Kings @ Warriors

[KF10]

Career-High, 35, by Tyreke Evans.

I'm looking forward to see Tyreke "get his" from now on. I don't care if the Kings are losing. If Tyreke gets his numbers I'm happy. Heck, if Cousins or Casspi get their numbers, I'm happy too.

[RIPskaterdude]

Career-High, 35, by Tyreke Evans.

I'm looking forward to see Tyreke "get his" from now on. I don't care if the Kings are losing. If Tyreke gets his numbers I'm happy. Heck, if Cousins or Casspi get their numbers, I'm happy too.

Oh great...so we can hear from all the NBA fans how much of a stat padder Evans is...

[RIPskaterdude]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fch1cMbLw8g[/youtube]

His hair is growing grayer every day.

[SacKingZZZ]

Let's face it. This was over after the 8-0 run with two minutes left. We all knew it. We all saw it. We've all seen it time and again.

The big sore thumb in this game was obviously free-throws, but it's not like the solution is to get in the gym tomorrow and work on free throws. The issue is composure. This has happened nearly every time we've played the Warriors over the years. They play their gimmicky slap-at-the-ball D, and we can't handle it. Then they start making shots, and get momentum so even scrubs start making shots, and we start sulking, and we panic.

That's what happens. It's not really an X's and O's thing. Sure we could have done things better in that respect, but you can say that for the whole year. It really boils down to this team not having an ounce of composure. It's a mental thing. It's entirely a mental thing.

And it won't be fixed until we get some real veteran leadership in here. Cisco can try all he wants, but he's clearly not cutting it. No more of this looking to trade guys for future picks crap. It's time to start making some moves and getting some guys in here to give this team a direction.

Why do we keep talking about this magical "veteran leadership" and how it's going to completely turn this team around? Isn't the coach supposed to be the leader of the team?! If Westfail isn't there to provide leadership and TEACH our guys how to handle situations like this, then why not just fire him and put some random Joe in his spot?

Here's another the thing though, this team is transitioning to a team that focuses a good chunk of it's offense from the inside out. When you're a team like that you can't expect to be a top free throw shooting team because that means your bigs are taking a majority of the free throws. Just about half of the free throws attempted tonight were from the frontcourt. Sure, they should shoot better than they did, but having the types of players they have can be used just as good, and in fact way better than that. Some of the philosophies that Westphal uses, and used last year, don't apply all that much anymore.

One that's really bitten this team here recently is board crashing. Needed when you don't have the right stuff inside to grab those boards. With Hawes/Landry as your big duo a completely necessary strategy. Thompson, Cousins, and Dalembert? Hell no, get your little asses on the other end of the floor in position to score! Brought up the other night what it does to this team defensively when going for offensive boards, the other teams get major run out opportunities because the Kings send multiple guys to the offensive glass leaving them horrifying out of position. That leads into quantity over quality issues, quick shooting, etc. all things a team with pieces like this one has now shouldn't do. Run your offense through that big fella making the no look pass. Spread the floor to let him and Evans work. The last two games guys crashing the glass have caused major log jams again. Westphal is really just starting to have that reek of a "gimmick" coach.

[KF10]

Oh great...so we can hear from all the NBA fans how much of a stat padder Evans is...

[SacKingZZZ]

Career-High, 35, by Tyreke Evans.

I'm looking forward to see Tyreke "get his" from now on. I don't care if the Kings are losing. If Tyreke gets his numbers I'm happy. Heck, if Cousins or Casspi get their numbers, I'm happy too.

The thing about it is a system should be in place game in game out where that isn't even an issue. It's no coincidence that this team looks the best, and has the best shot to win when both guys are in a position to not just "get theirs" but make plays for others. Two guys that just get you points and production won't lead you anywhere, we have two guys that not only show flashes of that but of being able to do those "superstar" type things. USE IT! Westphal has gotten much better with it, but where does the elevation stop and the ceiling begin? The tools are only as good as the man in the position to use them.

[RIPskaterdude]

From another board

I said it before and I'll say it again. As bad a job as Westphal has done, and I agree he needs to go, since our last playoff appearance in 2006, coaches have come and gone and players have come and gone. The constants since 2006 are the Maloofs and Geoff Petrie. The Maloofs are purposely not spending any money, even though we're way under the cap, because they're waiting for the new CBA to sprinkle magic dust on the Kings and Petrie has put together a team, if you want to call them that, that can't shoot, can't maintain poise under pressure, can't handle the ball, can't win. And they have got to be the most childish, immature team ever assembled in professional sports, I swear. At some point you got to put it on the Maloofs and Petrie.

