JoMal is not amused.

[JoMal]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to his untimely brainfreeze caused by the same malaise affecting his Kings, JoMal neglected to say "guys and GAL" when making his final, profound remark in the post below, particularly in this statement:

Guys, I may be posting a bit less frequently starting next month. I am sure you all will understand. For some reason, my heart just isn't in the playoffs this year.

Sorry, Gaither]

 

Wanting to sneak up on the opposition, the Kings managed through luck and unbelievable skill, to secure the #4 seed bracket against arch victim, the Mavericks.

Knowing full well they have no chance to make it to the lottery, they did the next best thing by playing like a lottery-bound CBA team and avoided all the undue pressure associated with being the #2 seed. Let the Lakers deal with a gutless Rockets team primed for a trouncing. The Kings prefer home court disadvantage against a team that wiped the court with them this season, the Dallas Mavericks.

To that end, they lulled Kobe Bryant into a disgraceful game against them so he would need to prove he could bail the Lakers out of their doldrums singlehandedly over the last two games of the season, while the Kings slyly played blind man's hurls all over the courts in Denver and Oakland.

It's all in the grand scheme:

Miller misses his hunting and fishing with his buddies back in Indiana and May is prime fishing time back home.

Peja needs a little break before joining his true love, the Serbian National team.

Vlade is getting fitted for his rocking chair next month.

Bibby has plans to see the USA from a box car this spring and plans to hop one as soon as the final buzzer sounds in Dallas after game four is lost there.

Webber longs for the security of his family and friends back in Detroit, and his father has asked him to hurry back to help clean up the bricks and rocks thrown through the family home's front window by those loyalists to the Webber cause.

Bobby Jackson has three more months to recuperate from his abdominal strain. Told not to move during that time, as soon as the Dallas series is lost, he will lay out wherever he is in the arena and not move for that length of time. Dallas plans to put a box over him if he is on the court as they play the second round playoff games there.  

Adelman will get counseling to get over his need to enter every gun shop he passes to buy a handgun and one bullet.

The Maloof brothers will have a party where they stand at ten paces on either side of Geoff Petrie and throw bags of money at him. Problem solved.

Yes, it all has worked out just like they planned. They are so proud of how they finished the season they just might explode. (I also want you all to notice that I did NOT include Doug Christie in the above, with good reason).

When was the last time that a clear lottery level team was a home team in the first round of the playoffs? (Oops, I am forgetting about the Eastern Conference there, aren't I?). Yes, the Kings are right where they expected to be six months ago, as it turns out. It took some effort on their part to reduce expectations back to where they belonged, but undeterred, they threw their combined weight on the mighty shoulders of Chris Webber and road that pony right into the floorboards.

Yes, it has been a sight to behold. I'm tearing up right now just remembering the look on their faces as time expired in the Warrior game and they ran in unison into the locker room to watch Kobe on TV fulfill their every desire with his typical late game heroics up in Portland.

Guys, I may be posting a bit less frequently starting next month. I am sure you all will understand. For some reason, my heart just isn't in the playoffs this year.

[westkoast]

I feel your pain JoMaL......fingers can be pointed anywhere on this team but it makes no difference.  This team took a huge crap at the very wrong part of the season.  Whether that has to do with Webber or not this team is not the same team ive seen for the past 3 years.  In fact it looks to be even more rocky than the team the Mavs beat last year in the playoffs.  One thing I am happy about is that the Kings have to deal with the Mavs instead of the Lakers.  One thing I dont want to see when the Lakers are trying to learn how to play defense again is a team like the Mavs that will take all wind out of their defensive confidence.

However, I do not think Dallas beats the Kings in the first round.  As long as the real Kings team shows up and those little monsters from Space Jam give them back their skills.

[Guest_Randy]

Wanting to sneak up on the opposition, the Kings managed through luck and unbelievable skill, to secure the #4 seed bracket against arch victim, the Mavericks.

Knowing full well they have no chance to make it to the lottery, they did the next best thing by playing like a lottery-bound CBA team and avoided all the undue pressure associated with being the #2 seed. Let the Lakers deal with a gutless Rockets team primed for a trouncing. The Kings prefer home court disadvantage against a team that wiped the court with them this season, the Dallas Mavericks.

To that end, they lulled Kobe Bryant into a disgraceful game against them so he would need to prove he could bail the Lakers out of their doldrums singlehandedly over the last two games of the season, while the Kings slyly played blind man's hurls all over the courts in Denver and Oakland.

It's all in the grand scheme:

Miller misses his hunting and fishing with his buddies back in Indiana and May is prime fishing time back home.

Peja needs a little break before joining his true love, the Serbian National team.

Vlade is getting fitted for his rocking chair next month.

Bibby has plans to see the USA from a box car this spring and plans to hop one as soon as the final buzzer sounds in Dallas after game four is lost there.

