Quantcast
Channel: SB Nation - Sacramento Kings
Viewing all 2536 articles
Browse latest View live

Kings Lag Other Teams With Long Playoff Droughts

0
0
Photo

The Sacramento Kings have missed the NBA playoffs in six straight seasons. That's the league's second-longest current streak, behind the Minnesota Timberwolves' eight. The Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets follow the Kings will five-season droughts. Two more teams, the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards, have four-season droughts.

And from my vantage point, all of those teams are closer to the playoffs than the Kings are.

I know there's some optimism about the 2012-13 Kings around here, but I tend to skew toward section214's take that the improvement isn't enough to launch the team anywhere close to .500 for the season. Thomas Robinson isn't going to produce nearly as quickly as we'd hope, in all likelihood, and James Johnson and Aaron Brooks aren't quite Manna From Heaven type additions, though they'll help. The issue isn't how the Kings handled the offseason. I thought it was good overall. The issue is how far the Kings have to go before they reach "decent."

The Wolves should be in the playoff mix if Ricky Rubio comes back fairly early. I think Andrei Kirilenko will help a ton. I was pretty nonplussed about Minnesota's offseason until they landed AK. That's a coup. Contributions from Chase Budinger, Alexey Shved and Brandon Roy could help even more. This should be a playoff contender. Getting there would hand the longest drought honors to Sacramento. It will look nice on our mantle next to our "longest franchise championship drought" trophy.

The Warriors aren't as close as the Wolves, in my opinion, but that could change due to Andrew Bogut, a superlative defensive center. Golden State is a mystery until we see what they can do with Bogey. The Nets, of course, will almost assuredly make the playoffs, barring a disastrous injury to Deron Williams. The Raptors should be much better with Kyle Lowry, and the Wizards looked strong after acquiring Nene, and will add Emeka Okafor to the frontcourt.

So not only could the Kings have the league's longest playoff drought in April ... but they could be far, far ahead of the pack. This is not good.


2012-13 Pre-Season Schedule Officially Released

0
0
Photo

Today the Sacramento Kings officially released the schedule for this year's pre-season campaign, which will feature 3 home games and 4 away games in the month of October. The games are as follows:

  • October 10th v. Phoenix Suns in Sacramento at 7:00 PM Pacific
  • October 15th v. Portland Trail Blazers in Sacramento at 7:00 PM Pacific
  • October 17th v. Golden State Warriors in Sacramento at 7:00 PM Pacific
  • October 19th v. Los Angeles Lakers in Las Vegas at 7:00 PM Pacific
  • October 21st v. Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles at 6:30 PM Pacific
  • October 22nd v. Phoenix Suns in Phoenix at 7:00 PM Pacific
  • October 25th v. Los Angeles Lakers in San Diego at 7:00 PM Pacific

Three contests against the Lakers in the Pre-season is going to be a nice test for this young Kings team, even if the games themselves are meaningless. It is currently unknown as to whether or not any of these games will be broadcast on television. The past few years Comcast SportsNet has not shown Kings pre-season games.

Basketball's just over two months away folks. Get ready.

How The Olympic Under-23 Rule Would Affect Current Kings

0
0
Photo

As you've no doubt heard by now, the NBA and FIBA are working on a deal to turn the Olympic tournament into an under-23 affair and make the FIBA World Cup -- formerly known as the World Championship, last held in 2010 -- the new international centerpiece. Given how close DeMarcus Cousins was to appearing in the 2012 Games, we'd expect that he would also be in play for the World Cup squads in 2014 and 2019. (That's right: the World Cup is scheduled to move to one year before the Olympics to end its conflict with the FIFA World Cup.)

But the World Cup in basketball doesn't have the same pull as the Olympics. Players will no doubt commit, but until the shift in popularity changes (which could take a decade, really) there's going to be disappointment from players who'd like to appear in the Olympics but can't, should the NBA go through with its plan. Cousins is one of those players: making the Olympic team meant a great amount to him, but as he'll be older than 23 before the 2016 Games, he'll be barred from ever appearing, unless there are exceptions. The same would apply to Tyreke Evans and Thomas Robinson. In fact, there is no one currently in the NBA who'd be eligible if it was something like a July 1 cut-off in 2016. All of Team USA (and the other teams, potentially) would be made up of players with three or fewer years of pro experience. There will probably necessarily be a couple of college players.

