This Knicks game highlights some of my nagging concerns about the offense of this team and it's offensive identity going forward. What should be the offense for this team that best fits its personnel? Why were the Knicks able to impose their thuggish slow-down trench warfare against the Kings, but the Kings were not able to attack in blitzkrieg style to blow the game open against the Knicks? I think in part it may be due to an offense that tries to be centered around Sabonis and then also tries to be centered around Fox. Which is it? If Fox is really the main guy in the offense and what many have said is the "head of the spear" then why is the much slower Sabonis "leading" the fast break? Wouldn't it be correct to say that Sabonis is the head of the spear? The answer usually given is that if Sabonis gets the rebound that it's faster for him to bring the ball up the floor? But is it faster than Fox leading the break and pushing the pace? How often have we even seen Fox lead the fast break this year? Or finish on the fast break? I think I've seen maybe two games where Fox put significant pressure on the opposing team because of his speed in the open court. And it's hard for me to imagine that this team is reaching it's full potential or achieving maximum success in the playoffs until we see Fox and his speed imposing his will on opposing teams. Otherwise, teams like the Knicks will continue to make the Kings play their game.
Establishing an Identity and a Offensive Style Fitting This Team
- Thread starter Kingster
- Start date
This is a popular saying, but it only applies in certain cases. It presupposes that there is somebody open in front of the defense to pass the ball to, or that the situation is currently a fast break, or that time is of the essence. When the Kings bring up the ball typically none of these things are true, and when we have an advantage it doesn't seem to me that we frequently pass it up. The way that we bring the ball up the court, be it Fox or Sabonis or somebody else, is really, really far down on my list of concerns about this team.
Fox and Sabonis' effort is negated when the shooters beyond the arc can't make their shots even if they have open looks. Murray, Barnes, and Huerter combined 3-16 from 3pt the last time.
Shooters can have cold and hot hands but that always happens against to certain teams such as the Pelicans, Rockets, and inferior teams. It seems not only the offensive identity but also the mentality is another issue we having.
Shooters can have cold and hot hands but that always happens against to certain teams such as the Pelicans, Rockets, and inferior teams. It seems not only the offensive identity but also the mentality is another issue we having.
This is just basketball in 2024. Look at almost every top 1/2 seed for the NCAA tourney crashed and burned in their conference tourneys this year. The Celtics have laid some incredible eggs, and for those Kings haters that think we are donkeys we have mopped the floor with the top teams in the league on more than a handful of occasions.
3-pt shooting does some whacky things because it is simultaneously the quickest way to erase a 20 point lead and the quickest way to find yourself in a 20 point deficit. Beyond that, it's "easier" to take threes vs. drive inside and nibble at those leads with more efficient shooting and the FT line (which is further complicated when we don't seem to get our fair share of calls on drives).
3-pt shooting does some whacky things because it is simultaneously the quickest way to erase a 20 point lead and the quickest way to find yourself in a 20 point deficit. Beyond that, it's "easier" to take threes vs. drive inside and nibble at those leads with more efficient shooting and the FT line (which is further complicated when we don't seem to get our fair share of calls on drives).