Kings on ESPN

sacking101 · Post #1 » by **sacking101** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 11:25 pm

I know this is not big new but it will be is nice to see a kings game on national tv. Finally some recognition.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/espn_tele ... 12_04.html

cuad · Post #2 » by **cuad** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 11:36 pm

This is huge. I don't think I've seen the Kings on ESPN for 2-3 years. It's going to be a home game too. The best part is that we'll have a chance to send a message to the nation because it is against Washington.

Post #3 » by **Wolfay** » Fri Dec 4, 2009 11:42 pm

cuad's right, this is huge. People want to see the Kings play again! I just hope there's people in the seats and the game is competitive so we don't embarrass ourselves on national television.

Post #4 » by **pillwenney** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 12:55 am

Yeah, good to hear. Kinda weird though that they chose to show us playing Washington. I figured it would be against a good team.

Post #5 » by **KF10** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 1:16 am

It's great to see the Kings finally get some attention from BS...err..ESPN. It's small steps but it is still progress nonetheless. 8-)

.....

I was reading the ESPN's Weekend Dime (fwiw I never read these things) Oddly, enough, there was a small segment talking how would they integrate Martin with the (successful) Kings:

Western Conference scout on the surprising Sacramento Kings and working Kevin Martin back into the lineup when he recovers from wrist surgery:

"You expected them to be a lot worse without Kevin Martin, but Martin takes the ball out of Tyreke Evans' hands and Beno Udrih's hands. Now they have Tyreke and Beno attacking the other team's worst defenders, they've loaded up the floor with shooters and they've taken one of their weakest defenders off the floor. Having said all that … I still don't know how the hell they're winning games.

"They've played more free-flowing. It's more by committee now. Sometimes in the past they worked so hard to find [Martin] that three other guys ended up sitting and watching. How are they going to work [Martin] back in? If they put him on the floor with Tyreke and Beno, other teams are going to take advantage of them when they do it. Maybe they try to trade him."

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page ... scouts-say

If he was a good Western Conference scout, I would like to imagine that he would have known why the Kings are having success right now. I kind of find funny and sad at the same time when he said:

Having said all that … I still don't know how the hell they're winning games.

It makes me wonder how much of the national media/scouts are really focusing on the Kings now. But anyways, this wasn't the only error in his assessment. He said:

Now they have Tyreke and Beno attacking the other team's worst defenders, they've loaded up the floor with shooters and they've taken one of their weakest defenders off the floor.

I can understand the assessment if it says we use Evans and Beno as a mismatch problems due to Evans' size, strength and length by attacking the point guard and Beno attacks the shooting guard. But it does not says that. It says Evans and Beno attacks the worst defenders of the opposing team. Can you honestly say that when Evans is now the focal point of team's defenses? They are starting to double him now and crowd the paint once when Evans penetrate to the basket; And they also have the best defensive players on Evans for a while now. So, I found the scouting assessment to be inaccurate.

And his notion that we will play the trio of Beno/Evans/Martin the same time is premature to say the least. We may do that just to see if it's going to work but most likely Martin will be the starting SG and Beno comes back to the bench and plays a 6-man-ish role for us. But to be fair, it is still far too early to be declarative for either notions.

And lastly, he also said that we may "trade him" too.

He does not have any evidence, direct quotes or etc to come to that notion. It may be a possibility if (and a huge if) Martin ruins chemistry and does not fit with the team. Which is seriously doubt he would.

I just found the scouting assessment to be poorly evaluated. Average at best. He is mostly asking questions in the assessment rather than making his own assessment for the Kings.

Any thoughts?

Post #6 » by **ICMTM** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 1:45 am

Ohh I'll be at that game.

RIPskaterdude · Post #7 » by **RIPskaterdude** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 4:53 am

mitchweber wrote:Yeah, good to hear. Kinda weird though that they chose to show us playing Washington. I figured it would be against a good team.

Yeah, they FINALLY show a Kings game on ESPN and it's against....the Wizards? What the?

Smills91 · Post #8 » by **Smills91** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 5:21 am

ICMTM wrote:Ohh I'll be at that game.

I could see ya there. I get in to Sacramento on the 15th...

dozencousins · Post #9 » by **dozencousins** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 6:49 am

Nice post sackings

This is great news as well i just might go to it myself

thanks

SacTownKings4Life · Post #10 » by **SacTownKings4Life** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 9:53 am

Its funny. All these so called "experts" out there, and nobody ever seems to know how teams that hustle, work hard, and play together as a team win games without star players to bail them out. They say the same thing about the Rockets as well. If you outhustle the other team on a regular basis, you SHOULD win. Star or no star.

