Kings @ Thunder

[SacKingZZZ]

I'm not even sure what you'd prefer. I mean I guess he could have brought Tyreke back in earlier, but then he would have had to play him with TWill.

The rotations aren't great at all. I'm not saying that. But they're not the real problem. The real problem is that we blow.

Giving up I see. It's not rocket science, and while they are playing badly, it is a situation I've been monitoring for awhile now and the trends are getting more and more cemented. Role players, who mostly comprise the bench unit, are settling in to what they are and are playing defense, setting screens, moving off the ball, etc. The offensive focal points are settling in as well and a starting to look for their own shots and at times the team is becoming selfish. Those are mostly certainly things greatly effected by the players you have out on the floor. I just don't like this whole thing of platooning those players in and out as a unit. Most successful teams don't put in a "bench unit", they bring change of pace guys, or more of the same types of players in and sprinkle them in and around the core unit. Not this.

[RIPskaterdude]

Right, their talent level was much much much worse than this current team. But our TEAM unity is much much worse than that team. I honestly think that roster would have won more games this year than this current team.

[pillwenney]

Yes, like I said, it's not great. But it really, really isn't the scapegoat reason for why we suck.

[pillwenney]

Man, Cuz's defensive effort is just awful.

Probably because he's playing with too many starters.

[boogie-reke]

In other tank related news :
New Jersey beat Philly


And Toronto beat Boston

[SacKingZZZ]

Hey, little more balanced unit right here, what do you know.

[KF10]

In other tank related news :
New Jersey beat Philly


And Toronto beat Boston

We just need a L today. The tank is on!

[boogie-reke]

Yup the tank is strong with this group brother, seems like it's just us and the Cavs for that 4th spot now.

[pillwenney]

Hey, little more balanced unit right here, what do you know.

Yup. Only lost that quarter by 4 points. That's practically winning.

[pillwenney]

Alright. I'm out. Nothing to see here.

[KF10]

Alright. I'm out. Nothing to see here.

Yep, same.

[SacKingZZZ]

Hey, little more balanced unit right here, what do you know.

Yup. Only lost that quarter by 4 points. That's practically winning.

10 minutes after what I posted, 5 minutes of which was a point where the Kings started to show some actual gonads defensively. Giving up after being down 24 isn't a surprise. There was a noticeable turn for a stretch there, OKC responded and the Kings turned it in. Too late in this one for anything great to occur. However, there was a noticeable change defensively.

While a short stretch doesn't prove anything beyond doubt, signs of something, anything, shouldn't be ignored.

[SacKingsPejaFan]

Third worst record is in reach. New Orleans won and Eric Gordon seems to be ok. With him playing to impress summer suitors and our hell'ish schedule, I think it's realistic New Orleans finishes with a better record than us.

On another note, I wouldn't put too much stock in any "defense" anyone saw after OKC got their lead. You have to consider nobody is going to try as hard when they're up by that much.

[boogie-reke]

If you're talking about Cousins - the same apply to almost every game he played for the last month or 2.

He dogs it on defense on a consistent basis lately.

[SacKingZZZ]

Teams don't mail it in a minute into the 3rd. The Thunder were still in the process of putting the boots to the Kings at that point. Cousins showed a brief snippet of defensive hustle in that time. Unless the other team starts missing the shots they do get, you have to say when at some point.

It's not just the lineups, it's the way they're used. It's been like that all year, a starting unit that plays one way, a bench unit that plays another. I say become the best overall team you can, not good at one thing in a single unit with glaring holes that can be filled either way. Twill is the best PG this team has right now.