Is it time for the quarterly Kings update???

[JoMal]

Not really. Too soon to tell yet.

[JoMal]

Not really. Too soon to tell yet.

Okay, I will do it anyway.

The Kings are looking more and more as a team with some issues. But I can't yet judge how serious they are because they are winning - a lot - against the mediocre teams in the League.

They are never going to scare anyone on defense, or with their rebounding prowess. They are an offensive team, plain and simple. The idea is to put so much pressure on opposing teams offensively, the defensive shortcomings will be overcome because other teams will make more mistakes. Don't snicker. This has actually been working. The Kings are probably the best in the League right now in protecting the ball. This helps to overcome the unbelievable number of offensive rebounds the Kings give up. Opposing teams are getting at least twenty extra shots per game from rebounding their misses.

The Kings are nifty at stealing the ball and not turning it over. They can get thirty assists every night without much effort. Since the first five games of the season, they have been shooting the ball accurately and the ball movement is as good as ever.

But they are pathetically unatheletic. Peja averages one rebound per quarter - that has GOT to be the worse ratio of any starting small forward in the League. Bibby and Bobby Jackson get beaten off the dribble for easy shots most nights on a regular basis.  Bibby has also had trouble finding his shot on offense. Ostertag has helped defensively, but the Kings are a passing team and any teammate who looks to be open near the basket gets the pass. OOPS.

But the biggest surprise by far this season was also the biggest off-season question mark about the Kings. What was Chris Webber going to do to follow up his disruptive influence on the Kings late last season on his return from his knee injury. His ball-hogging was seen as a major reason the Kings faltered so badly in their late season run.

Well, I have to report that Webber has been nothing short of fantastic. His shot can still be off on some nights, but unlike last year, when he continued to just put up clankers off the rim, he has become an even better passer then I have ever seen him up to now, which is saying something. He has consistently found teammates open on the rim or cutting to the basket for key plays. He has taken the rebounding problem to heart and has shown his teammates that even without being able to leap all that well any longer, his positioning under the basket and overall strength can help you rebound, and his double digit average in rebounds attests to it.

He and Peja appear to be friends again. Webber admitted he has talked about the summer issues several times with his teammate, and he also has said that he told Stojakovic that the grass is not always greener on the other side (about Peja's trade demands this summer). For his part, Peja has not been shooting very well, but it seems to be more about his lack of off-season workouts then him not being willing to play hard. I expect him to get much better with his shooting very soon. Webber has been passing up his own shots to get the ball to him every game, so shutting him out is not happening.

But I have to say the main reason the Kings have run off a 12-1 record since starting the season 1-4 really comes back to one, single player being on the court most of the time - Doug Christie. Doug gets razzed pretty much about his close relationship with his wife, but I can't understand why anyone would not want a Doug Christie on their team. He is the ultimate team player who truly allows his teammates to play better. His foot problems are still there, but Adelman dares not sit him for long because the team plays so effectively with Christie on the floor. He is the key reason why the Kings started playing better once Doug started to up his minutes. He missed the opener and only played sparingly in the first five games until he got his wind back. Since then, the Kings' offense has clicked and his defense is about the only bright spot in that area for the team.

[Guest_Randy]

They are never going to scare anyone on defense, or with their rebounding prowess. They are an offensive team, plain and simple. The idea is to put so much pressure on opposing teams offensively, the defensive shortcomings will be overcome because other teams will make more mistakes. Don't snicker. This has actually been working. The Kings are probably the best in the League right now in protecting the ball. This helps to overcome the unbelievable number of offensive rebounds the Kings give up. Opposing teams are getting at least twenty extra shots per game from rebounding their misses.

This sets them back to where they were 3 years ago -- trying to outscore opponents.  It WILL work in the regular season but will fail in the post-season.  At this point, Minny, SA and Dallas will all beat SacTown in the playoffs.   Dallas and SacTown are the latest proof in a long line of NBA history that shows that teams that count on scoring to win (without defense) won't win a championship -- but they will be exciting.  (and it's REALLY hard to believe how much better Dallas is defensively this year)

But they are pathetically unatheletic. Peja averages one rebound per quarter - that has GOT to be the worse ratio of any starting small forward in the League. Bibby and Bobby Jackson get beaten off the dribble for easy shots most nights on a regular basis. Bibby has also had trouble finding his shot on offense. Ostertag has helped defensively, but the Kings are a passing team and any teammate who looks to be open near the basket gets the pass. OOPS.

