How DeMarcus Cousins is securing Paul Westphal

[YC42Balla]

I found this very interesting and was curious on how you guys felt about this article?

And there’s the hard place: if the Kings fire Westphal once it’s widely known he severely clashes with Cousins, the decision can do nothing but embolden Bad Cousins, which is the worst thing possible for the kid’s career. That may seem like Around the Horn-like overblown commentary, but really: what we know about Cousins shows that he takes a foot when offered an inch. From shot selection to these dealings with the coaches — he’s not shy about throwing his weight around, right? Vanquishing a coach Cousins clashes with won’t do anything to help tamp down Cousins’ ego.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/30/how-demarcus-cousins-is-securing-paul-westphal%E2%80%99s-job/

[SacKingZZZ]

I'm starting to disagree, here's a line from Marty Mac's blog from Petrie:

http://mpmcneal.blogspot.com/2010/11/kings-always-have-one-up-their-sleeves.html

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.”

Tells me that Petrie sees the exact things we're seeing. With how stoked Petrie was at drafting Cousins, you best believe Westphals butt is and will be on the hot seat.

[longfellow44]

^^Completely agree. Our offense has been terrible and there is simply no legitimate reason for it except the fact that we don't have an offensive scheme.

[SacKingZZZ]

Here's the other BS part of this. If Westphal were to get fired there a far many more reasons than any potential clashes with Cousins. How about the fact that this team looks like a bunch of lost kids when they are out on the court. Not just one guy, or two guys, THE WHOLE TEAM!!! I can already see Cousins getting the blame if Westphal gets fired. What a joke. People talk about the players holding themselves accountable, what about the coach, or the the GM, etc.? I shutter to think if this team doesn't turn it around and Westphal doesn't get the offensive ship righted what will happen. They honestly would keep Westphal if the situation is clearly destined to fail? I doubt it. They just plunked almost a mil down the toilet the other day. Message sent to anyone who's within listening range.

[YC42Balla]

Yeah, I agree.. I just hope we can make a trade some time soon. This team badly needs a PG!!

[perezident]

Westphal does need to do something in terms of offensive sets and what not but he's starting to get no respect from posters here at all. This is the same guy who coached in the finals and lost to the same guy Adelman lost too (numerous times) oh btw with a much better team too!

Westphal cant coach persons to step up and knock down shots or cause us to leap out of last place in three point shooting. Players like Donte, Head, Tyreke, Cousins, Cisco, JT all need to step up and knock down their shots. Play better defense!

If Westphal had consistent players albeit reliable vets or anyone reliable on a nightly basis we def would not be having these conversations. Yes he can implement things to get these lousy players playing better and yes he can exhaust other options like offensive strategies but I guess he feels that no matter what he does it still boils down to players taking care of the ball, knocking down shots and playing with a sense of urgency every night

[boogie-reke]

God how much we needed Collison when he was available.. damn shame we missed on that.

[KingInExile]

I'm starting to disagree, here's a line from Marty Mac's blog from Petrie:

http://mpmcneal.blogspot.com/2010/11/kings-always-have-one-up-their-sleeves.html

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.”

Tells me that Petrie sees the exact things we're seeing. With how stoked Petrie was at drafting Cousins, you best believe Westphals butt is and will be on the hot seat.

Wow...you have the most twisted, fanciful way of interpreting the English language. Petrie doesn't even say Westphal, Paul, coach, coaching staff, or any other permutation that could remotely be interpreted as any inference towards Westphal, yet you leap to the bold conclusion that Petrie has issued a public statement about how Westphal's job is in jeopardy. All I can say is...wow.

Oh, and still waiting for you to say something, anything critical about Cousins and/or Evans.

[SacKingZZZ]

Wow...you have the most twisted, fanciful way of interpreting the English language. Petrie doesn't even say Westphal, Paul, coach, coaching staff, or any other permutation that could remotely be interpreted as any inference towards Westphal, yet you leap to the bold conclusion that Petrie has issued a public statement about how Westphal's job is in jeopardy. All I can say is...wow.

Oh, and still waiting for you to say something, anything critical about Cousins and/or Evans.

