world of athleticism, talent and potential.
His ability to add constant focus, desire, intensity and work ethic to the package will determine how quickly he can turn potential into production.
Greene is capable of becoming an essential and highly valuable piece of any ascent the Kings can make in the upcoming season and beyond.
Greene’s ability to defend different styles of players at small forward and shooting guard as well as some power forwards can make him a special and unique commodity. His speed, quickness and jumping ability afford him the option of being a tremendous weak-side defender with the understanding of intelligent and timely rotations.
Greene’s physical abilities combined with increased experience and understanding of the game affords him the opportunity to carve a niche on the team and in the league. And that’s before his offensive skills and talents are discussed.
He has to learn how those who excel in the NBA do so with mental toughness and discipline.
Moreover, they don’t do it once a week. Consistency is what evolves into excellence. Consider, back in the day, at his age, he’d just be coming out of college, presumably a more finished product talent-wise and from a maturity perspective.
Greene’s offensive game currently consists of making perimeter shots, running the floor and converting fast-break opportunities.
He has to become more productive in half-court possessions. Greene has to learn how to use the threat of his long-range shooting to get the basket where his athleticism can be utilized.
He has to learn how to get into the lane and take advantage of smaller and less athletic defenders. Playing off Tyreke Evans is a must since the second-year guard often will have the ball.
Greene, armed with this starting position, has to understand how to best indoctrinate his skills into the team concept at each end of the floor. He must recognize growth is a process that will not always transcend into immediate results, particularly on an individual statistical pace.
Greene, like the rest of his young teammates, must judge growth by improved team defense, increasingly productive and efficient team offense and victories. Most NBA veterans will speak to the desire of young players being more focused getting their games off more than a team-wide focus.
By subjugating any individual goals and making the team his primary focus, Greene can help turn talk of making the playoffs into more than just conversation.
However, he’s got to recognize how becoming a great free-throw shooter, more aggressive rebounder and defender and doing the little things that help games are more valuable than the occasional highlight dunk.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Kings Jeter is little man making huge impressions
It’s impossible to know how good Kings rookie guard Eugene (Pooh) Jeter (that’s Jet-er, not as in Derek Gee-ter) will become.
However, two facts so far are undeniable. Jeter will not be out-worked. And he has impressed, personally and professionally, everyone who has been around him.
Kings coach Paul Westphal may have seen Jeter up close and personally more than anyone in the organization. Westphal was coaching Pepperdine when Jeter was playing for Portland State.
The coach said he didn’t know Jeter, but did recognize his talents.
“He was a great scorer,” Westphal said of the 26-year-old Jeter. “He’s always had a beautiful jump shot and he’s got that great speed. He’s a handful.”
Westphal said Jeter’s speed can be utilized particularly in a couple of ways.
“In the open court, especially,” said the coach, “but in high-and-pick roll situations is where a player like Pooh can be effective. I think the place Pooh’s improved the most since college is his leadership. He has improved his ability to get other players involved and be more than just a scorer.”
It’s good to see Jeter listed at 5-foot-11 because that means I’ve grown. After being measured my entire life at 5-9, I’m looking the Southern California native dead in the eyes.
Unfortunately, Jeter’s 175-pound listing is doing nothing for my 215 pounds.
Jeter said he's carried the nickname, Pooh, since birth.
"When I was born, my grandmother said I looked like a little black Pooh bear," he said.
Jeter was in 2006 Kings training camp and when asked what he’s done since, it didn’t take long to answer.
“I’ve been in the gym,” said Jeter, who has played in the NBDL and all over in Europe, including Spain, Ukraine and last season in Jerusalem.
Jeter said his European trip was no vacation, but it was enjoyable.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “In Europe, they have two-a-days (practice) the whole season. The (maximum) you can play is two games a week, so you play European competition and then you play in your league. There’s a lot of shooting.”
His elongated journey to the NBA unquestionably helps make him a favorite of Kings assistant coach Mario Elie.
Elie, a seventh-round pick in 1985 (back when the NBA draft was more than two rounds), played in Portugal, Argentina and Ireland before stints in the USBL, WBL and CBA.
“I love Pooh,” Elie said. “I love his command of the court and his work ethic. He sort of reminds me of me. He’s a guy who has been around. He’s an older player who has a good feel for the game and brings a lot of leadership out there.
“The boy works his butt off. He’s the first one (to practice) and the last one to leave. He’s always working on his game. I’m excited for him and for him to get the opportunity to play.”
Elie said he believes Jeter will get playing time. And that makes sense. Numerically, Jeter likely would be listed as the third point guard behind Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih.
However, they likely will be starters. So, it’s conceivable Jeter, with solid early play, could be the first guard off the bench.
“You’ve got to love guys like him,” Elie said of Jeter. “You’ve got to love this (basketball) thing here and he loves it. He’s always asking questions and what he needs to do to get better. I think he’s going to get some minutes on this team. He’s made a good case for himself. He came into camp in terrific shape.
“You never see this guy breathing hard,” said the assistant of Jeter. “He’s picking up (defensively) and he’s very vocal.”
Jeter’s penchant for quickly advancing the ball up court, via the pass as well as the dribble, could lead to easy baskets.
Moreover, his ballhandling ability makes him a perfect compliment to move Evans or Udrih to shooting guard.
Evans was asked if he and Jeter can play together.
“Definitely,” the Rookie of the Year said. “The coach and everybody on the team like him. He makes smart decisions and he’s really smart. He knows how to play the game the right way.”
Evans struggled when asked who in the league was as small as Jeter.
“Is Earl Boykins in the league?” Evans said with a chuckle. (He’s) probably the closest one. Oh, yeah, Nate Robinson, yeah.”
Should Jeter simulate Robinson’s impact (minus winning the dunk contests), the Kings should be very content.