It's not like the Kings have regularly had Olympians, anyway. The impact on our viewing habits is small. But there will be at least one fewer tournament in which we could possibly see our players during the summer. The impact on Cousins alone upsets me -- players want to represent their country for a reason, and it's not money. That type of respect for the flag and the nation should be respected, not restricted.

From the Archives - These are a Few of My Favorite Kings

0
0
"Are you freaking kidding me? section doesn't look anything like me!" Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

(section214 note: I wrote this back in 2008, and I thought that it would be a nice summertime diversion. List your favorites in the thread, and why.)

With apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein, Julie Andrews and the entire Von Trapp family -

Corliss and Richmond and C-Webb and Martin,

Joe Kleine and B-Jax just can't be forgotten.

We may not own any championship rings,

But these are a few of my favorite Kings.

We all have various players and moments that initially made and later solidified us as Kings fans. It was almost a year ago that I posted when I became Kings fan. The following are some of the players that have helped to make me a hard core Kings fan.

Now, there are those moments that we all share as Kings fans, such as this one. Or this one. But we also have our personal favorite players and moments, and they're not always the players that belong in the rafters or the moments that deserve to be preserved in the collective memory bank of all Kings fans. These are the guys and moments that were crucial in my evolution as a Kings fan.

Joe Kleine - Most of it is in the above link. I will add that my affinity for Kleine is largely prejudiced because I had the opportunity to meet him, and he was perhaps the nicest and most homespun "celebrity" that I have ever met. His misfortune was being the 1st round pick (7th overall) for a bad team that needed much, much more than a journeyman center. He was later well received in Boston, where he was a guy that could lay a little wood off the bench, not a 1st round washout that could have instead been Karl Malone. Because of Joe Kleine I learned that the five stages of grief and being a Kings fan can be interchangeable:

· Denial C'mon, Kleine has got to be better than this. We drafted him 7th, didn't we?

· Anger Have you seen this Karl Malone kid in Utah? And we drafted Joe Kleine? Who was the rocket scientist that pulled the trigger on that one?

· Bargaining Maybe we can bring in a big guy like Bill Russell to work with him.

· Depression Karl Malone, Karl Malone, Karl Malone, Karl Malone, Karl Malone.

· Acceptance OK, it didn't work out. But Greg Kite might help us, eh?

Vinny Del Negro - Vinny is on this list for one reason and one reason only. In 1989 I was at a nightclub in Old Sacramento (I think it was Popeye's). A rather attractive and extremely inebriated young lady came over to my table, convinced that I was Vinny, despite the fact that I was eight inches shorter than him. I tried to convince her that I was not Del Negro, but she would not take no for an answer. It was on this evening that I learned how having the Kings in Sacramento was a good thing, even when the team wasn't playing. Good night. Thanks, Vinny.

Danny Ainge - Ainge taught me that the most reviled opponent can become your favorite player once he is in your uniform. I hated Ainge. Hated him! And I was none too pleased when the Kings acquired him. But his hard nosed play was a breath of fresh air while he was here, and it made me look at guys like Dennis Rodman and Charles Oakley in a different light. I mean, don't you wish that Robert Horry was wearing a Kings uniform in 2001-02 right about now?

Mitch Richmond - I won't spend a lot of time here as Richmond's contributions have been well chronicled. But I'll always remember that 1st shot of civic pride that I felt when The Rock won the MVP award at the 1995 all star game and was on the gold medal olympic team a year later.

Corliss Williamson - Again, a lot has already been said about Big Nasty here. But he was the 1st draftee to come here to say that he was excited about coming to Sacramento. That was huge at the time. And as I've said before, he was the first guy not named Mitch Richmond willing to take the big shot during the Richmond era. That set him apart from Walt Williams, Brian Grant and others.

Vlade Divac and Chris Webber - Yeah, we were willing to pay him more than anyone else, but Vlade Divaccame here. That was a new phenomenon. Yeah, Chris Webber re-signed with us because we could pay him more money than anyone else, but he stayed here. That was a new phenomenon. Big moments for this franchise and my psyche.