No but I think it was pretty clear that he thinks OUR OFFENSE needs some severe tweaking. Hmmm...who's shoulders does that fall onto the most? With the kind of play exhibited by this team if Westphal's butt wasn't at least a little warm I'd be more than surprised. He hasn't totally lost this team yet, which as I said in the past, he could probably be commended for, but the lack of structure offensively is rather glaring to all those who watch the game except you apparently because Westphal has nothing to do with whatever lack of a system this team has.

On the last part, once again, READ. Might want to take some of your own advice in regards to something you said earlier. Just let me know where to send the check. hahahaha.

[SacKingZZZ]

Westphal does need to do something in terms of offensive sets and what not but he's starting to get no respect from posters here at all. This is the same guy who coached in the finals and lost to the same guy Adelman lost too (numerous times) oh btw with a much better team too!

Westphal cant coach persons to step up and knock down shots or cause us to leap out of last place in three point shooting. Players like Donte, Head, Tyreke, Cousins, Cisco, JT all need to step up and knock down their shots. Play better defense!

If Westphal had consistent players albeit reliable vets or anyone reliable on a nightly basis we def would not be having these conversations. Yes he can implement things to get these lousy players playing better and yes he can exhaust other options like offensive strategies but I guess he feels that no matter what he does it still boils down to players taking care of the ball, knocking down shots and playing with a sense of urgency every night

Well, if he also had the right combination of players to play the type of game he wants to play it would be a different story. In the end it might just come down to fit. Just because we've had so many coaches over the last couple of years doesn't really mean much considering these players weren't drafted to fit with Westphal. I would only make sense at some point to get the "right" guy if Westphal is indeed on the right fit. Which in all honesty would be quite the rarity if he was. Look at any young team that has drafted high and what they did after they had replenished their talent base.

[RIPskaterdude]

I'm starting to disagree, here's a line from Marty Mac's blog from Petrie:

http://mpmcneal.blogspot.com/2010/11/kings-always-have-one-up-their-sleeves.html

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.”

Tells me that Petrie sees the exact things we're seeing. With how stoked Petrie was at drafting Cousins, you best believe Westphals butt is and will be on the hot seat.

Wow...you have the most twisted, fanciful way of interpreting the English language. Petrie doesn't even say Westphal, Paul, coach, coaching staff, or any other permutation that could remotely be interpreted as any inference towards Westphal, yet you leap to the bold conclusion that Petrie has issued a public statement about how Westphal's job is in jeopardy. All I can say is...wow.

Oh, and still waiting for you to say something, anything critical about Cousins and/or Evans.

Your whole "let's blame everyone but PW" bit is getting tiresome

[KingInExile]

I'm starting to disagree, here's a line from Marty Mac's blog from Petrie:

http://mpmcneal.blogspot.com/2010/11/kings-always-have-one-up-their-sleeves.html

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.”

Tells me that Petrie sees the exact things we're seeing. With how stoked Petrie was at drafting Cousins, you best believe Westphals butt is and will be on the hot seat.

Wow...you have the most twisted, fanciful way of interpreting the English language. Petrie doesn't even say Westphal, Paul, coach, coaching staff, or any other permutation that could remotely be interpreted as any inference towards Westphal, yet you leap to the bold conclusion that Petrie has issued a public statement about how Westphal's job is in jeopardy. All I can say is...wow.

Oh, and still waiting for you to say something, anything critical about Cousins and/or Evans.

Your whole "let's blame everyone but PW" bit is getting tiresome

And your myopic cry that the players are blameless, it's all the coach's fault bit is ignorant and laughable.

[RIPskaterdude]

If you follow other threads, I don't ONLY blame Westfail. I also put blame on the players, but the fact is, this team only has 15 wins since 2010 started. We started the season off with a 3-1 record, and then PW makes changes in the starting lineup? His rotations and offense sets do NOT make any sense, even to people who do not follow the team. You're the only one here is keeps up the "Evans and Cousins are to blame" act.

[SacKingZZZ]

And your myopic cry that the players are blameless, it's all the coach's fault bit is ignorant and laughable.

Don't throw that stone! You'll shatter your house!

