^^ the schedule does favor the Clips as the Kobes play Phx tonight where Phx still has to hold off SAS for #2.
Whereas the Clips play Phx on the 81st game. Phx may well have clinched by then and not care.
But "tanking" -or not- will be huge.
Lakers Clips and Golden State all play either lottos Sacto and/or Seattle. Effort by Kings and Sonics?
Kings managed to do their jobs; Sonics did not. But of those two teams from LA, I would have to go with the Lakers being more deserving of a playoff spot. What is it with the Clippers anyway?
Speaking of the Kings, which I have not done for some time because they were so
B-O-R-I-N-G!!!, being out of the playoffs fairly soon with a bushel of games left to play allowed Musselman (who local scribes are clamoring for his head after this season) to play extended minutes to several first and second year players. This has caused all kinds of problems for playoff teams that have become used to a weak, unatheletic and uninterested King's team as a meek opponent.
Justin Williams is a 6'10" 225 lbs forward-center out of Wyoming who went undrafted in 2006. He can block shots and plays aggressive defense, but had virtually no offensive game, and still doesn't. Then he got 'coaching'. His foul shooting is still atrocious (35 percent, and
THAT is an improvement from earlier games) but he is shooting 61 percent from the floor, mostly in putbacks and dunks off of excellent passes. He has personally disrupted the offensive game plans of other teams used to having no opposition through the key to the basket when playing the Kings. His rebounding has also been very needed on a team that never wins that battle. He wants to come back next year and the Kings would be crazy not to invite him. It is very unlikely they will draft anyone, even in the lottery, who can already play NBA defense as good as this kid. He needs to learn to shoot a 15 footer consistently, gain 30 pounds of muscle, and be even more aggressive on offensive plays around the basket.
Ronnie Price has the gift of anticipation. A 6'2" point guard who also went undrafted out of Utah Valley State two years ago, he shunned a free agent deal from the Jazz, who had just drafted Deron Williams, to come instead to the Kings. This could be a steal in a few years. All this kid needs to become a prolific NBA point guard is some learning-on-the-job. Give this kid more minutes. He already plays shut-down defense, anticipates passing lanes, posterized Carlos Boozer of the Jazz by dunking over him earlier this year, can run the offense fairly well, and is improving his outside shot gradually. He may be the least known defensive point guard in the League by the fans, but other teams are starting to recognize his abilities more and more and run plays away from him until Musselman has to put Bibby back into the game.
Francisco Garcia can run the team from the small forward spot. Garcia is the type of guy who looks terrible when he first shows up for practice with his new team, then suddenly "gets" it and starts to dominate from his position. Fans from his alma mater, Louisville, will drive two hundred miles to see him play a game against the Grizzlies. Cisco has that innate mental 'thing' that only the best of the best have, which is an instilled desire to do whatever it takes to win. What he needs is to develop that calming aspect the greats also all possess in abundance, that slows the game down for them while frenetic action goes on all around them. He sometimes moves way too fast for the game, missing open teammates because he anticipates where they 'should' be instead of where they are. If any Kings player deserves to replace a Ron Artest, this is the guy. If not for the breakout season of Kevin Martin, Garcia would have taken that spot in the line-up and been in more games for more minutes. He needs to play more next season, his third, just as Martin did in HIS third year.
Last, Quincy Douby, our 6'3" shooting guard drafted in 2006 out of Rutgers. Draft experts all agreed that the Kings got a great player with the 19th pick last year, but no significant playing time came with the accolades. Why? Because the Kings have loaded up with talented guards and swingmen the last few drafts. (Martin, Garcia, Douby, and Price). The Kings would like for Douby to become more of a playmaker, which he was not coached to do at Rutgers, but since he had the ball all the time, was a decent distributor back then anyway. What Quincy already possesses is that desire to throw his body across the court to scramble for loose balls, long arms to defend other two guards, a truly "pest" mentality....and mediocre shooting mechanics, which apparently were fine for college, but NOT up to NBA standards. To his credit, he is very coachable and has improved getting his shot off now that his playing time has increased.
Unfortunately for the Kings, these young players are not all going to stick with the Kings for various reasons, but mainly because too many play the same positions and have similar games. While they are talented enough to disrupt the Clippers' playoff hopes in a late-season game, they need some veteran leadership to get them to the next level...leadership that will not come from Mike Bibby or Brad Miller (but WILL from the unlikely sources of Ron Artest). The Kings need front line help desparately, which is why an undrafted defensive whiz like Justin Williams will likely be invited back for another year.
If the Kings cannot draft a decent power forward/center in the upcoming draft, they will need to acquire one via a trade - so a package that will include one of these promising kids will have to be made.