Webber longs for the security of his family and friends back in Detroit, and his father has asked him to hurry back to help clean up the bricks and rocks thrown through the family home's front window by those loyalists to the Webber cause.

Bobby Jackson has three more months to recuperate from his abdominal strain. Told not to move during that time, as soon as the Dallas series is lost, he will lay out wherever he is in the arena and not move for that length of time. Dallas plans to put a box over him if he is on the court as they play the second round playoff games there.  

Adelman will get counseling to get over his need to enter every gun shop he passes to buy a handgun and one bullet.

The Maloof brothers will have a party where they stand at ten paces on either side of Geoff Petrie and throw bags of money at him. Problem solved.

Yes, it all has worked out just like they planned. They are so proud of how they finished the season they just might explode. (I also want you all to notice that I did NOT include Doug Christie in the above, with good reason).

When was the last time that a clear lottery level team was a home team in the first round of the playoffs? (Oops, I am forgetting about the Eastern Conference there, aren't I?). Yes, the Kings are right where they expected to be six months ago, as it turns out. It took some effort on their part to reduce expectations back to where they belonged, but undeterred, they threw their combined weight on the mighty shoulder of Chris Webber and road that pony right into the floorboards.

Yes, it has been a sight to behold. I'm tearing up right now just remembering the look on their faces as time expired in the Warrior game and they ran in unison into the locker room to watch Kobe on TV fulfill their every desire with his typical late game heroics up in Portland.

Guys, I may be posting a bit less frequently starting next month. I am sure you all will understand. For some reason, my heart just isn't in the playoffs this year.

JoMal, it's a shame that the Kings can't play the Lakers in every round of the playoffs.  After an incredible game against the Lakers, there is really no excuse for the lack of defense by the Kings -- how much more motivation do they need?  Obviously, more than they have!  

[gaither]

I share your sentiments, JoMal. I see the Kings making another early exit from the playoffs...though, they may manage to get it up enough to win one game. They have neither the will or fire to do any better than that. They knew full well how important it was that they capture the 2nd seed and when push came to shove they rolled over and played dead.

I don't see either the Maloofs or Petrie being very good-humored about the sorry state of this team. It's too much money being spent and too much talent to accept the kind of mediocrity that this team dished up the latter half of this season. Petrie better be warming up his wheelin-and-dealin spiel.

With the Kings out of the picture, I'll be throwing my support behind the T-wolves for the Western Conference. (I'm still I'm not sure who I'll be pulling for the East Conference yet.) But even if the T-wolves win the West, it won't ease the bitter taste this season has left in my mouth.  

[Laker Fan]

I'd be bitter too Jordan, the Kings played like monsters offensively all season long, and their glaringly pathetic defense was ignored because they won, and they won, and they won. They worked their tails off to secure homecourt, it was theirs, all the hard work, the dedication, the consistancy, was paying off, this was without question the team to beat in the WC in the minds of many a sports analyst and fan, myself included. And then they bring back their great big huge worthless rock and tie it securely around their neck and prove that they are once again destined to play bridesmaid to the real threats to win it all this year, LA, SA, and Minnesota.

Yeah, I'd be bitter as well, when LA can face the injuries, the drama, the in-team bickering, the apparent lack of discipline, desire, or interest, the plodding, lethargic going through the motions of the regular season, and when it is all over, they still win the Pacific, by a combination of doing just enough while at the same time counting on Sacramento to do what it does best, choke it all away. Yeah Jordan, I'd be bitter too, very, very, bitter.

[WayOutWest]

However, I do not think Dallas beats the Kings in the first round.  As long as the real Kings team shows up and those little monsters from Space Jam give them back their skills.

I don't agree that the Kings beat the Mavs.

PG - Nash vs. Bibby - EDGE: Kings. Nash is the bigger focal point of the team so he's got to play great on alot more fronts than Bibby. Bibby is relied upon to be a scorer, especially in crunch time. I doubt the Mavs will be able to do anything agaist the pick and roll so Bibby should be able to provide what the Kings need to win. Nash has to be the Mavs entire engine, passing, shooting and floor generalship. Alot of things for Nash to do near perfection.

SG - Daniels vs. Christie - EDGE: Kings. Christie is a proven solid player, Daniels is an "if". I'll put my money on the known entity.

SF - Finley vs. Stojakovic - EDGE: HUGE advantage Kings. Peja has been amazing, putting up KG type numbers. Both Peja and Dirk have been putting up similiar numbers and I'm giving Dirk a huge advantage and likewise with Peja.  I almost forgot, Peja is still NOT a franchise player.

PF - Nowitzki vs. Webber - EDGE: Big advantage Dallas. Webber has fallen apart and his gimpy knee and crybaby attitude has taken away his biggest advantage over Dirk, his versatility. Webber WAS a better post player on both sides of the ball but that Webber has long since disappeared. Dirk should kill the Kings here unless the Kings play Dirk the same way they played Kobe in their last meeting. If the Kings continually force the ball out of Dirks hands it could cause the Mavs alot of problems.

