Kings @ Celtics - 1/30/13 - 4:30 PST

[VF21]

As usual, we go into this game with more questions than answers. Which Cousins will show up? Will we see team ball or utter chaos? Will Smart risk shortening the rotation, as he's said he's going to do, or will he make sure everybody plays so nobody's feelings get hurt? Or will the flu shorten the rotation for him?

I have to believe this game is winnable if the Kings bring their A game, especially with Rondo out for the season. It takes a team a while to adjust to a loss like that so the Kings might get lucky.

GO KINGS!!

[LWP777]

I could be wrong but it seems like the Kings seem to play well on the big East Coast stages like in Boston or NY. I don't expect them to win this game, but they should be competitive, especially without Rondo in the mix.

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

They key to this game will be the defense on Paul Pierce.

He's the creator for Boston right now with Rondo out, and he usually rises to that occasion. He's old, but he likes this kind of responsibility.

This is good and bad for us. It's bad because if Salmons is out, Cisco will most likely start - meaning Pierce can and will get hot early. The good is that in the last game we had with boston James Johnson completely shut Pierce down. If Salmons is out, I would absolutely start Johnson, or at the very least go to Johnson early if Pierce is rolling.

Winnable game, but Johnson is the key.

[gunks]

Predictions:

-IT has a crappy game, as he always does following a good game. He will also freeze Reke and/or Cousins out, causing all kinds of arguing and trollery in this game thread.
-Cousins continues to play like garbage. We all know that when Big Cuz gets into these funks, the only thing that brings him out is causing drama and getting suspended.
-Reke plays great in the first quarter, then gets benched for most of the second and third (this is a no brainer call with "coach" "Smart" around.)
-T. Rob uses his athleticism and hustle to beast all over Sullinger, just like he did in summer league.
-Somehow it will still be close in the mid 3rd (either by staying with the Cs the entire game or via an energetic come back). "Smart" will then proceed to **** everything up with his brainless substitution patters.
-We lose this one by 14ish.
-"Coach" "Smart" makes all manner of inane comment and excuse in the post game interview.



....With all my optimism geared towards the Kings staying in Sacramento under new ownership, I have none left over for the actual games.

[HereWeVivek]

will DMC be the guy we saw for the majority of January, or will he remain the guy from the last couple games?

will Isaiah take more shots than the rest of the team again?

will every player on the roster get playing time?

if the answer to any of these questions is yes, we probably lose.

[LWP777]

Predictions:

-IT has a crappy game, as he always does following a good game. He will also freeze Reke and/or Cousins out, causing all kinds of arguing and trollery in this game thread.
-Cousins continues to play like garbage. We all know that when Big Cuz gets into these funks, the only thing that brings him out is causing drama and getting suspended.
-Reke plays great in the first quarter, then gets benched for most of the second and third (this is a no brainer call with "coach" "Smart" around.)
-T. Rob uses his athleticism and hustle to beast all over Sullinger, just like he did in summer league.
-Somehow it will still be close in the mid 3rd (either by staying with the Cs the entire game or via an energetic come back). "Smart" will then proceed to **** everything up with his brainless substitution patters.
-We lose this one by 14ish.
-"Coach" "Smart" makes all manner of inane comment and excuse in the post game interview.



....With all my optimism geared towards the Kings staying in Sacramento under new ownership, I have none left over for the actual games.

Probably about right.

[Kingster]

Predictions:

-IT has a crappy game, as he always does following a good game. He will also freeze Reke and/or Cousins out, causing all kinds of arguing and trollery in this game thread.
-Cousins continues to play like garbage. We all know that when Big Cuz gets into these funks, the only thing that brings him out is causing drama and getting suspended.
-Reke plays great in the first quarter, then gets benched for most of the second and third (this is a no brainer call with "coach" "Smart" around.)
-T. Rob uses his athleticism and hustle to beast all over Sullinger, just like he did in summer league.
-Somehow it will still be close in the mid 3rd (either by staying with the Cs the entire game or via an energetic come back). "Smart" will then proceed to **** everything up with his brainless substitution patters.
-We lose this one by 14ish.
-"Coach" "Smart" makes all manner of inane comment and excuse in the post game interview.