[BadWolf]

what's with Cousins rebounding lately? he seems a bit passive there

[boogie-reke]

he's tired and trys to save energy.

[YC42Balla]

what's with Cousins rebounding lately? he seems a bit passive there

It's not only cousins, It's Thompson too. I guess you could even add dally in their. I think we have a good rebounding team. But the problem it there's more then one guy who can rebound (so it lowers their individual stat in that category a bit).

But that's just my opinion who knows whats up. I wish him and Thompson could get that stat up to at least 8.5-9 rebounds a game.

[RIPskaterdude]

Carl Landry said some of the Kings' shortcomings can be overcome with hustle. Among the things Landry mentioned were geting the loose balls, setting good screens and running plays correctly.

"I'm not talking about anything that's got to do with talent," Landry said. "I'm just talking about are we running the right plays? Are we running plays? Do we have counters to our plays, just basketball, man."

Carl Landry speaks the truth.

[Cruel_Ruin]

Completely agree that all of this is mental. We simply have no composure.

We are up 9. Timeout GS. What happens?

Curry hits a three.

You can almost sense from that point on that the only thing going through the Kings' mind was "Here we go again." So what happens next? We stop running plays. Tyreke starts playing on instinct because he doesn't trust his teammates to finish it. He goes one on one. We stop running plays. People stop moving off the ball. Result? Two turnovers.

This team (Tyreke included) needs to realize that they are GOOD ENOUGH to NOT need Tyreke to go Iverson for us to win. Its about keeping doing what you've been doing the entire damn game. Seriously, the Kings were all over this game when the starters were in. All over it. You'll find that the Warrior's runs (save the last one) coincided directly with Tyreke and Demarcus going to the bench. This isn't a talent issue. Its composure.

Right now we are a baby bird learning how to fly. It doesn't happen right away, its going to take time. No veteran is going to come in and save us. Its all about going through the lumps, learning the lessons and building on. This is the NBA, its not a child's game. In the last 11 games I can't say there is any one team besides Boston that has superior talent. We're just young and dumb and lack composure.

[SacKingZZZ]

what's with Cousins rebounding lately? he seems a bit passive there

Eh, part of it's Casspi and Evans, they come back and take at least 3 easy defensive boards a game. Westphal has his wing players run at the basket and take missed foul shots too. That's 3 less boards a game where Cousins usually just boxes out for them.

[SacKingZZZ]

Carl Landry said some of the Kings' shortcomings can be overcome with hustle. Among the things Landry mentioned were geting the loose balls, setting good screens and running plays correctly.

"I'm not talking about anything that's got to do with talent," Landry said. "I'm just talking about are we running the right plays? Are we running plays? Do we have counters to our plays, just basketball, man."

Carl Landry speaks the truth.

Yeah, and that's about as close to real questioning about how the team is being run as your going to get. I know my eyes aren't deceiving me. I was born, but I wasn't born yesterday.

[SacKingZZZ]

Completely agree that all of this is mental. We simply have no composure.

We are up 9. Timeout GS. What happens?

Curry hits a three.

You can almost sense from that point on that the only thing going through the Kings' mind was "Here we go again." So what happens next? We stop running plays. Tyreke starts playing on instinct because he doesn't trust his teammates to finish it. He goes one on one. We stop running plays. People stop moving off the ball. Result? Two turnovers.

This team (Tyreke included) needs to realize that they are GOOD ENOUGH to NOT need Tyreke to go Iverson for us to win. Its about keeping doing what you've been doing the entire damn game. Seriously, the Kings were all over this game when the starters were in. All over it. You'll find that the Warrior's runs (save the last one) coincided directly with Tyreke and Demarcus going to the bench. This isn't a talent issue. Its composure.

Right now we are a baby bird learning how to fly. It doesn't happen right away, its going to take time. No veteran is going to come in and save us. Its all about going through the lumps, learning the lessons and building on. This is the NBA, its not a child's game. In the last 11 games I can't say there is any one team besides Boston that has superior talent. We're just young and dumb and lack composure.

A lot of what you say is true, but it doesn't change the fact that we are seeing a lot questionable calls from a systemic and philosophical standpoint. It's way better than it was, but I just don't know how much more this staff can get out of these players. It just doesn't fit, and clearly so.