Francisco Garcia said Jeter and Jason Thompson came into camp in the best shape, other than himself, of course.
“That’s what I do,” Garcia said. “I’m always in great shape.
“Pooh is going to be a very good player. He’s a good player, who works hard. He just doesn’t get tired. He’s going to be around this league a long time if he keeps doing that.”
The Kings will be happy with that and so will Jeter.
However, two facts so far are undeniable. Jeter will not be out-worked. And he has impressed, personally and professionally, everyone who has been around him.
Kings coach Paul Westphal may have seen Jeter up close and personally more than anyone in the organization. Westphal was coaching Pepperdine when Jeter was playing for Portland State.
The coach said he didn’t know Jeter, but did recognize his talents.
“He was a great scorer,” Westphal said of the 26-year-old Jeter. “He’s always had a beautiful jump shot and he’s got that great speed. He’s a handful.”
Westphal said Jeter’s speed can be utilized particularly in a couple of ways.
“In the open court, especially,” said the coach, “but in high-and-pick roll situations is where a player like Pooh can be effective. I think the place Pooh’s improved the most since college is his leadership. He has improved his ability to get other players involved and be more than just a scorer.”
It’s good to see Jeter listed at 5-foot-11 because that means I’ve grown. After being measured my entire life at 5-9, I’m looking the Southern California native dead in the eyes.
Unfortunately, Jeter’s 175-pound listing is doing nothing for my 215 pounds.
Jeter said he's carried the nickname, Pooh, since birth.
"When I was born, my grandmother said I looked like a little black Pooh bear," he said.
Jeter was in 2006 Kings training camp and when asked what he’s done since, it didn’t take long to answer.
“I’ve been in the gym,” said Jeter, who has played in the NBDL and all over in Europe, including Spain, Ukraine and last season in Jerusalem.
Jeter said his European trip was no vacation, but it was enjoyable.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “In Europe, they have two-a-days (practice) the whole season. The (maximum) you can play is two games a week, so you play European competition and then you play in your league. There’s a lot of shooting.”
His elongated journey to the NBA unquestionably helps make him a favorite of Kings assistant coach Mario Elie.
Elie, a seventh-round pick in 1985 (back when the NBA draft was more than two rounds), played in Portugal, Argentina and Ireland before stints in the USBL, WBL and CBA.
“I love Pooh,” Elie said. “I love his command of the court and his work ethic. He sort of reminds me of me. He’s a guy who has been around. He’s an older player who has a good feel for the game and brings a lot of leadership out there.
“The boy works his butt off. He’s the first one (to practice) and the last one to leave. He’s always working on his game. I’m excited for him and for him to get the opportunity to play.”
Elie said he believes Jeter will get playing time. And that makes sense. Numerically, Jeter likely would be listed as the third point guard behind Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih.
However, they likely will be starters. So, it’s conceivable Jeter, with solid early play, could be the first guard off the bench.
“You’ve got to love guys like him,” Elie said of Jeter. “You’ve got to love this (basketball) thing here and he loves it. He’s always asking questions and what he needs to do to get better. I think he’s going to get some minutes on this team. He’s made a good case for himself. He came into camp in terrific shape.
“You never see this guy breathing hard,” said the assistant of Jeter. “He’s picking up (defensively) and he’s very vocal.”
Jeter’s penchant for quickly advancing the ball up court, via the pass as well as the dribble, could lead to easy baskets.
Moreover, his ballhandling ability makes him a perfect compliment to move Evans or Udrih to shooting guard.
Evans was asked if he and Jeter can play together.
“Definitely,” the Rookie of the Year said. “The coach and everybody on the team like him. He makes smart decisions and he’s really smart. He knows how to play the game the right way.”
Evans struggled when asked who in the league was as small as Jeter.
“Is Earl Boykins in the league?” Evans said with a chuckle. (He’s) probably the closest one. Oh, yeah, Nate Robinson, yeah.”
Should Jeter simulate Robinson’s impact (minus winning the dunk contests), the Kings should be very content.
Francisco Garcia said Jeter and Jason Thompson came into camp in the best shape, other than himself, of course.
“That’s what I do,” Garcia said. “I’m always in great shape.
“Pooh is going to be a very good player. He’s a good player, who works hard. He just doesn’t get tired. He’s going to be around this league a long time if he keeps doing that.”
The Kings will be happy with that and so will Jeter.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Lessons learned part of process for young Kings
The Sacramento Kings are in the midst of an overhaul and coach Paul Westphal realizes keeping life real is more important to their growth than worrying about their feelings.
Tuesday night, they open the 2010 preseason at home against the Phoenix Suns, so things are about to get real. Well, as real as the preseason can get.
Reality comes in different shapes and forms to different people. The Kings will open the regular-season as one of the NBA’s youngest teams.
They’ll also be one of the most inexperienced. Only six of the current Kings were here for 2009 training camp.
Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi were rookies last season. Now they are relative Kings veterans just because they’ve been here before – once.
Westphal said Saturday he read a quote from Utah coach Jerry Sloan describing his Jazz players. Westphal liked the message, so he brought the sentiment to his players.
Sloan told the Salt Lake Tribune, “At this stage, they’re probably a little but tired, but I don’t really care. From that standpoint, they should be in better shape when they get here. If you’re going to spend your time getting conditioned in training camp, then you’re probably going to be trying to play catch-up the biggest part of the time.”
Westphal was not dogging his team in any manner. In fact, following Saturday’s long afternoon workout, he spoke of how his team had been fortunate to have few players miss practice.
He was asked how his team was holding up physically.
“Pretty well, really,” he said. “Five days of training camp, a lot of times you can expect more missed practices than we’ve had. They are tired and they are sore, but that’s to be expected.”
Said Westphal of Sloan's quote, “I read that and told that to our young guys today. That’s the way it is. If you don’t come (into camp) in great shape, don’t complain about being sore. It’s time to pay the piper.”