C - Walker vs. Divac - EDGE: Kings. Vlade provides what's needed at the 5 spot Walker does not, he gets in the way more than anything. Crack on Vlade all you want but he provides solid post defense and offense, rebounding and he's the real on court leader of the Kings. He's been there done that in every round of the playoffs including the NBA finals.

Bench - Howard/Jamison/Najera/Bradley vs. Jackson/Peeler/Songaila/Miller - EDGE: Kings. There isn't really a comparrison except with Jamison and Miller, the Kings easily outclass the Mavs at the other positions. In Jamison and Miller matchup I give the edge to Miller because he provides more of what a playoff team needs, big man to defend, rebound, score and play defense. Jamison mostly just about scoring and solid rebounding.

Coaching - EDGE: HUGE advantage Dallas. Nellie will coach circles around Adleman, this will not even be close.

Despite the Kings having more advantages at more positions I will be betting on the Mavs to win this series. The combo of the Kings stumbling into the playoffs and the FACT that Nellie will COMPLETELY throw the Kings off anything they try to do will ensure a Mavs first round victory. Coaching will have the biggest impact in this series than any other.

 

[JoMal]

WoW, your assessment is very accurate.

While the Kings have some clearcut advantages position by position, it is obvious to everyone other then Adelman that teams are going to attack the Kings interior defense with Vlade and Webber on the court, they are going to double up on Peja and deny him the ball, leaving Webber to brick his outside shot with no interference.

Chris is taking three more shots per game then Peja since his return. NO ONE, not ANY defense thrown at the Kings this year prior to Webber's return effectively shut down Stojakovic like Webber's presence on the court has. He has singlehandedly stopped the best scorer in the league.

Chris says if he has to be made out to be the villain in all this, so be it. Let it be so, then. A glorious season is essentially over in all ways except the sound of the final buzzer of the expected blowout loss in Dallas on April 26th.

This nightmare now has a life of its own. Even if they benched Webber for the series, in no way can the Kings recoup their lost continuity in time to overcome a much better coached and motivated team like the Mavericks.

All I can hope for is a minimum of embarassment to take place, but even that seems unlikely. The Kings simply have forgotten how to play the effective style of basketball that brought so much success early on. You are right in that Adelman cannot coach this team back to that level and that Nellie is going to dictate how these games are to be played.

The Kings have started all their games in the last month very slowly, to get Webber warmed up or something, I don't really know why. The result has been that very poor teams like the Suns, Warriors, Bucks, and Nuggets immediately dictated the flow of the game and put the Kings in a double digit deficit. Adelman's crossed arms and arched eyebrows do not seem to inspire his team to play more motivated and tougher basketball, and he is often left with a mere shaking of the head to admonish the poor play of his players. Other coaches, meanwhile, are clearly telling their players to attack the middle, and having their rebounders clobber the boards with no resistance.  Miss a shot? No problem, the rebound will easily be corralled.

This is going to be very, very ugly unless Adelman learns how to coach a team during a game, something is has never seriously considered doing.

[gaither]

I'd be bitter too Jordan, the Kings played like monsters offensively all season long, and their glaringly pathetic defense was ignored because they won, and they won, and they won. They worked their tails off to secure homecourt, it was theirs, all the hard work, the dedication, the consistancy, was paying off, this was without question the team to beat in the WC in the minds of many a sports analyst and fan, myself included. And then they bring back their great big huge worthless rock and tie it securely around their neck and prove that they are once again destined to play bridesmaid to the real threats to win it all this year, LA, SA, and Minnesota.

Yeah, I'd be bitter as well, when LA can face the injuries, the drama, the in-team bickering, the apparent lack of discipline, desire, or interest, the plodding, lethargic going through the motions of the regular season, and when it is all over, they still win the Pacific, by a combination of doing just enough while at the same time counting on Sacramento to do what it does best, choke it all away. Yeah Jordan, I'd be bitter too, very, very, bitter.

Kind of shows how weak the Pacific division is. Two teams can fritter half the season away and still compete for the 2nd seed in the WC.

[Laker Fan]

Hardly the case Jordan, The Lakers and Kings both finished within 1 and 2 games of the Spurs and within 2 and 3 games of the Wolves, that doesn't make either of them weak and in reality is just a statement IMO to make the Lakers look weaker than they are, Sacramento blew their season long lead, LA brought their level of play up, nice try on the spin job though.

[gaither]

Always happy to spin for you, Laker Fan. That's the specialty of some folks on this board, particularly at this time of the season. At least I wasn't being a homer when I did my spin job.