Kevin Martin takes the ball out of Tyreke & Beno's hands? Has this guy forgotten that K-Mart (when given minutes) started out his career with the uncanny ability to run up 25 points on as little as 10-12 shots total? The only reason he was made out to be the "star" was by default because for a while nobody else was capable of putting up points consistantly on a nightly basis. I believe K-Mart can come back and be a great side-kick to Tyreke and make one hell of a dangerous back court.
And perhaps sharing the weight of the scoring load with Tyreke just might reduce the strain, wear and tear on his body as well. Perhaps reducing his injury rate. I play basketball myself regularly, and I can tell you from personal experience that having to do EVERYTHING on the court for your team each and every game can take a lot out of you over time. And K-Mart isn't exactly the beefiest player in the world. (nor am I, which is how I can relate)

The fact of the matter is, the league as a whole is too fixated on quote unquote "star players". So much to the point where we become accustomed to players who aren't quote unquote "star players" not playing hard and competing on a nightly basis unless they have that "star" player on the roster to motivate them. Aren't they ALL supposed to be professionals? I'm not a star, but I guarantee you I could make a difference on most teams in the league with just my hustle alone, because there is so little of it. Rebounding, defense, diving on the floor... And a team full of guys LIKE me would be tough to beat.
Whenever we see a change from the "norm" in the form of last year's Rockets and this year's Kings, people become mystified as to why these teams are even CAPABLE of winning games without possessing a "star player". Hard working teams simply aren't emphasized like they should be. We need more teams like the Kings and Rockets that find ways to win regardless of the talent situation.

OGSactownballer · Post #11 » by **OGSactownballer** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 10:39 am

I see that game (vs. Wizards) as making a LOT of sense if they want to give the Kings a chance to look good.

SALMIEN · Post #12 » by **SALMIEN** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 3:04 pm

The kings are doing great( am a laker fan) allready over 500 mark n hopefully will keep up the good work , the suns is the coming game ps make it n let us be happy too

Smills91 · Post #13 » by **Smills91** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 3:09 pm

Maybe some of the ignoramuses on the trade board can now ACTUALLY watch the game and update their rhetoric about the Kings from 2007 and 2008.....it gets old correcting those imbeciles daily....but someone's gotta do it.

darkadun · Post #14 » by **darkadun** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 4:29 pm

I disagree with the "weekend dime" statements.

Martin is not stupid, he see's the team is having sucess without him. Much like Chris Paul observed when NO was winning games with him on the bench. Does anyone seriously think the Hornets are better without Chris Paul? Give me a break.

I don't see how Martin's pressence will cut down on our passing. Martin is by far the best shooter we have, and he will most definetly open up passing lanes, which will give Beno/Sergio & especially Evans more room to drive and kick.

Prior to his Injury, Martin & Evans only had 5 games playing together. When he comes back, if they can develop a nice rhythm & complement each other. That can be a deadly inside/outside backcourt.

Smills91 · Post #15 » by **Smills91** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 6:25 pm

darkadun wrote:I disagree with the "weekend dime" statements.

Martin is not stupid, he see's the team is having sucess without him. Much like Chris Paul observed when NO was winning games with him on the bench. Does anyone seriously think the Hornets are better without Chris Paul? Give me a break.

I don't see how Martin's pressence will cut down on our passing. Martin is by far the best shooter we have, and he will most definetly open up passing lanes, which will give Beno/Sergio & especially Evans more room to drive and kick.

Prior to his Injury, Martin & Evans only had 5 games playing together. When he comes back, if they can develop a nice rhythm & complement each other. That can be a deadly inside/outside backcourt.

4 of which were compounded with the May/Mason in the starting line-up conundrum.

sacking101 · Post #16 » by **sacking101** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 7:06 pm

Smills91 wrote: 4 of which were compounded with the May/Mason in the starting line-up conundrum.

Exactly. People dont realize 2 guys that started and played big minutes for us dont even play anymore and that mason is not even on the team anymore. This is the first time i can honestly say that playing the young guys is not only for development it makes us a better team.

darkadun · Post #17 » by **darkadun** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 10:14 pm

Thats a good point....and since that time we've seen the progression of Donte, Casspi & Sergio. All 3 are helping us win games atm.

cdt3 · Post #18 » by **cdt3** » Sat Dec 5, 2009 11:12 pm

People really don't pay attention to the actual facts. Petrie hired a coach in Westphal who only Phil Jackson and Popovich are the only current coaches with better win % yet was trashed by experts. Petrie had the guts to rebuild the Kings through the draft like Portland to build a foundation that would be here and be successful in the long term. All the lumps he took rebuilding are beginning to pay off like Casspi and Greene for Artest. This team with Tyreke now has our first #1 since Bibby and Petrie has built the Kings to be a constitent winner who will improve the longer the group stays together.

How are they winning?

cuad · Post #19 » by **cuad** » Sun Dec 6, 2009 2:57 am

Tyreke Evans and an easy schedule.

SacTownKings4Life · Post #20 » by **SacTownKings4Life** » Sun Dec 6, 2009 10:10 pm

cuad wrote:Tyreke Evans and an easy schedule.

Baby steps, young grasshopper. Baby steps.
It may be a relatively "easy" schedule, however these are the same games we were LOSING last year. So you can't say we aren't making progress. We were last year's Nets. This year we may have a legitimate chance to actually knock on the playoff door come april, if we maintain our level of play.
In addition, although we HAVE lost to the upper echelon teams, we have not been blown out and have been in a position to win the better portion of them. We'll see what happens tonight at home against D-Wade.