Sacramento Kings Thread

[CKR13]

DEN 122 SAC 93

The Kings were outscored 34-17 in the second quarter after a close fought first quarter. The Kings could not recover as their defense were missing from then on. Demarcus Cousins lead the Kings with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Jimmer Fredette starting at point guard fired 19 points. Isaiah Thomas Jr. scored 16 points off the bench.

[CKR13]

The Sacramento Kings will get a two day respite and will travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz in their home court, come Saturday night.

[CKR13]

It is some sort of homecoming for rookie point guard Jimmer Fredette when the team travels to Utah to face the Jazz.

Jimmer ready to make first trip back to Utah with Kings

[DonPugfâché]

Pretty good read on Tyreke. Also makes some tangible/statistical comparisons to some clearly less-talented guards in the league that really puts it into perspective how (and maybe why) he seems to be regressing (or at the very least, under-achieving).

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7...he-next-level/

[CKR13]

I do feel that Evans' rookie year was padded as Paul Westphal did allow Evans to dominate the ball and do pretty much whatever he wants to, enroute to the 20-5-5 rookie average. The Maloofs and Geoff Petrie wanted to put on a show for the hometown that has suffered lackluster support since the core of the Fab 5 were broken up. By chance it worked and people started flocking back.

Not that I'm saying or insinuating that Evans is not a skilled player; he is skilled and versatile. It has been a period of adjustment for Evans. On his second season despite being bothered by plantar fasciitis, still managed to come close to his rookie average (though less efficient on several stat variables.

This season, it is another period of adjustment for Evans. He is really trying to learn to play the point guard. There are two or three games where Evans surpassed his career average on a night's production. This season, Evans is learning to be more of a team player and shredded the alpha male mentality as Cousins and Thornton are right up there as his equals. In truth, Evans need not do it all and he should not play for stats. Magical numbers are on his reach if he plays wisely.

It is not only Evans who is adjusting, but also the team itself. Evans is also searching for an identity; much like his teammates as well. By season's end, I do hope the Kings find their identity amongst themselves.

First and foremost, they need to learn how to play defense as a collective unit.

[Bosnian 23]

First off, I'm glad to hear that the TV ratings are actually going UP. In times like these, a team in the NBA could use all the home support it can get to string some wins together. As for Tyreke, I feel Keith Smart has recently been using him perfectly, whereas Westphal didn't. So, I expect Evans to (sometime this year) utilize the potential that he has and become a star for our Kings. Same goes for Demarcus Cousins. This, in turn, should get us winning some games again and put us back in the play-off picture. And this is what every die-hard Kings fan wants to see - winning basketball. I believe Evans, Cousnins, and Smart the people to do that, know we just have to grow and get some solid bench players (we already have a couple in Isaih Thomas and Jason Thompson).

[CKR13]

The Sacramento Kings falling short against the Utah Jazz 96-93. Tyreke Evans lead the Kings with 31 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds.

[DonPugfâché]

I do feel that Evans' rookie year was padded as Paul Westphal did allow Evans to dominate the ball and do pretty much whatever he wants to, enroute to the 20-5-5 rookie average. The Maloofs and Geoff Petrie wanted to put on a show for the hometown that has suffered lackluster support since the core of the Fab 5 were broken up. By chance it worked and people started flocking back.

Not that I'm saying or insinuating that Evans is not a skilled player; he is skilled and versatile. It has been a period of adjustment for Evans. On his second season despite being bothered by plantar fasciitis, still managed to come close to his rookie average (though less efficient on several stat variables.

This season, it is another period of adjustment for Evans. He is really trying to learn to play the point guard. There are two or three games where Evans surpassed his career average on a night's production. This season, Evans is learning to be more of a team player and shredded the alpha male mentality as Cousins and Thornton are right up there as his equals. In truth, Evans need not do it all and he should not play for stats. Magical numbers are on his reach if he plays wisely.