Sergei Monia - Just kidding. I wanted to see if you were still paying attention.

How about it? What are some of the players or moments that galvanized you as the type of Kings fan that would participate on a blog that talks almost exclusively about the Kings every day? Put another way, how and why has this happened to you? Was it Peja's fault? B-Jax? J-Will? Who do you thank/blame for your current lot in life as it pertains to your NBA rooting interests?

Jazz Villains - Who do you boo?

0
0
Photo

First of all, a Jazz Villain is not the same thing as a Jazz Killer. A Jazz Killer is a guy who routinely has good games against us, which results in the Utah Jazz losing. A Jazz Villain is someone else. He is a guy who harries our team, says dumb stuff, does things on the court that are beyond basketball, and becomes more of a sideshow than an actual effective force that makes us lose games.

I think Dennis Rodman was a Jazz Villain. He said stuff about the LDS fans, acted up, and while he did not help his team win, he did make it about him. Another example would be the Sacramento Kings version of Ron Artest. We've all seen that video . . . . you know . . . this one.

DeMarcus Cousins became a Jazz Villain this past season with his antics, comments, and extra tough-guy play of fouling point guards.

Who else is on your list? (Historically or recently) Who do you boo?

You Don't Know Pain

0
0

In the grand scheme of fandom, this has been the most difficult stretch in Sacramento Kings history, primarily due to the unholy combination of on-court failure and off-court drama. But focused entirely on the court, it's actually been worse. I give you The Brown Standard. (Click to enlarge.)

Brown_standard_medium

The Kings have had four straight seasons with a winning percentage under .400. In the late '80s and early '90s, Sacramento experienced an eight-year stretch that long. Extending the pain a bit more, the Kings are currently mired in a stretch of six seasons under .500. Back in the early Sacramento era, that string reached 13 seasons. The first 13 seasons of Sacramento Kings history.

There are two distinct ways to look at it: we haven't seen nothing yet, or it could be worse. Choose one. But to anyone who is a newer fan of the team, dating back to the Glory Era or more recently ... yep. This is the norm for Sacramento Kings fans.

POLL: Will Kings Keep Their 2013 Draft Pick?

0
0

The Kings owe the Cavaliers a first-round draft pick thanks to the brilliant J.J. Hickson-Omri Casspi deal. That pick is protected -- Sacramento kept it in 2012 by virtue of finishing as one of the league's 14 worst teams. But will the Kings keep it again in 2013?

The Kings would need to make the playoffs or be the very best non-playoff team to lose it. If that happens, no one in Sacramento will be upset about losing the pick, because we'll be too overjoyed at the massive improvement. But there's no question that the Kings could use another prospect. You can always use another prospect. At worst, it's a trade chip. At best, it's an integral piece of the future. For a team long lacking in both, you could always use another.

So, what do y'all think at this point? Will the Kings be good enough to lose the pick this year? Or will we add another piece in June 2013?

Poll
Will the Kings be good enough to lose their 2013 draft pick?

  1041 votes | Results

Kings Extend Keith Smart, And The Record's Officially Broken

0
0
Photo

Toward the end of the 2009-10 season, when the Kings had a 25-55 (.312) record, Geoff Petrie and the Maloofs decided to pick up the third-year option on Paul Westphal's contract -- an option that wouldn't kick in for another 12 months. He lasted a couple weeks into that third year, and finished his Kings career with the worst winning percentage among the franchise's coaches in the Sacramento era.

Keith Smart is 20-39 (.339) as the Kings' head coach, and the Kings decided on Monday to extend him through the 2013-14 season. This is actually the second commitment the team has made to Smart, who has only been with the organization since last winter. When the team fired Westphal and promoted Smart, it gave him a guaranteed deal for 2012-13 so as to prevent a lame duck situation. Now Petrie is nodding toward the lame duck issue in extending Smart.

From The Bee's Jason Jones:

Petrie said critics who think the team should have waited to give Smart an extension might also have considered him a lame duck coach if he hadn't received it before the season.

"I think it gives us stability and gives him a reasonable period of time to implement the style of play and type of teaching he wants to use," Petrie said. "We're still essentially a younger team that's in development, and he has a strong commitment to working with players and getting them to improve."