Why is Peja averaging his lowest rpg in 5 years?  (and it's a differential of -1.1 to -2.1 rpg)   CWebb recognized his mistake and his holding out the perverbial olive branch (because he KNOWS he needs Peja) is a little late in the process.  It's pretty obvious that CWebb is the reason that Vlade isn't in SacTown -- and SacTown has MISSED Vlade's presence -- both on and off the court.  CWebb may tell him that the grass isn't always greener in another pasture but there ARE teams that would appreciate Peja far more than CWebb has in the past year.  

SacTown's biggest strength has always been their incredible chemistry -- this team bled together -- when one bled they all bled.  Now their chemistry is shot and the whole team can't figure out what to do about it.  

I hate to see this happen to SacTown (although it doesn't bother me that it happened to CWebb or the Maloofs) -- this team had all the right pieces -- but somewhere along the line they gave Webber the reins to the organization and the organization botched the Vlade thing big time.  Ostertag was a HUGE mistake -- and it's a mistake that will cost SacTown -- both now and later.  They guy does have some defensive abilities and he can rebound -- but he can't do anything offensively but hurt the team.  

Bobby Jackson seems to really be showing his age.  Bibby misses those GREAT picks that Vlade used to set for him (the ones that used to KILL the Lakers all the time).  Christie too is beginning to show his age but his intestinal fortitude is still evident each time he steps on the court -- and that is invaluable.  Peja is still a great shooter but the explosion of SacTown's chemistry has hurt his game tremendously (you can see it in the stats).  BRad is still solid and CWebb has FINALLY learned that he needs teammates -- unfortunately, it's probably too late for the Kings to ever reach their goal.

[westkoast]

Glad to hear C-Webb is playing the kind of game we all knew he was capable of playing.  I was pretty vocal about his crappy play last year....not because I am a hater but because the whole team suffered from it.  The guy is a good player.  Very good.  Just needs to work on that attitude thing he has going on.

 :cry: about Bibby.  I guess every player has his off parts of the season.

JoMaL if it makes you any happier I can tell you that Vlade gets tired before he takes off his warmups so Rudy T has to put him directly back on the bench.  Vlade is REALLY showing his age.  It took him two plays to get back on the right side of the court with everyone else.  One play to get to half court right before the other team scored and one play to get back on offense with his team.

[JoMal]

Glad to hear C-Webb is playing the kind of game we all knew he was capable of playing.  I was pretty vocal about his crappy play last year....not because I am a hater but because the whole team suffered from it.  The guy is a good player.  Very good.  Just needs to work on that attitude thing he has going on.

 :cry: about Bibby.  I guess every player has his off parts of the season.

JoMaL if it makes you any happier I can tell you that Vlade gets tired before he takes off his warmups so Rudy T has to put him directly back on the bench.  Vlade is REALLY showing his age.  It took him two plays to get back on the right side of the court with everyone else.  One play to get to half court right before the other team scored and one play to get back on offense with his team.

Wow!!!

We could tell that Vlade was a step  :rolleyes: slower late last year, and once Webber came back, the little exercise Divac was getting while on the court disappeared as well. As much as it hurt to see it, Divac was helping the Kings by signing elsewhere.

As for Ostertag being a mistake, I just can't say for sure if this is true or not. He certainly has no offensive skills, and on the Kings you notice the guys who do not move around on offense pretty quick. He and Miller are going out hunting back in Indiana on Sunday. Hope Brad keeps a safe distance from those quavering hands of Gregs once they are holding a loaded rifle.

Webber really looks changed this year. He still sets up his mid-range jumper as he always has, but it is his attitude and expression. He has not been smiling very much, and he was always a very cheerful guy on the court and during interviews afterwards and horsing around with his teammates. He looks "serious", if you know what I mean. The chemistry thing that Randy alluded to could be the factor, except the guys do not show any chemistry problems on the court, where it would most matter.

Maybe it is because Vlade is no longer around. He probably was the instigator of so much jocularity that the players just do not show the exuberance as they once did because the guy causing most of it is gone.

A more serious Webber is no doubt a good thing. Some legitimate criticism of the Kings in the past has been their not taking the game seriously enough. They seem to be very serious this year and not having that obvious "chemistry" thing going. While I do miss it, the players are looking very determined out on the court. Maybe when the media eyes are off them, or when they hang out together (groups of players are routinely seen eating out around Sacramento), they show the old foolishness. But on game days there is not a joke to be seen any more.