The NBA season is a long, long journey and it’s conceivable the Kings will begin the regular season with seven players (possibly more) with fewer than three seasons of experience.
Center Samuel Dalembert, acquired this summer from Philadelphia, is the most experienced with eight NBA seasons. Beno Udrih is next with six and Francisco Garcia is entering his fifth season.
Conversely, Boston’s Shaquille O’Neal has 18 years of NBA experience all by his large lonesome.
So, many of the team’s key performers will balance the positives of younger legs against on-the-job education.
One of the lessons Westphal hopes his players acquire is respect for the game. All the players truly need to do research the fervor and aggression with which Westphal and assistant coaches, Mario Elie and Leonard (Truck) Robinson played the game.
Check out the sideline antics of 80-year-old assistant coach Pete Carril. He could be a veritable mad man when his passion and competitive nature was unleashed.
Sloan’s Utah teams usually display his intensity. It’s one reason why Sloan ranks among Westphal’s most respected coaches.
“There are a couple of coaches that I think really respect the game in a way I admire,” the Kings coach said. “(Those are) Larry Brown and Jerry Sloan.
“Both of them, I think, would rather have a game called correctly than in their favor. At the same time, they’d fight for every advantage they could get. They love the game and they have a good perspective about competition.
“I don’t want to slight anybody else, but those guys have been around for a long time and I think it’s because they have such a great love for the game.
They’d do anything to win, but at the end of the game, they’d shake your hand and mean it.”
.
Tuesday night, they open the 2010 preseason at home against the Phoenix Suns, so things are about to get real. Well, as real as the preseason can get.
Reality comes in different shapes and forms to different people. The Kings will open the regular-season as one of the NBA’s youngest teams.
They’ll also be one of the most inexperienced. Only six of the current Kings were here for 2009 training camp.
Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi were rookies last season. Now they are relative Kings veterans just because they’ve been here before – once.
Westphal said Saturday he read a quote from Utah coach Jerry Sloan describing his Jazz players. Westphal liked the message, so he brought the sentiment to his players.
Sloan told the Salt Lake Tribune, “At this stage, they’re probably a little but tired, but I don’t really care. From that standpoint, they should be in better shape when they get here. If you’re going to spend your time getting conditioned in training camp, then you’re probably going to be trying to play catch-up the biggest part of the time.”
Westphal was not dogging his team in any manner. In fact, following Saturday’s long afternoon workout, he spoke of how his team had been fortunate to have few players miss practice.
He was asked how his team was holding up physically.
“Pretty well, really,” he said. “Five days of training camp, a lot of times you can expect more missed practices than we’ve had. They are tired and they are sore, but that’s to be expected.”
Said Westphal of Sloan's quote, “I read that and told that to our young guys today. That’s the way it is. If you don’t come (into camp) in great shape, don’t complain about being sore. It’s time to pay the piper.”
The NBA season is a long, long journey and it’s conceivable the Kings will begin the regular season with seven players (possibly more) with fewer than three seasons of experience.
Center Samuel Dalembert, acquired this summer from Philadelphia, is the most experienced with eight NBA seasons. Beno Udrih is next with six and Francisco Garcia is entering his fifth season.
Conversely, Boston’s Shaquille O’Neal has 18 years of NBA experience all by his large lonesome.
So, many of the team’s key performers will balance the positives of younger legs against on-the-job education.
One of the lessons Westphal hopes his players acquire is respect for the game. All the players truly need to do research the fervor and aggression with which Westphal and assistant coaches, Mario Elie and Leonard (Truck) Robinson played the game.
Check out the sideline antics of 80-year-old assistant coach Pete Carril. He could be a veritable mad man when his passion and competitive nature was unleashed.
Sloan’s Utah teams usually display his intensity. It’s one reason why Sloan ranks among Westphal’s most respected coaches.
“There are a couple of coaches that I think really respect the game in a way I admire,” the Kings coach said. “(Those are) Larry Brown and Jerry Sloan.
“Both of them, I think, would rather have a game called correctly than in their favor. At the same time, they’d fight for every advantage they could get. They love the game and they have a good perspective about competition.
“I don’t want to slight anybody else, but those guys have been around for a long time and I think it’s because they have such a great love for the game.
They’d do anything to win, but at the end of the game, they’d shake your hand and mean it.”
.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Easier to stop Chris Paul than get an interview with World Wide Wes
For a hot minute Wednesday, I had thoughts of snatching an interview with NBA juice-meister William Wesley.
Then reality smacked me like an old girlfriend's right hand.
Wes, as I was introduced to him by former Kings forward Lionel Simmons about 17-18 years ago, might as well be the NBA's deputy commissioner. That's if you believe he's responsible for half of the occurrences with which he's been linked.
I'll keep referring to him as Wes. This whole World Wide Wes thing is relatively new to me. Reportedly, my man Jalen Rose, now an ESPN analyst, claims to have given him that moniker. And it does fit since when you are on the NBA beat, there's no city in which the brother might not be found.
I've heard him referred to as Uncle Wes. Call him what you want, but Wes is known in Commissioner David Stern's office, Michael Jordan's inner circles and as being the right-hand man of such NBA stars as LeBron James, Chris Paul and most recently, Carmelo Anthony.
In fact, one of the goals for contacting Wes Wednesday was to find out what role, if any, he was playing in Anthony's current travails with the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony is represented by agent Leon Rose and the powerful Creative Artists Agency. Rose and Wes have been linked since they both grew up in South Jersey.
There were reports earlier this year Wes had filed to become certified as an agent. If he did, he says that has not yet happened.
"I'm not an agent," Wes said Wednesday.
Wes is a cat whom has more hookups than Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile put together.
He's also a dude who consistently keeps his cards close to the vest.