At this point in the Kings' tragic dive into abject futility, the term "lame duck" has no meaning. The churn and failure and churn of failure is all so consistent as to destroy the tropes other sports teams deal with. Like anyone on the Kings actually believes there's anything like stability in this franchise. It's an institutional volcanic field. Change is only a burp away. This is a franchise that sided with a tyrannical Paul Westphal all the way up to the moment that it didn't. Why would DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans or anyone believe that now the Kings are serious about stability?

I'm not in the locker room, I'm not in Cousins' head. But when I read that stability is the compelling reason to extend Smart now, I get nervous. Quality of coaching, teaching and leading should be the compelling reason to keep a coach. Not just existing, which is what stability really is at this point, in the sense that keeping the worst coach in the world could be considered stabilizing. To be fair, Petrie does cite the leadership and the commitment to hard work Smart has shown. But the main thrust of this seems to be giving the Kings some stability.

Now, I actually support Smart and think he is the right fit. If he'd never come to Sacramento before the lockout and Westphal instead made way for a different interim, and the job was open this offseason and Smart was a candidate, he might have been my favorite candidate based solely on pedigree and style. I think he's a good coach, and he clearly understands how to reach DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings' most important prospect. I fully support keeping Smart for next season and seeing whether he can deliver on defense and in finding a role for Tyreke. I think his work to assemble most of the players in freaking July and August in Sacramento has been amazing. I'm but a fan, but I like and support Smart.

I just don't understand the rush to lock him up. Was he going somewhere else? Is the potential for a higher salary next summer really that big a deal? I don't buy it. This was a Petrie-driven move. It may have something to do with Petrie's need to prove to himself and the Maloofs that the franchise is stable and on an upward trajectory. Petrie's own contract runs only through the end of this season. Were this a normal franchise with normal owners, Petrie would need this season to go well to keep his job. Ensuring that Smart has maximum franchise support -- even at the risk of settling -- is a piece of that. This is one less item that Petrie has to worry about heading into his own negotiations, which probably began the second Smart signed.

Don't forget that in 2009-10 Petrie leveraged the Kings' "hot start" into a three-year extension. As soon as the Kings hit .500 in late November after a spate of home games, get ready for that press conference.


Fool Me Once

0
0
Photo

As fans, we want to believe. We want to believe that the decisions made by the Kings are the right choices. We want to believe that everything is moving in the right direction. We want to believe that the decision makers have some clue of what they are doing. But as much as I want to believe that the Kings made the right decision in extending Keith Smart, I can't believe. Not again.

Let's back up for a moment, and review a key quote from the organization:

"In our gut, it feels right," Kings co-owner Joe Maloof said Monday afternoon. "We think [he] has done a great job for us, and in spite of our record, we feel we're getting better. We don't want any more coaching carousels, all those negatives going into next season. We know it's going to take time to rebuild and we want to know who our coach is."

Man, that's just a great endorsement right there. Makes sense. We don't want the coaching carousel anymore. We still suck, but we feel like we're improving. Man, that just fits the current team perfectly, doesn't it?

Too bad that's a quote from when Paul Westphal was prematurely extended.

At the time Westphal was extended, I defended the decision (in the article linked above). I bought into the arguments of avoiding a lame duck status. I bought into the idea that this young team was improving, even if it wasn't by leaps and bounds. I bought into the idea of stability.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

I will not defend this extension, even though I really like what Keith Smart did with the team last season. I do believe the team is improving and moving in the right direction. I believe the team needs stability, and to end the coaching carousel. I believe all of those things. But I no longer believe that these things excuse the rash decision to extend Smart.

The ideas of stability and steady improvement didn't save Paul Westphal. Westphal went down in flames a mere 8 months after he was extended. As Tom pointed out this morning, stability means that you exist and are a constant. Extensions to ensure stability do not address one's performance as the coach.

So why extend Smart now? Tom postulated that it may be so Petrie can show stability and an upward trajectory as Petrie enters his own negotiations for a extension. While that could very well be the case, I personally see this as yet another budgetary move by the Kings. If you let Smart play out this season and offer an extension at the end, you run the risk of the Kings actually improving. Let's say Smart guides this team to the playoffs, or barely misses them. Suddenly Smart can demand a bigger paycheck. And he will have earned it. The Maloofs would have no choice to pay Smart, or find themselves in yet another PR nightmare.

