Kings notes: Pacers capitalize on Sacramento's griping

[Npliam]

Given Cuz had a good relationship with Calipari, who's a tough as nails disciplinarian and is always in his player's faces, I don't believe a Sloan type wouldn't work with Cuz. Calapari has said Cuz is the most intelligent player he's coached, and Cuz knows when his coach is in over his head like we're seeing now. I actually think Cuz would love playing for a Sloan or JVG as they have the track record which show they know what the hell they're doing.

The idea Cuz doesn't respond well or can't handle a tough minded coach doesn't coincide with his time at Kentucky. I'd also say Cal is a better coach than either Westy or Smart, and Cuz knows that.

Cal is not a better NBA caoch than Paul Westphal. Their respective records bear that out.

And perhaps the reason Cuz got along with coach Cal so well was because he was 18 and looking to make it to the NBA. That and he only had to make 30 games or so and he was would be gone. Combine that with the fact he was so much more talented and physically imposing even as a freshman that he didn't have to try that hard to be great in college.

Maybe Sloan would get along with Cuz just fine but using his relationship with coach Calipari as evidence is a little misguided.

[hrdboild]

We were "blown out every night" to the tune of 2-5 before he was fired. We weren't getting blown out in Cuz's rookie season. 2-5 is all it took to get him fired, but here we are at 4-12 ...

Those 5 losses included a 22pt loss to Portland, a 22pt loss to the Knicks, a 17pt loss to Memphis, and a 27pt loss to Denver to cap it off. Aside from opening night against the Lakers and a win over the worst team in the league, we weren't competitive. We didn't get any more competitive after Westphal was fired, but it's not like his mind-bogglingly stupid press release about Cousins was the only reason we let him go.

The team isn't winning this season, but they're not getting throttled night after night either. The Tyreke head-shake game against Atlanta was a warning sign but the team turned it around after that. Last night's game was the type of game that will get a coach fired if we have a few more just like it. If Tyreke picks up where he left off it might prolong the inevitable for a few more weeks. And if Smart makes it to January there's enough cupcake games to draw it out even more, but for what purpose? It's already clear he doesn't know how to coach this team.

[mac]

Those 5 losses included a 22pt loss to Portland, a 22pt loss to the Knicks, a 17pt loss to Memphis, and a 27pt loss to Denver to cap it off. Aside from opening night against the Lakers and a win over the worst team in the league, we weren't competitive. We didn't get any more competitive after Westphal was fired, but it's not like his mind-bogglingly stupid press release about Cousins was the only reason we let him go.

The team isn't winning this season, but they're not getting throttled night after night either. The Tyreke head-shake game against Atlanta was a warning sign but the team turned it around after that. Last night's game was the type of game that will get a coach fired if we have a few more just like it. If Tyreke picks up where he left off it might prolong the inevitable for a few more weeks. And if Smart makes it to January there's enough cupcake games to draw it out even more, but for what purpose? It's already clear he doesn't know how to coach this team.

My point was that blown out or not, it was still just 5 lost games at the start of the season with no real training camp. Our team last season was less talented as well. In addition, in those 7 games we didn't have IT or Jimmer or Brooks. JT wasn't playing as well or consistently as he is now. Meanwhile we're here, 4-12, Smart had a full off-season to work with the guys, a full training camp and 8 preseason games and we aren't firing his *** for some reason. And it's not as if Cousins' play has been very inspiring either.

[Kingster]

Not surprised at all. Which of course points back to the coach. Here we've got Keith NASHT trying to be everybody's best friend.

Let me ask you a question: Do you think Jerry Sloan was everybody's best friend? Sloan was a disciplinarian who knew the game of basketball inside and out. And, golly gee, he got results.

We need a coach who can kick this roster into shape. You don't go hard in practice? You don't play. You whine to the officials in any way? You're yanked for the rest of the half, immediately. You don't run the play the coach called? Again, yanked.

These kids gotta be told that they need to figure out if its about the paycheck or about playing good basketball. And if it's about the paycheck, they can earn it warming up the bench.

Couldn't agree more. But I'd go two steps further. Ultimately, you need a GM and owner(s) who back up the coach when he does the things that you suggest above. They have to have the coache's back. It's either that or you have to have a roster of very coachable kids who will do what the coach wants. JT is a good example for that. You just can't have a Cousins on your roster if you don't have solidarity between coach, GM and owners. Frankly, that was my main opposition to drafting Cousins: he was drafted by a weak organization, which increases substantially in my view his chance of failure. If he goes to a solid org (San Antonio would be the logically exteme example), then his risk of failure goes down appreciably imo.

[mac]

Couldn't agree more. But I'd go two steps further. Ultimately, you need a GM and owner(s) who back up the coach when he does the things that you suggest above. They have to have the coache's back. It's either that or you have to have a roster of very coachable kids who will do what the coach wants. JT is a good example for that. You just can't have a Cousins on your roster if you don't have solidarity between coach, GM and owners. Frankly, that was my main opposition to drafting Cousins: he was drafted by a weak organization, which increases substantially in my view his chance of failure. If he goes to a solid org (San Antonio would be the logically exteme example), then his risk of failure goes down appreciably imo.

Hey, our owners back up Keith Smart! Coach forever yo!

[blackice]

It is very annoying to see lots of these Kings players complaining every single time down the floor, more or less the main culprits here are Cousins, JT and Aaron. That's why I respect a guy like Tyreke, I mean he just keeps quiet kind looks at the official once in a while and runs back on defense. He's very under appreciated here sometimes, at least he's been fun to watch these last few games. Of course once he starts playing good and knocking down the J's he gets hurt, go figure.

[Kingster]

Hey, our owners back up Keith Smart! Coach forever yo!

Yeah, I'm so down with the Maloofs backing up their coach. Their record speaks for itself.

[ppine]

There is always a lot of talking going on during games. Some is trash talking, mostly team communication and some socializing. The Kings specialize in talking to the refs when they should be getting their butts down the floor to stop the opposition. Professional players quickly figure this out and exploit it. They attack opposing players injuries. The Pacers are one the first teams to publicize what nearly all NBA teams already know. Push the ball against Sacramento.

[Rug King]

The funny thing is the Kings have had this stupid problem for as long as I can remember. It's been done under almost every coach we've had, including Adelman.