"Man, I don't want to do any interviews," he said Wednesday as he's told me before. "I see so much crazy stuff out there that ain't hardly correct."
Wes is a mystery to 99 percent of the world. Clearly, he wants it like that and it's likely why so many athletes are comfortable with him. They know their business won't be in the street.
It's also why many of those who don't know him question his motives and duties. Then again, I don't know him in any depth, but I've seen no reason or proof to think he's done any dirt.
This is a dude who once had to move out of the way on the Dallas Cowboys sidelines while players gave then coach Jimmy Johnson a Super Bowl dousing.
That's juice and we ain't talking Gatorade.
Quick story: I'm in the visitor's locker room at Arco Arena a couple of years ago talking to then New Orleans head coach Byron Scott, assistant Paul Pressey and I think Kenny Gattison also was there. Somehow the conversation turned to Wes, and in walks Paul.
I think we'd been talking about how Wes seemed to be everywhere and how everybody knew him.
Said Paul, "Y'all talking bout Uncle Wes?"
We just started laughing as the point was made. Paul, now entering his sixth NBA season, still was a serious young boy at the time.
However, Paul, 25, said he'd known Wes for years. Paul also is represented by Rose and CAA, which also reportedly represents big ballers like Oprah and Will Smith. Rose also represents Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi.
Wes said he had to do a quick dash off the phone, so I never got to ask him anything about 'Melo's situation.
I think it's safe to say I probably ended up with the same information I would have gotten had the questions been asked.
However, I'll trade any and all stories I can do on Wes, for the book deal. My man is a success story of the highest and most unique order.
Once again, I may have better odds at hitting a lottery than getting Wes for a tell-all.
However, right now I'll settle for a tell-some. Dos Equis might want to re-check their most interesting man in the world commercial.
Since I went to the 'Melo concept, imagine how nice life is when you are 26, have a standing offer of three years for $64 million from the Nuggets, and things are so sugary, you can just leave it there for some reason.
Now that's 'Melo.
I also talked Wednesday with former Kings draft choice Anthony Johnson, who played the past two seasons with the Orlando Magic.
Johnson, the 39th pick of the 1997 draft out of the College of Charleston has played with eight teams. Johnson, who will turn 36 Oct. 2, was not re-signed by the Magic but still wants to play.
"I'm working out, staying in shape and waiting to see what happens," Johnson said. "I want to try and go out on my own terms. I know that doesn't happen for everybody, but I still want to play before I shut it down. I'd like to go into coaching as an assistant if nothing comes up."
The NBA currently is going around the league and airing what it calls "NBA Real Training Camp" where practices are televised.
One of the teams featured is the New York Knicks so obviously success is not a prerequisite.
Vice President of Media Relations/Basketball Operations Troy Hanson said NBA Entertainment has plans to feature Evans, Casspi and first-round pick DeMarcus Cousins.
Then reality smacked me like an old girlfriend's right hand.
Wes, as I was introduced to him by former Kings forward Lionel Simmons about 17-18 years ago, might as well be the NBA's deputy commissioner. That's if you believe he's responsible for half of the occurrences with which he's been linked.
I'll keep referring to him as Wes. This whole World Wide Wes thing is relatively new to me. Reportedly, my man Jalen Rose, now an ESPN analyst, claims to have given him that moniker. And it does fit since when you are on the NBA beat, there's no city in which the brother might not be found.
I've heard him referred to as Uncle Wes. Call him what you want, but Wes is known in Commissioner David Stern's office, Michael Jordan's inner circles and as being the right-hand man of such NBA stars as LeBron James, Chris Paul and most recently, Carmelo Anthony.
In fact, one of the goals for contacting Wes Wednesday was to find out what role, if any, he was playing in Anthony's current travails with the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony is represented by agent Leon Rose and the powerful Creative Artists Agency. Rose and Wes have been linked since they both grew up in South Jersey.
There were reports earlier this year Wes had filed to become certified as an agent. If he did, he says that has not yet happened.
"I'm not an agent," Wes said Wednesday.
Wes is a cat whom has more hookups than Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile put together.
He's also a dude who consistently keeps his cards close to the vest.
"Man, I don't want to do any interviews," he said Wednesday as he's told me before. "I see so much crazy stuff out there that ain't hardly correct."
Wes is a mystery to 99 percent of the world. Clearly, he wants it like that and it's likely why so many athletes are comfortable with him. They know their business won't be in the street.
It's also why many of those who don't know him question his motives and duties. Then again, I don't know him in any depth, but I've seen no reason or proof to think he's done any dirt.
This is a dude who once had to move out of the way on the Dallas Cowboys sidelines while players gave then coach Jimmy Johnson a Super Bowl dousing.
That's juice and we ain't talking Gatorade.
Quick story: I'm in the visitor's locker room at Arco Arena a couple of years ago talking to then New Orleans head coach Byron Scott, assistant Paul Pressey and I think Kenny Gattison also was there. Somehow the conversation turned to Wes, and in walks Paul.
I think we'd been talking about how Wes seemed to be everywhere and how everybody knew him.
Said Paul, "Y'all talking bout Uncle Wes?"
We just started laughing as the point was made. Paul, now entering his sixth NBA season, still was a serious young boy at the time.
However, Paul, 25, said he'd known Wes for years. Paul also is represented by Rose and CAA, which also reportedly represents big ballers like Oprah and Will Smith. Rose also represents Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi.
Wes said he had to do a quick dash off the phone, so I never got to ask him anything about 'Melo's situation.
I think it's safe to say I probably ended up with the same information I would have gotten had the questions been asked.
However, I'll trade any and all stories I can do on Wes, for the book deal. My man is a success story of the highest and most unique order.
Once again, I may have better odds at hitting a lottery than getting Wes for a tell-all.