[KingInExile]

Every player on the roster who refuses to step up and be a leader is to blame. Every player who stands out on the court with their head up their ass and acting like they hit a bong during halftime is to blame. Westphal certainly owns a share of accountability for the current state of the team, which I have stated SEVERAL time. But it is complete stupidity to keep blaming the coach when you have a roster that is acting like a bunch of kindergartners who forgot to take their Ritalin. It's time for the players to grow up, sack up, and start acting like professional players. If they refuse to do that, then its time to change the roster. And if the roster doesn't get changed, then it's time to change the front office that refuses to get the proper players in place.

[RIPskaterdude]

So honestly KIE, you view this season's early failure on...

A) The players
B) Petrie
C) PW

in that order? Because Petrie was the one who drafted, signed and traded for this team, so shouldn't he be blamed over everyone else? Not only that, but he also hired PW...

[SacKingZZZ]

Every player on the roster who refuses to step up and be a leader is to blame. Every player who stands out on the court with their head up their ass and acting like they hit a bong during halftime is to blame. Westphal certainly owns a share of accountability for the current state of the team, which I have stated SEVERAL time. But it is complete stupidity to keep blaming the coach when you have a roster that is acting like a bunch of kindergartners who forgot to take their Ritalin. It's time for the players to grow up, sack up, and start acting like professional players. If they refuse to do that, then its time to change the roster. And if the roster doesn't get changed, then it's time to change the front office that refuses to get the proper players in place.

Hey, I can totally agree with that if their attitudes are to blame. I just can't see an ENTIRE TEAM being so full of buttholes that they all have the problem you speak of. This team isn't playing well, not just one player, not two, ALL OF THEM AS A UNIT, and these problems start at the top of the chain and work there way down. These "chemistry" issues are most certainly tied to that and that's a cold hard fact. If there were problems about minutes and touches but we were winning and showed promise to attain a much greater status I would be concerned and honestly pissed off. But it's a negative on both of those so.... At least not with the style, or lack thereof, that this team is using.

You're the one sounding like a "player hater" bro.

[SacKingZZZ]

I think it's worth noting again some of what I posted earlier on. This team wasn't hand picked for Westphal, so maybe this just isn't the right group of talent for him. With the way he's described wanting to play in the past I certainly can tell it's not, at least not the two most important pieces moving forward.

Some of the things Westphal has done make sense others don't. He's trying to monkey wrench players like Head, Greene, Jackson, etc. into filling holes, which will in time need to be filled, but that's not the answer, at least not at this stage of the game. Figuring out how to play to your players strong suit, as in a system, is number 1. Namely around Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins. If this team is going to go ANYWHERE in the future it's going to be on the backs of those two. Call us "believers" groupies or whatever but it's TRUE.

You don't usually see teams build around a coach, at least not at the beginning, and for good reason. It's a star players league, spoiled, rotten, childish D-bags that they may be. You keep the talent and do your best to find the right guy to lead them. So far? Not looking like we've found our guy and like I said, considering the circumstances Westphal came into it would be extremely rare if that was indeed the case.

[RIPskaterdude]

Wow, this story was very interesting...some quotes from it...

It was the third consecutive game in which the Kings played their worst after halftime. But it wasn't the first time players and coach Paul Westphal said poor execution and focus led to another loss.

"It's unacceptable lack of focus," said Kings forward Carl Landry. "You don't know the play, you shouldn't be in the game. Period. That shouldn't even be an issue at this point. Everybody should know the plays in preseason."

But it's still an issue, and it's costing the Kings games.

Players said it's time for everyone to be accountable for being unprepared. Mistakes will happen, but losing focus on the court was called unacceptable more than once.

"Maybe it's not that they just forget it – maybe they don't want to know it and they just want to do their own thing," said Kings forward Jason Thompson. "That's what it comes down to …

"After a certain time, there's no excuse. That's why you have film; that's why you have playbooks."

Westphal has said that when multiple players make mistakes, he can't sit everyone down.

Landry said part of being a professional is knowing what to do and that if that doesn't happen, there must be consequences because the Kings realize they can't overcome these mistakes and win.

"It's just like a regular job," Landry said. "If you don't know what you're doing, you get fired. Demoted. It's the same thing. That's the way we should be."

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/01/322361 ... story.html

So Landry, JT, Sammy D and Head are also singing the same story...I wonder who they are calling out? Evans? Garcia? Cousins? Casspi? Green? Hmm...

[SacKingZZZ]

We all know the system, give the ball to Carl Landry or Tyreke Evans and stand around.