Because the organization is continually run with one eye on the court and the other eye on the checkbook, the Kings needed to lock up Smart based purely on the possibility that we might field a competitive squad this season. That is wholly depressing.

If that happens, if Smart takes this team to the brink of the playoffs or even to an 8th seed, this move will be applauded. How wise of the Kings to recognize what they had in Coach Smart, and to lock him up for another season at a discount! But if that narrative unfolds, we should remember the real reasons we've been presented.

The team wants continuity. And that continuity includes the bargain basement price the team pays for its head coach.

Boston Celtics Daily Links 8/7

0
0

Herald US men stay unbeaten, rout Argentina 126-97
Kings extend Keith Smart’s deal through 2013-14
Globe US women reach basketball semifinals
British win was great victory in basketball
Celtics Green Wait Until Next Year ....
Random Jeff Green Thoughts
Celtics Life Video: Avery Bradley gives back to the community
Jeff Green "glad to be playing again"
Video: Boston Celtics top 10 plays of the 2011-2012 Season


CelticsBlog An Honest Purveyor of Kool Aid
Judo Champion Will Be Honored At Celtics Game
Other Random Boston Celtics Related Stuff
How Many Wins Will The Celtics Get Next Year?
Celtic Thunder KG Agrees With Me
ESPN Summer Forecast: The end is in sight?
Bradley assists on home court makeovers
Bradley: Ready when needed
This season Evan Turner and John Wall are make or break candidates (Insider)
Red's Army Doc: Olympic judo champ could teach our bigs to box out
Kevin Garnett’s Anta KG2 “USA”
Your Morning Dump… Where Team USA wins and Melo takes one in the sack
CSNNE Proof of Celtics overhaul in the photo
Green: 'Glad that I'm playing again'
NESN Paul Pierce's Plan to Test Free Agency Doesn't Mean Celtics Star Will Finish Career in Another Uniform
Report: Kevin Garnett Not Allowed to Buy Stake in Italian Soccer Club AS Roma Due to NBA Rules
Shaquille O'Neal Dominated Paint Like No Other Center During NBA Career (Video)
Doc Rivers Says Celtics 'Could Really Use' Free Agent Carlos Delfino
Celtics Hub Dissecting Paul Pierce’s Latest Comments on Ray Allen, His Future & C’s Offseason
Celtics Town On Team USA’s regular dominance and the Olympic spirit
Predicting end of the coming Boston Celtics season
Celtics still interested in adding Carlos Delfino, but not likely
Lex Nihil Novi Shorty's Summer School Objectives
Larry Bird HOF Speech (Find Waldo Part III)
Celtic Nation SQ12#7 A D-League Model That Would Improve the NBA
Mass Live Jeff Green says he feels better now than before heart surgery
Paul Pierce could test free agency after current Boston Celtics contract expires
Celtics Title Town Celtics Morning Joe:Granger has no words for Boston
KG and Rondo's growth as teammates
Hangtime Blogs Love Rewards Krzyzewski For Going Big
Howard To Miss Own Basketball Camp
Dirty Is As Dirty Does, NBA-Style Too
BCSF Soiree 2012 Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation Summer Soiree... -
Bleacher Report Predicting the 5 Most Improved NBA Teams in 2013
Breaking Down the New-Look Boston Celtics Roster
How Boston Celtics New Run-and-Gun Offense Is Designed to Beat Miami Heat
The Basketball Alumni Legends League: New Pro League with Different Rules
The Dream Shake Monday Links: An Expert's Take On JaJuan Johnson
NBA.com A winner all over the world, Blatt hopes NBA is next stop
Unfair as it is, Heat add Allen in smartest move of summer
Reuters Basketball: Dominant U.S. face friendly neighbors
Pro Basketball Talk Joel Przybilla agrees to terms with Milwaukee Bucks
Former Hawks All-Star Dan Roundfield drowned
CSN Philly Philly legends suit up in The-BALL showcase
SB Nation Team USA Basketball: Coach K Almost Apologetic To Nigerians After Historic Beatdown
Out of Bounds Kevin Durant brings back the “Walker Wiggle” during Team USA win against Argentina
Washington Post 2012 Olympics: Kevin Durant’s father cheers from afar after bumpy journey back into his son’s life
WEEI Ian Thomsen, SI.com, on Ray Allen, Avery Bradley, and Team USA Basketball
Phila Hoops BALL showcase game fun for fans, players
Sporting News NBA denies Kevin Garnett opportunity to invest in AS Roma
CBS Sports Team USA is way too good compared to rest of world, and that's actually a bad thing
Forbes The $230 Million Olympic Basketball Team
Crave Online Boston Celtics Dying A Slow Death