However, right now I'll settle for a tell-some. Dos Equis might want to re-check their most interesting man in the world commercial.
Since I went to the 'Melo concept, imagine how nice life is when you are 26, have a standing offer of three years for $64 million from the Nuggets, and things are so sugary, you can just leave it there for some reason.
Now that's 'Melo.
I also talked Wednesday with former Kings draft choice Anthony Johnson, who played the past two seasons with the Orlando Magic.
Johnson, the 39th pick of the 1997 draft out of the College of Charleston has played with eight teams. Johnson, who will turn 36 Oct. 2, was not re-signed by the Magic but still wants to play.
"I'm working out, staying in shape and waiting to see what happens," Johnson said. "I want to try and go out on my own terms. I know that doesn't happen for everybody, but I still want to play before I shut it down. I'd like to go into coaching as an assistant if nothing comes up."
The NBA currently is going around the league and airing what it calls "NBA Real Training Camp" where practices are televised.
One of the teams featured is the New York Knicks so obviously success is not a prerequisite.
Vice President of Media Relations/Basketball Operations Troy Hanson said NBA Entertainment has plans to feature Evans, Casspi and first-round pick DeMarcus Cousins.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Donte Greene and Kings have much to prove
Say what you will regarding Tyreke Evans, last season's NBA Rookie of the Year, and 2010 first-round draft choice DeMarcus Cousins.
The Kings are third-year small forward Donte Greene.
Greene is a physical specimen at 6-foot-11, 251 pounds. He's 22 years old, can jump out of the gym and possesses the agility and foot speed to at least deter the offensive prowess of Los Angeles Lakers' star Kobe Bryant.
Greene has the potential to one day grow into one of the NBA's best players just as the Kings this season have the capability to grow into one of the league's most improved squads.
However, for both Greene and the Kings, wanting to do it and doing it are completely different animals.
Folks, we're talking Yorkshire Terriers and Gorillas.
Greene is entering his third NBA season and is contending with Omri Casspi for the team's starting small forward position. Establishing consistency in shooting, rebounding, decision-making and playing solid defense will be the keys to winning the battle with Omri Casspi.
Greene certainly would like to establish himself as the team's starter, yet he says filling the team's needs for role players is what he's about.
"A lot of guys can’t accept their role," he said. "With me being traded here (from Houston in August 2008) and really not knowing what to expect and last year being my first year playing, I came out and wanted to be a defensive guy.
"I knew we needed a defensive guy – especially after John Salmons got traded in my rookie year – I tried to fill that role. Scoring, I have my nights, but mostly I was just worrying about defending."
Greene started 50 games last season and played small forward, power forward and shooting guard.
Since the Kings have re-arranged their frontline with the additions of Samuel Dalembert, Cousins and fellow rookie Hassan Whiteside, Greene likely will see more playing opportunities at small forward and shooting guard.
There are match ups that could play out where his quickness and agility could prove valuable at power forward.
Greene's 251 pounds mark quite a change from the 215 to 220 pounds at which he began his NBA career. He said he put on 15 pounds during the off-season by eating and lifting weight.
" I loved (playing four)," Greene said. "I was looking forward to it (again this season). KG (Kevin Garnett) talked trash to me last year. Amare (Stoudamire) talked trash to me. I was going to have something for them, but what ever it takes to get on the floor. (I'll play) 1-2-3-4-5 ... it doesn’t matter."
The spirit is appreciated, but seeing Greene at point guard is not something to which I look forward.
As a starter last season, Greene shot 43.5 percent overall from the field and 36.5 percent from three-point range. Both those marks should improve with a higher comfort level that comes from experience.
Greene is too good a shooter to repeat 64 percent from the free-throw line and he should accept nothing lower than 75 percent. His improvement will come through increased concentration and focus. Those factors often are the most difficult for young players to grasp.
Not much is expected nationally of the Kings or Greene. Like Denver's Carmelo Anthony, who has been the subject of many recent trade rumors, Greene hails from Baltimore after being born in Munich, Germany and spending some of his childhood in Japan.
Greene was asked what he knew about those 'Melo rumors and what it would be like for his friend to become a teammate.
Greene smiled and joked (I think), "If 'Melo comes here, send me to Denver. With him and Tyreke, it would be a wrap here."
Yes, the opportunities to score surely would be diminished, but since Greene freely believes he can become a role player, that scenario might not be all bad.
Petrie without a plan?
Kings President Geoff Petrie said he hadn't read a recent ESPN assessment that noted he nor the Kings had a plan for development.
Personally, it's difficult for me to believe Petrie had not read the analysis, but I guess it's possible.
However, he unveiled his sharp tongue when responding to the attack.
"We still go into the season with a tremendous amount of salary cap room and all our future picks and all that. So there’s always the potential to be involved in things other teams are trying to do."
Said Petrie with an ultimate sarcasm, "I’ve always been a plan-less guy. Sometimes you have to consider the source."
Over the past 18 years, I venture to guess no media member has spoken with Petrie more than I. No wonder he looked me dead in my face while issuing the 'plan-less guy' comment.
Petrie always has plans. They haven't always worked, but he's got a drawer full of them.
Said Petrie regarding the team's unsuccessful quest to nail down a new arena, "I'm not really the guy to ask about that. It’s clear that Arco (Arena) is getting near the end of its useful life and at some point, the community and the city and the team need a new facility."
The Kings are third-year small forward Donte Greene.
Greene is a physical specimen at 6-foot-11, 251 pounds. He's 22 years old, can jump out of the gym and possesses the agility and foot speed to at least deter the offensive prowess of Los Angeles Lakers' star Kobe Bryant.
Greene has the potential to one day grow into one of the NBA's best players just as the Kings this season have the capability to grow into one of the league's most improved squads.
However, for both Greene and the Kings, wanting to do it and doing it are completely different animals.