I agree that to an extent his stats may have been padded his rookie year, considering he had the ball in his hands so much. I'm not quite as concerned with his #s being down, so much as his efficiency. Usually when a guy goes from carrying the full load to being a piece in a cog, his #s may drop, but his efficiency (specifically FG% and Points/FGA) go up... but that hasn't been the case for Tyreke. In fact he's down around 40% again this year, despite being healthy.

I haven't seen enough Kings games or looked at the in-depth stats, but from the games/stats I've seen this season, he just doesn't look like the aggressive/attacking Tyreke that we saw most of his rookie year. I dunno if maybe he's taking more jumpshots, or trying to be more of a pure PG who tries to create for others first, just isn't comfortable with the system, or what. But I think he (and as a result, the team) is at its best offensively when he's aggressive (and by aggressive, I mean attacking -- not necessarily taking a ton of shots) because him and DMC are really the only guys on the team who can consistently force defenses to collapse and rotate. No disrespect to Marcus, but he doesn't tax defenses in the same kind of way because he's more of a 1 on 1 shooter/pure scorer.

For example, looking at the past 10 or so games, the Kings have done better -- either getting wins, or at least being more competitive -- when Tyreke is taking more shots. Not necessarily a tell-all measurement of his aggressiveness, but an indicator nonetheless.

Anyway, I do believe that Smart is better suited than Westphal ever was to get the most of this young team, and I'm hoping he can help everybody -- esp Tyreke and DMC maximize their talents. From what I've seen so far, DMC seems to be playing better ... his stats aren't necessarily up, but he's scoring much more efficiently.

And you're right about their defense ... it has NOT been pretty.

[CKR13]

Power forward Chuck Hayes remains doubtful against the Golden State Warriors this coming Tuesday due to re-injuring his left shoulder on the game against the Utah Jazz.

[CKR13]

I agree that to an extent his stats may have been padded his rookie year, considering he had the ball in his hands so much. I'm not quite as concerned with his #s being down, so much as his efficiency. Usually when a guy goes from carrying the full load to being a piece in a cog, his #s may drop, but his efficiency (specifically FG% and Points/FGA) go up... but that hasn't been the case for Tyreke. In fact he's down around 40% again this year, despite being healthy.

Plus Evans is shooting .250 from beyond the arc. On Evans' field goal percentage overall, he tries too many difficult shots, the type where he contorts and puts up a lay-in against heavy traffic in the paint. Those are the shots you won't make on a number of tries. Then there is his shot form. The one that is a semi fall-away, thus he makes it artificially more difficult to convert. Far from textbook, that bad habit should have been cured had Evans or the team hired a shooting coach.

Evans is also hovering in the .760 Free throw percentage. Guards should be around 84% above for efficiency purposes.

I haven't seen enough Kings games or looked at the in-depth stats, but from the games/stats I've seen this season, he just doesn't look like the aggressive/attacking Tyreke that we saw most of his rookie year. I dunno if maybe he's taking more jumpshots, or trying to be more of a pure PG who tries to create for others first, just isn't comfortable with the system, or what. But I think he (and as a result, the team) is at its best offensively when he's aggressive (and by aggressive, I mean attacking -- not necessarily taking a ton of shots) because him and DMC are really the only guys on the team who can consistently force defenses to collapse and rotate. No disrespect to Marcus, but he doesn't tax defenses in the same kind of way because he's more of a 1 on 1 shooter/pure scorer.

A lot of factors on Tyreke's hesitance in offense. When his shots are not falling, he learned how to stop shooting and defer more to his teammates via playmaking. I have seen him score just 9 points in 40 minutes by going 2-12 overall. I would somehow commend him on that one; by not being a black hole in the offense.

Just as you pointed out, when Evans' shots are not falling, he has the tendency to stop being aggressive. The norm for guards who's shots are not falling is to attack the basket and fish for fouls or attack for the sake of playmaking.

I must agree that Thornton has become a rather one-dimensional one on one shooter. Thornton must learn to vary his options in the offense. The right cuts on baseline are an ideal start.