Top 5 Trades in Dallas Mavericks History: #5

0
0
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 06:  Bill Sharman receives a handshake from Gail Goodrich in front of Jerry West and Pat Riley, two men who have made more than their fair share of trades. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Care for a trip down memory lane?

The Dallas Mavericks do not have what many would call a "storied history"; having joined the NBA in 1980 they remain one of the younger franchises in professional basketball, and so a list such as this may not require going too far in the Wayback machine. However, through the years the Mavericks have been one of the league's most active teams on the trade market, a tradition Mark Cuban has proudly continued, if not brought to crescendo. Some trades have been dubious, others hilarious, but these are the five we are calling "the best", under whatever arbitrary criteria so followed.

Find what checks in at #5 after The Jump:

October 30th, 1980: Dallas Mavericks send Richard Washington and Jerome Whitehead to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Bill Robinzine, a 1983 1st round pick(via Atlanta) and a 1986 1st round pick.

This is a great trade to start with because it's also one of the first trades in franchise history, and provides the perfect excuse to give a little history lesson on the humble beginnings of the franchise itself.

In 1979, Don Carter and Norm Sonju brought the Dallas Mavericks into existence, posting the $12 million expansion entry fee(worth approximately $33 million today). Previously, the Dallas Chaparrals had been a part of the ABA from 1968 until 1973 when they were moved a few hundred miles southwest to become, gasp, the San Antonio Spurs. The Mavericks represented the NBA's first team in Dallas, a town dominated by football and the towering legacies of figures like Tom Landry and Roger Staubach. It would be three years before the franchise's first playoff appearance, and six years before their first 50-win season(something the team did just twice in 20 years, prior to doing it 11 times in a row). The trade above would be a big reason why.

In 1980, an expansion draft was held for Dallas. Each of the NBA's other 22 teams could protect eight players, leaving the rest available for selection by Dallas. The picks were not filled with many star-quality names, but included former Notre Dame standout and first overall pick Austin Carr, as well as veteran and future Dallas Mavericks head coach Jim Cleamons.

Most of the picks did not play long for Dallas(only two played more than a season, Tom LaGarde and Jim Spanarkel, and many didn't play at all) in what was its chaotic infancy. Dallas completed more than a dozen trades that year, three to Cleveland alone, as they tried to build a pipeline of young talent by stockpiling draft picks. Two of Dallas' other trades with Cleveland brought back future picks that would become Detlef Schrempf and Sam Perkins.

The third trade centered around Richard Washington, a UCLA standout who was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in leading the Bruins to a national championship in what was coach John Wooden's final game. Washington was the third overall pick in 1976 by the Kansas City Kings, and was traded a few years later to the Milwaukee Bucks for Ernie Grunfeld. Unprotected by Milwaukee, Washington was selected by Dallas in the expansion draft, but played just 11 games in their inaugural season, before being traded, along with Jerome Whitehead, for Bill Robinzine and two picks.

Bill Robinzine was a solid player who ended up being the third leading scorer for the Mavericks that season, his only in Dallas. As you might imagine, what made this trade successful was not his modest contributions, but those of the players whom Dallas used their first round draft picks on, though it took more than half a decade for the trade bounty to be fully realized. In 1983 Dallas used Cleveland's pick to select Derek Harper, and in 1986 Roy Tarpley, two key pieces of Dallas' late-80's brief run of excellence that brought them to a game away from their first NBA finals. Harper would play over a decade with Dallas, in two separate stops, scoring over 12,000 points, while the talented but troubled Roy Tarpley would tantalize with his athletic ability and rebounding skill, hinting at what might be, before finally succumbing to drug addiction and various injuries.