Folks, we're talking Yorkshire Terriers and Gorillas.
Greene is entering his third NBA season and is contending with Omri Casspi for the team's starting small forward position. Establishing consistency in shooting, rebounding, decision-making and playing solid defense will be the keys to winning the battle with Omri Casspi.
Greene certainly would like to establish himself as the team's starter, yet he says filling the team's needs for role players is what he's about.
"A lot of guys can’t accept their role," he said. "With me being traded here (from Houston in August 2008) and really not knowing what to expect and last year being my first year playing, I came out and wanted to be a defensive guy.
"I knew we needed a defensive guy – especially after John Salmons got traded in my rookie year – I tried to fill that role. Scoring, I have my nights, but mostly I was just worrying about defending."
Greene started 50 games last season and played small forward, power forward and shooting guard.
Since the Kings have re-arranged their frontline with the additions of Samuel Dalembert, Cousins and fellow rookie Hassan Whiteside, Greene likely will see more playing opportunities at small forward and shooting guard.
There are match ups that could play out where his quickness and agility could prove valuable at power forward.
Greene's 251 pounds mark quite a change from the 215 to 220 pounds at which he began his NBA career. He said he put on 15 pounds during the off-season by eating and lifting weight.
" I loved (playing four)," Greene said. "I was looking forward to it (again this season). KG (Kevin Garnett) talked trash to me last year. Amare (Stoudamire) talked trash to me. I was going to have something for them, but what ever it takes to get on the floor. (I'll play) 1-2-3-4-5 ... it doesn’t matter."
The spirit is appreciated, but seeing Greene at point guard is not something to which I look forward.
As a starter last season, Greene shot 43.5 percent overall from the field and 36.5 percent from three-point range. Both those marks should improve with a higher comfort level that comes from experience.
Greene is too good a shooter to repeat 64 percent from the free-throw line and he should accept nothing lower than 75 percent. His improvement will come through increased concentration and focus. Those factors often are the most difficult for young players to grasp.
Not much is expected nationally of the Kings or Greene. Like Denver's Carmelo Anthony, who has been the subject of many recent trade rumors, Greene hails from Baltimore after being born in Munich, Germany and spending some of his childhood in Japan.
Greene was asked what he knew about those 'Melo rumors and what it would be like for his friend to become a teammate.
Greene smiled and joked (I think), "If 'Melo comes here, send me to Denver. With him and Tyreke, it would be a wrap here."
Yes, the opportunities to score surely would be diminished, but since Greene freely believes he can become a role player, that scenario might not be all bad.
Petrie without a plan?
Kings President Geoff Petrie said he hadn't read a recent ESPN assessment that noted he nor the Kings had a plan for development.
Personally, it's difficult for me to believe Petrie had not read the analysis, but I guess it's possible.
However, he unveiled his sharp tongue when responding to the attack.
"We still go into the season with a tremendous amount of salary cap room and all our future picks and all that. So there’s always the potential to be involved in things other teams are trying to do."
Said Petrie with an ultimate sarcasm, "I’ve always been a plan-less guy. Sometimes you have to consider the source."
Over the past 18 years, I venture to guess no media member has spoken with Petrie more than I. No wonder he looked me dead in my face while issuing the 'plan-less guy' comment.
Petrie always has plans. They haven't always worked, but he's got a drawer full of them.
Said Petrie regarding the team's unsuccessful quest to nail down a new arena, "I'm not really the guy to ask about that. It’s clear that Arco (Arena) is getting near the end of its useful life and at some point, the community and the city and the team need a new facility."
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Kings getting ready to line up
The Sacramento Kings, like all NBA teams, are attempting to finalize their training camp roster.
According to Kings President Geoff Petrie, the Kings have 18 commitments for the start of camp Sept. 28, preceded one day earlier by media day.
"We have 18 committed and we may add one or two more before camp starts," Petrie said Tuesday afternoon. "We're still two weeks away and there's always the possibility that someone could go to Europe or elsewhere."
Elsewhere has become a major option for players over the past 15-20 years. Back in the day, there weren't options of going to play all over the world.
Now, it's nothing for a player to take guaranteed money in Italy or Lithuania or Japan or China or Australia over the non-guaranteed opportunity to make an NBA team.
So far, the Kings expect the usual suspects - Tyreke Evans, Beno Udrih, Francisco Garcia, Samuel Dalembert, DeMarcus Cousins, Omri Casspi, Hasaan Whiteside, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry, Donte Greene, Pooh Jeter and Antoine Wright.
Then there are the hopefuls - Darnell Jackson, Donald Sloan, Luther Head, Joe Crawford, J.R. Giddens and Connor Atchley.
Any of the hopefuls could be swayed by guaranteed loot elsewhere. However, Head, Crawford and Giddens likely will see openings with the Kings for anyone who consistently can make perimeter shots.
Petrie estimates, "close to 30 percent of the league's players are from other countries."
That's an amazing change from 25 years ago when the number of NBA international players was in single-digits.
Bush to surrender his 2005 Heisman Trophy
New Orleans Saints and former USC running back Reggie Bush is taking a hit for a whole lot of people.
Bush announced Tuesday he will return the 2005 Heisman Trophy he won following reports he and his family received hundreds of thousands of improper benefits while playing at USC.
Bush's family reportedly lived rent-free in a home and received substantial cash gifts from two different agent groups positioning themselves to represent him in the NFL.
Bush, 25, was 20 years old in 2005. Since he's opted to return the Trophy, in my eyes, he's admitted wrongdoing of some extent.
However, clearly the adults (i.e., parents, any advisers, agents Mike Ornstein, Michael Michaels and Lloyd Lake) also were at fault in a major way and were at least as responsible for the chicanery.
I'd love to hear from Bush's parents about what they did. I'd love for Ornstein, Michaels and Lake to come clean about their parts in the entire deal.