....With all my optimism geared towards the Kings staying in Sacramento under new ownership, I have none left over for the actual games.

OMG

I guess we should call IT "Ice man", or Ice for short. The fabulous delusions of this board continues. It's as if when IT is on the floor that he is the sole distributor of the ball, that the pass never comes from the wing, never comes from the center, just IT. I wonder if IT knows he has sooooo much power that he is the ball monitor every single minute of every single game. The little man is now Napoleon. He tells Smart what to do; he tells Tyreke to go in the corner, and Cousins he just gives him the finger. Pretty soon he'll be telling Burkle where he wants the new arena.

[Padrino]

OMG

I guess we should call IT "Ice man", or Ice for short. The fabulous delusions of this board continues. It's as if when IT is on the floor that he is the sole distributor of the ball, that the pass never comes from the wing, never comes from the center, just IT. I wonder if IT knows he has sooooo much power that he is the ball monitor every single minute of every single game. The little man is now Napoleon. He tells Smart what to do; he tells Tyreke to go in the corner, and Cousins he just gives him the finger. Pretty soon he'll be telling Burkle where he wants the new arena.

i've honestly never believed the problem to be isaiah thomas, though i am much less enamored with him than you and many others at kf.com. the problem is and has been keith smart, who chooses to treat isaiah thomas as if he were, well, isiah thomas, instead of attempting to figure out how best to maximize the talents of demarcus cousins and tyreke evans, his two best players. smart's gameplan does not ask isaiah thomas to initiate the offense and get out of the way, as any guard should in an offense that features two players of cousins' and evans' caliber. instead, smart's gameplan asks thomas to do more than he should, which is what freezes cousins and evans out of the offense. if smart had even a mildly creative bone in his body, he'd be able to play cousins and evans inside-out. starting john salmons and aaron brooks doesn't exactly create fireworks from outside, but they're competent enough jump shooters that the kickout should result in some manner of consistency and success. i'm fine with thomas running roughshod as a jittery member of the second unit, but this team isn't going anywhere on his back in the starting unit. at this point, i'm just hoping that the way keith smart has stunted evans' usage and growth allows the kings to re-sign him to a reasonable contract, and that a new coach next season will manage to feature demarcus cousins and tyreke evans in a two-pronged attack that is supplemented by the rest of the roster, rather than jerked around with incompetency...

[Section 101]

Predictions:

-IT has a crappy game, as he always does following a good game. He will also freeze Reke and/or Cousins out, causing all kinds of arguing and trollery in this game thread.
-Cousins continues to play like garbage. We all know that when Big Cuz gets into these funks, the only thing that brings him out is causing drama and getting suspended.
-Reke plays great in the first quarter, then gets benched for most of the second and third (this is a no brainer call with "coach" "Smart" around.)
-T. Rob uses his athleticism and hustle to beast all over Sullinger, just like he did in summer league.
-Somehow it will still be close in the mid 3rd (either by staying with the Cs the entire game or via an energetic come back). "Smart" will then proceed to **** everything up with his brainless substitution patters.
-We lose this one by 14ish.
-"Coach" "Smart" makes all manner of inane comment and excuse in the post game interview.



....With all my optimism geared towards the Kings staying in Sacramento under new ownership, I have none left over for the actual games.

You left out Rainmaker complaining about sub patterns at the 11:59 mark of the first quarter.