For example, looking at the past 10 or so games, the Kings have done better -- either getting wins, or at least being more competitive -- when Tyreke is taking more shots. Not necessarily a tell-all measurement of his aggressiveness, but an indicator nonetheless.

Anyway, I do believe that Smart is better suited than Westphal ever was to get the most of this young team, and I'm hoping he can help everybody -- esp Tyreke and DMC maximize their talents. From what I've seen so far, DMC seems to be playing better ... his stats aren't necessarily up, but he's scoring much more efficiently.

And you're right about their defense ... it has NOT been pretty.

True. The Kings need Evans to be aggressive in the offense since Thornton is still sidelined. On our defense, we are the number one team in points allowed. There really is no communication in the defense and that is what drives Keith Smart into a predicament. Poor man preaches about communication and aggressive defense via coverage, but a lot of players just become more aggressive and responds more via body language rather than communicate for the right kind of rotation. I do not see on ball defenders shouting or pointing to the other man when defending even an isolation play.

Last season, we had Samuel Dalembert as a legitimate inside presence in the defense. Cousins is not a defense specialist. The guy rarely elevates for the challenge against driving players.

[CKR13]

Head coach Keith Smart confirmed in an interview with the press that Chuck Hayes will play against the Golden State Warriors this coming Tuesday.

[CKR13]

The game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (Feb. 9, 2012) will be on national television via TNT. We better make a good showing and not to embarrass ourselves with a 30 point rout or something. The Washington Wizards were able to upset the Thunder, so I'm hoping the Kings can pull it off as well. A whipping from the Thunder will surely be embarrassing; to the faithful, that one would be difficult to live by.

[DonPugfâché]

Plus Evans is shooting .250 from beyond the arc. On Evans' field goal percentage overall, he tries too many difficult shots, the type where he contorts and puts up a lay-in against heavy traffic in the paint. Those are the shots you won't make on a number of tries. Then there is his shot form. The one that is a semi fall-away, thus he makes it artificially more difficult to convert. Far from textbook, that bad habit should have been cured had Evans or the team hired a shooting coach.

Evans is also hovering in the .760 Free throw percentage. Guards should be around 84% above for efficiency purposes.



A lot of factors on Tyreke's hesitance in offense. When his shots are not falling, he learned how to stop shooting and defer more to his teammates via playmaking. I have seen him score just 9 points in 40 minutes by going 2-12 overall. I would somehow commend him on that one; by not being a black hole in the offense.

Just as you pointed out, when Evans' shots are not falling, he has the tendency to stop being aggressive. The norm for guards who's shots are not falling is to attack the basket and fish for fouls or attack for the sake of playmaking.

Since we're on the topic, a few reads that shed some light on what Keith Smart is trying to do with Tyreke. Basically, it looks like he's trying to get him to think and play more like a true PG -- actually asking him to cut back on scoring and focus more on getting teammates involved, thus the games where we see him only taking 10-12 FGAs, and at times looking tentative. This could be one of those situations where he has to take a couple steps back in order to continue progressing... (kinda like when Sampras switched made the switch from a 2-handed to a 1-handed backhand ... he regressed for a while, but in the long-term, it made him a much better player... but I different sport, and I digress).

Hopefully that'll be the case, and sooner rather than later. It's tough though, because I think he's stuck in a less-than-ideal situation because he's not really that kind of PG. I think ideally he's more like a Monta Ellis type combo guard ... but unlike Ellis, Tyreke doesn't play with a legit PG, so the onus falls on him to fill that role. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out over the season (and possibly even for the next couple years).

EVANS RECEIVES SMART ADVICE (Sacramento Bee)
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/30/422..._rss=Kings/NBA

WAITING FOR TYREKE (Cowbell Kingdom)
http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/2012/0...m_content=ESPN

[CKR13]

Rumor has it that the Maloofs are considering to replace General Manager Geoff Petrie.

Kings Considering Replacement for GM Petrie

[CKR13]

Rookie Tyler Honeycutt showing his athleticism. As a rookie, he still has a lot to improve. His shooting and defense are top priority.