Plane tickets, free hotel stays and cash would seem highly difficult to bypass, especially for a 20-year-old.
In a related thought, I'd still have the Trophy if I was Reggie. Five years later, they are coming to get it? C'mon now.
Just a thought. Had Reggie Bush been in a car accident and died, would the Heisman folk still have wanted their Trophy returned? As my son and sister say, I'm just saying.
Five years? Come now. What's up with that?
The Barry Bonds trial should be something special at this rate.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
'Melo to the Kings? Of course, if possible
Actually, it's usually an exercise in frustration because Petrie usually gives up less information than love from your pops after a bad report card. He did say he's been on a bit of vacation and merely monitoring life via e-mail.
However, since folks have been writing and talking about the merits of pursuing Denver Nuggets all-star forward Carmelo Anthony, I figured I'd weigh in.
Of course, the Kings should attempt to acquire Anthony.
Even according to Petrie, Anthony is one of the NBA's top 15 players. I'd put him among the top 10 and I'm not a huge 'Melo fan. He's a bit of a gunner and he'll not win any defensive player of the year awards.
Yet, as a scorer (still a fairly important quality in this game), the boy is about as competent and versatile as there is. Anthony has a lethal mid-range game and at 6-foot-8, can score inside and out.
No one on the Kings has established themselves as a consistent producer, so to add a player of Anthony's ilk would be a no-brainer.
Of course, you don't give up respected unless it's possible to ensure you can lock up Anthony and build around him. However, Tyreke Evans, Anthony and DeMarcus Cousins is a trio around which I can work.
Anthony is the oldest at 26 and his acquisition, if pulled off quickly, immediately would make the Kings a playoff contender. They'd be a team few would want to play.
No doubt, a trade of such magnitude would be tough to make happen, much less quickly.
Now, there are all types of factors to be considered, but some would answer themselves.
Anthony, whom I've yet to be heard from, reportedly wants to be traded to New York. ... Or Houston. Whatever. Anthony's unspoken words have come through the failure to sign a three-year/$65 million extension.
That seems to indicate he no longer wants to play in Denver, unless the kid has mental issues of which I've never heard. Bypassing $65 million for three years at age 26 almost makes me want to question his sanity, particularly entering a season after which a lockout, in my opinion, surely is to follow.
Following the lockout, it's conceivable new rules under a new Collective Bargaining Agreement could prevent a similar offer.
But what does Anthony want? Is it a title? Does he want to help hook up his wife, La La's career? Which is the priority?
If he's all in on a title, then the Kings should be all in on acquiring him. If not, then make sure that real cap room is spent on a player dedicated and committed to winning.
Meanwhile, the Kings are expecting most of their players in town around Sept. 15. Petrie said second-round pick Hasaan Whiteside has been working with assistant coach Shareef Abdur-Rahim at the team's practice facility while first-round choice DeMarcus Cousins has been working out in Mobile, Al. and now in Washington, D.C.
"So there is some surveillance going on," Petrie said with a laugh.
- The NFL is back and few things are sweeter
Things are on the uptick in the San Francisco Bay Area with the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders.
Imagine that, the Raiders legitimately have a shot at a wild-card berth with luck and good health. As much I've liked Jason Campbell since his days at Auburn, I'm also down with backup Bruce Gradkowski.
As for that offensive line and head coach Tom Cable, there are the places of uncertainty. If the line can protect and the wideouts catch passes, it'll be up to Cable to prove he can lead.
Leadership is no problem for Niners coach Mike Singletary. He's the man and everyone knows it. Singletary's squad has a great chance to win the NFC West and that's should be the goal. The Niners need to protect QB Alex Smith. I say Smith will be just fine.
The Niners finished 8-8 and lost three games by four points or less last season.
However, seeing as I'm and Giants/Jets fan, the major concerns are lines with the Giants and QB Mark Sanchez with the Jets. His inexperience is glaring. If the Jets can run the ball, they'll be fine. However, there's no track record of Sanchez being able to pass and lead the Jets to victory under duress.
As for holdout cornerback Darelle Revis, the Jets need to give up the cash. They made their bed by consistently calling him the best cornerback in the league. So pay the man.
For all the ridiculousness that has been the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre, they did get their man into camp. That's the bottom line.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Bobby Jackson not only played with heart, but has it, too
Few situations ever will touch us as deeply as the loss of a parent.
Former NBA guard Bobby Jackson watched his mom, Sarah, succumb to cancer in 2003 and since has attacked the disease as if it were a retreating defense.
As a player, Jackson was known for his desire to accept a challenge and he did so again Monday while hosting the Bobby Jackson Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament at the plush Catta Verdera Country Club in Lincoln, Ca.
The tournament was designed to provide financial support for Camp Kesem, a free overnight summer camp for children ages 6-13 and teens 14-16 of all races, religions, nationalities and financial status with a parent who had or has had cancer.
"My mom passed away seven years and I didn't have anyone to lean on while she was going through it," Jackson said as he sat in a golf cart at Hole 2. "So that's something I can relate to, especially for kids.
"Seeing what cancer did to my mom helps make it a passion that is related to almost everything I do. I just want to give back because I've been blessed and you know it's more difficult for kids to understand when a parent goes through something like that."
Jackson's words rang true after having my father die from cancer at age 53. As I think back, the final weeks of my pops life were more of a daze than anything else. Perspective was gained in retrospection.
However, any help provided to those, particularly children, dealing with cancer at any level only can be lauded.
Jackson's efforts received support from 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans; former Sacramento Kings Mitch Richmond, Scot Pollard and Matt Barnes (now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers); former N.Y. Jets', Minnesota Vikings' and Jacksonville Jaquars' wide receiver Matthew Hatchette; and entertainers Petri Byrd (the bailiff/comedian from TV's 'Judge Judy Show, and Christopher Martin and Christopher Reid (aka Kid n Play or shall I say, Play n Kid), actor Tyrin Turner (Menace to Society) and filmmaker Deon Taylor.