But, actually, I was being facetious (at least mostly). I was being serious, however, in that I do believe that both the Kings and Lakers have not played up to their potentials this season. Both teams have had injuries, but the real reasons for their underperformance go deeper than that.

[Randy]

WoW, your assessment is very accurate.

While the Kings have some clearcut advantages position by position, it is obvious to everyone other then Adelman that teams are going to attack the Kings interior defense with Vlade and Webber on the court, they are going to double up on Peja and deny him the ball, leaving Webber to brick his outside shot with no interference.

Chris is taking three more shots per game then Peja since his return. NO ONE, not ANY defense thrown at the Kings this year prior to Webber's return effectively shut down Stojakovic like Webber's presence on the court has. He has singlehandedly stopped the best scorer in the league.

Chris says if he has to be made out to be the villain in all this, so be it. Let it be so, then. A glorious season is essentially over in all ways except the sound of the final buzzer of the expected blowout loss in Dallas on April 26th.

This nightmare now has a life of its own. Even if they benched Webber for the series, in no way can the Kings recoup their lost continuity in time to overcome a much better coached and motivated team like the Mavericks.

All I can hope for is a minimum of embarassment to take place, but even that seems unlikely. The Kings simply have forgotten how to play the effective style of basketball that brought so much success early on. You are right in that Adelman cannot coach this team back to that level and that Nellie is going to dictate how these games are to be played.

The Kings have started all their games in the last month very slowly, to get Webber warmed up or something, I don't really know why. The result has been that very poor teams like the Suns, Warriors, Bucks, and Nuggets immediately dictated the flow of the game and put the Kings in a double digit deficit. Adelman's crossed arms and arched eyebrows do not seem to inspire his team to play more motivated and tougher basketball, and he is often left with a mere shaking of the head to admonish the poor play of his players. Other coaches, meanwhile, are clearly telling their players to attack the middle, and having their rebounders clobber the boards with no resistance.  Miss a shot? No problem, the rebound will easily be corralled.

This is going to be very, very ugly unless Adelman learns how to coach a team during a game, something is has never seriously considered doing.

Sorry to sound like a broken record but I think the Kings COULD change all of this if they started Miller and Vlade and brought CWebb off the bench.  I don't think that Adelmann has the gonads to do so but I think it would stroke Peja's diminished confidence since CWebb has already come back to this team with a "thanks for what you guys did but I'll take over -- even if it means we lose."  The fact is that with CWebb in the game, this team stops moving offensively -- their motion offense without CWebb is truly a thing of beauty and with their proven shooters, they are incredibly hard to beat.  With CWebb in the game, SacTown stops moving and starts watching him decide whether to pull the Charles Barkley 10 minute back-down into the post or hold the ball for a few minutes before hoisting up a shot.

Umm, who would you rather have shooting the ball from the outside?  Peja or CWebb?  I think I'll stick with Peja.  

Well, perhaps there will be another fire sale in SacTown.  They aren't going to be able to get rid of CWebb given his current salary so perhaps the Kings would be willing to get rid of Peja -- let's see, you can have the rest of the Lakers team (excluding Shaq and Kobe) and we will throw in Jerry Buss' daughter.  

[Randy]

Congrats to the Kings.  Key to the Kings win was the rebounding (or the lack of it by the Mavs).  Christie definately showed up for this game and CWebb did as well -- I still think that CWebb has to allow Peja to put up more shots than he does.  Good shooting day for Peja.

[gaither]

LOL about Peja, Randy. The guy is not only an All-Star, but a steal at his current salary. Unlike Webber, Peja's star is still on the rise.

I agree with you about your comments about Webber. He's been relatively quiet (after a lousy start) in this Kings-Mav game today. Maybe he's beginning to see the truth here. Christie is playing like a man on a mission. Earlier in the season, I thought Christie was washed up. He is surely showing his worth to this team the past few months. Kudos to Christie.

[Laker Fan]

To tell you the truth, I think the Kings were playing well up to their potential until Webber came back, they looked downright scary offensively, they still are IMO, if they continue to play the way they did today. That being said, we have to remember who they beat, the only team that can score like them and not stop anyone else from scoring, today was, as expected, a shootout, they try that againt Minnesota and they will be done in no time. LA has had flashes of brilliance but where they at least have an excuse is they have been injury plagued all year, however, no way will that be an excuse here in the post season, you limp out there like they did yesterday and leave it all on the floor, no excuse, it's winnin' time and like Malone said the other day, this is what he is here for, you'd have to shoot him in teh head to keep him off the court, too bad Shaq doesn't have that attitude.

[gaither]

Actually, I think the reason the Kings won today had more to do with hustle, aggressiveness, and defense. They cannot beat the Mavs in a shoot-out. The Mavs have too much depth, something the Kings traded off to bring in Miller. But if the Kings slow the game down and play consistent defense, they stand a chance of beating their first-round opponent.