[HereWeVivek]

You left out Rainmaker complaining about sub patterns at the 11:59 mark of the first quarter.

in fairness the rotations are a problem before the game ever starts, as long as Keith Smart is still employed as head coach

[gunks]

OMG

I guess we should call IT "Ice man", or Ice for short. The fabulous delusions of this board continues. It's as if when IT is on the floor that he is the sole distributor of the ball, that the pass never comes from the wing, never comes from the center, just IT. I wonder if IT knows he has sooooo much power that he is the ball monitor every single minute of every single game. The little man is now Napoleon. He tells Smart what to do; he tells Tyreke to go in the corner, and Cousins he just gives him the finger. Pretty soon he'll be telling Burkle where he wants the new arena.

Was I talking about the wing or the center? Nope, I was talking about IT. Also, all my predictions are tongue in cheek, so dont be so defensive.

My views on the little man echo Padrino's. Its not the player its the coach (and also GP for not getting us any pass first players). IT would be totally rad off the bench, he could be the new BJAX. As our starting PG though, he's pretty meh (when not hitting game winners that is).

I also agree with you that the lack of passing is a team wide thing. Its not all on IT, but that doesnt make him exempt, he's a part of the problem not the solution.

[HereWeVivek]

Was I talking about the wing or the center? Nope, I was talking about IT. Also, all my predictions are tongue in cheek, so dont be so defensive.

My views on the little man echo Padrino's. Its not the player its the coach (and also GP for not getting us any pass first players). IT would be totally rad off the bench, he could be the new BJAX. As our starting PG though, he's pretty meh (when not hitting game winners that is).

I also agree with you that the lack of passing is a team wide thing. Its not all on IT, but that doesnt make him exempt, he's a part of the problem not the solution.

Exactly!

[HereWeVivek]

i predict a final score of 107-92 Boston

[HereWeVivek]

when i see Garcia in the starting lineup i pretty much lose excitement to watch the game

[spudfan]

This Boston team beat Miami without Rondo. Many people think they are actually a better team without him, should be a tough game.

[HereWeVivek]

Many people think they are actually a better team without him

Ridiculous assumption. these people think this just because they beat Miami in one game?

[spudfan]

i've honestly never believed the problem to be isaiah thomas, though i am much less enamored with him than you and many others at kf.com. the problem is and has been keith smart, who chooses to treat isaiah thomas as if he were, well, isiah thomas, instead of attempting to figure out how best to maximize the talents of demarcus cousins and tyreke evans, his two best players. smart's gameplan does not ask isaiah thomas to initiate the offense and get out of the way, as any guard should in an offense that features two players of cousins' and evans' caliber. instead, smart's gameplan asks thomas to do more than he should, which is what freezes cousins and evans out of the offense. if smart had even a mildly creative bone in his body, he'd be able to play cousins and evans inside-out. starting john salmons and aaron brooks doesn't exactly create fireworks from outside, but they're competent enough jump shooters that the kickout should result in some manner of consistency and success. i'm fine with thomas running roughshod as a jittery member of the second unit, but this team isn't going anywhere on his back in the starting unit. at this point, i'm just hoping that the way keith smart has stunted evans' usage and growth allows the kings to re-sign him to a reasonable contract, and that a new coach next season will manage to feature demarcus cousins and tyreke evans in a two-pronged attack that is supplemented by the rest of the roster, rather than jerked around with incompetency...

I'm with you here. When Thomas is shooting well he is a player kind of Like Terry or Robinson. If we had him playing in such a position where he wasn't the focus of the offense I think we would be much better. A coach should have a clear pecking order and everyone on the team should know it. None of this every plays, everyone shoots as much as they want nonsense.

[spudfan]

Ridiculous assumption. these people think this just because they beat Miami in one game?

No. Let me see if I can find the article. It was based on some statistical info if I remember right.

[Padrino]

again, thomas fails to feed cuz on the pick and roll...

[rainmaker]

You left out Rainmaker complaining about sub patterns at the 11:59 mark of the first quarter.

So a mix of fabrication and exaggeration is the way you attempt to make a point?

If you actually had a point and could articulate that point, there'd be no need for fabrication and exaggeration, buddy.