Some played golf. Some didn't play. Some played and still didn't play, if you feel me .
Said Byrd, "I got a call and specifically was asked not to golf. So I tried to adhere to the request."
Byrd instead conducted an all-day comedy corner near the clubhouse. "I saw one guy hit a buzzard-leg right. Can't kill nothing and nothing won't die."
"I hit two of my best balls earlier - I stepped on a rake."
Byrd performs an accomplished impersonation of late actor/entertainer Bernie Mac. And while Bird and Kid n Play sat near the clubhouse, I was pleased and pleasured to sit with these cats.
Most of the time, it was four brothers from different parts of New York, me and Kid n Play who grew up in Queens and Bird the Brooklyn outsider discussing everything under the sun with the foreground of some California hills.
Who'd a thunk it?
Moreover, how the heck did this occur? Imagine the twists and turns in each individual's lives that put us in that situation. That's what made it sweeter than sweet. Christopher Martin now teaches Hip Hop History at North Carolina Central University.
For me the sports nut, I think of NCCU and the Penn Relays when quarter-miler Larry Black turned out the '72 event that Phillip Atwell and I rode Amtrak down to see. So from Larry Black to Play, it's all good.
And it took me five minutes to recognize that Kid was Kid. The high-top has so faded, but the wit and flavor brought me back with quickness.
Life and time separated Kid n Play for a while, but it was great to see the pair together again. They've reunited and performed at the Jamie Foxx Comedy Show in Sacramento the night before and hung out to support Jackson's efforts at the tournament.
It was a day in which groups of athletes and entertainers belied the overwhelming accepted reputations of selfishness and mindlessness that run rampant throughout our society. The effort was sparked and originated by Jackson, who showed most of all, it was not all about him.
As for this golf thing, it's obvious I don't get it. Even during a celebrity tournament in which scores really don't mean a thing, it seemed as if there might have been a little fudging on the scores.
And what kind of sport is this thing when a ball-striker needs absolute silence to do his thing. It's interesting to see athletes, many of whom are not true golfers, put themselves in uncomfortable situations to offer support. Believe me, some of those swings were uncomfortable.
However, none of them were as comfortable as I was after continually bumping into the Hole 11 and the accompanying margaritas. Comfort eventually turned into discomfort as the heat and non-tequila flavored lemonade turned my legs into brown jello shots.
Luckily, my man Chris, who drove me around all day in a golf cart, recognized the weebles- wobble-but-they-don't-fall-down circumstances and helped me to air conditioning and an ice-soaked towel in the club's admin building.
Being a guy who drinks water, well, like water, hearing from EMT's that I likely was dehydrated sounded funny. However, I learned margaritas are no substitute for water.
So thanks to the folks who stepped in to assist as well as the many who came to check on a brother.
On the news side, Barnes said reports that he'd last week slapped a coach during a San Francisco Summer Pro League were erroneous.
That was good to hear. Certainly, summer league games aren't that serious. I've known Barnes, who hosted his own charity golf tournament two weekends ago, for close to ten years now and I only hoped he didn't put himself into a situation where a law suit soon was to follow.
An NBA spokesman recently said the powers-that-be were waiting to receive the official paperwork regarding Evans' Memorial Day Speed Racer episode. Evans likely is to receive at least a one-game suspension, it says here.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Hopefully, Evans learns his lesson
Youth often goes unappreciated until it's gone.
Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans has many gifts and talents, but none can help or accelerate life's learning process.
It's unavoidable, yet valuable.
Evans on Memorial Day used up a lifetime worth of luck while driving up to 130 miles an hour and weaving through traffic on a Sacramento freeway.
Fortunately for him, the worst fate he suffered was getting arrested for reckless driving and the subsequent legal penalties.
The embarrassment and criticism he's incurred and deserved from having the video recently released is nothing in the big picture.
And at 20, the big picture for many of us, can be as invisible as Casper, the friendly ghost. And as untouchable and unreachable as grabbing a handful of mist.
Hopefully, Evans recognizes Memorial Day he received a tremendously underrated opportunity.
He received an opportunity to live and those are not to go unappreciated.
Evans has untold potential as a basketball player. As young as he is, I'd wager he doesn't yet know how good he can become even two years from now.
Evans turns 21 Sept. 21. Give him an improved 15-foot jump shot - not to mention a three-pointer - two more years of competing against the world's best combined with deeper self-understanding of himself and his game.
Evans' capabilities are limitless.
His reckless driving, once again, was dangerous not only to himself, but to others. It's a situation he never should put himself in again.
However, it has no connection with his ability to play basketball or lead the Kings.
Evans needs to comprehend the good fortunes he has received. The basics - height, weight, strength, competitive nature and fearlessness - are blessings.
Blessings to be cherished and maximized and only he possesses the ability to put it together.
Let's hope this transgression soon becomes a forgotten misstep along the sometimes rocky road to growth.
Evans previously escaped another incident when he drove a car in which his cousin eventually charged for shooting and killing a man.
Incidents as serious as these could be seen by many as exhausted good fortune. I've never had a car that went 130 miles per hour, much less had that much power at my disposal.
I have been a passenger in a Volkswagen golf that was driven directly into a tree. The tree won and luckily, it was the first and hopefully, last time I ever moved to see if I was alive.
That good fortune always has been appreciated.
Let's hope Evans appreciates and recognizes the gift he received Memorial Day.
I know I plan on telling him the story of the late former Charlotte Hornets guard Bobby Phills, who tragically died in 2000 while racing his car.
Evans only was 10 years old at the time.
However, he's now old enough to learn and appreciate. Evans more than enough information and experience from which to gather.
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