All in all, not a bad haul for two expansion picks that combined to play in just 18 games with Dallas.

Taking a look at the EnergySolutions Arena, and your say as a fan

0
0

Did you know that there are currently 29 different arenas in use for the 30 NBA teams? The oldest is MSG that was opened in 1968 the Oracle in '66 *, and the youngest is the still being built Barclays Center, estimated to open ASAP in 2012. Despite numerous changes, adding more box seats, more media facilities, and countless renovations these 29 (well, seeing how there are different configurations for LAL and LAC games - including different max seats -- maybe I should just say 30) arenas have some interesting statistics.

The league averages are that the arena was opened in the year 1995.8 (so, between September and October of '95), and has an average (non-standing room) maximum capacity of 18,530.0 people.

Where does the ESA stand? Check it out after the jump . . .

Woo! We're one of the biggest

Team Stadium Date NBA Team Stadium Date NBA
Name Name Opened Capacity Name Name Opened Capacity
1 Detroit Pistons The Palace of Auburn Hills 1988 22,076 . 16 Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center 1999 19,060
2 Chicago Bulls United Center 1994 20,917 . 17 Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center 1999 18,997
3 Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena 1994 20,562 . 18 Orlando Magic Amway Center 2010 18,846
4 Philadelphia 76ers Wells Fargo Center 1996 20,318 . 19 Milwaukee Bucks BMO Harris Bradley Center 1988 18,717
5 Washington Wizards Verizon Center 1997 20,282 . 20 Boston Celtics TD Garden 1995 18,624
6 Portland Trail Blazers Rose Garden 1995 19,980 . 21 San Antonio Spurs AT&T Center 2002 18,581
7 Utah Jazz EnergySolutions Arena 1991 19,911 . 22 Phoenix Suns US Airways Center 1992 18,422
8 Toronto Raptors Air Canada Centre 1999 19,800 . 23 Atlanta Hawks Philips Arena 1999 18,371
9 New York Knicks Madison Square Garden 1968 19,763 . 24 Oklahoma City Thunder Chesapeake Energy Arena 2002 18,203
10 Miami Heat American Airlines Arena 1999 19,600 . 25 Indiana Pacers Bankers Life Fieldhouse 1999 18,165
11 Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena 1966 19,596 . 26 Memphis Grizzlies FedEXForum 2004 18,119
12 Minnesota Timberwolves Target Center 1990 19,356 . 27 Brooklyn Nets Barclays Center 2012 18,103
13 Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center 2001 19,200 . 28 Houston Rockets Toyota Center 2003 18,043
14 Denver Nuggets Pepsi Center 1999 19,155 . 29 Sacramento Kings Power Balance Pavilion 1988 17,317
15 Charlotte Bobcats Time Warner Cable Arena 2005 19,077 . 30 New Orleans Hornets New Orleans Arena 1999 17,188
NBA Averages 1995.8 18530.0

That said, the Jazz have one of the older buildings in use. (Yes, I see all the upgrades though) Do the Jazz need a new building, or do they need to keep doing renovations every few seasons? Would you support a tax for a new arena? That seems to be one of the biggest things the NBA looks for, especially out of certain markets. Ask the people of Seattle. Personally I don't think the Jazz need a new arena . . . but that's just me. I'm not David Stern.

* I even had it correct in this table, but wrote it wrong in the Intro. Guess which part of my posts I spend the least time on?

UPDATE: Second Annual Goon Squad Classic Cancelled

0
0
Photo

Donte Greene, who is no longer with the Kings, still loves Sacramento and is going ahead with his second annual Goon Squad Classic this Friday at Consumnes River College. You'll remember that he put together the region's only quasi-NBA game during the lockout last November, and that is was a screaming good time.

Here's the list of players scheduled to play:

* Donte (duh!)
* Jason Thompson, who will have a school supply drive
* DeMarcus Cousins
* Tyreke Evans
* Isaiah Thomas
* John Wall
* Jimmer Fredette
* Tyler Honeycutt
* Darnell Jackson
* Jamal Crawford

Update: Donté just announced via Twitter that the event has been cancelled. His explanation:

Just got word from NBA leauge office, due to stipulations in the new CBA the charity game has been canceled. Any players who play without prior league approval face suspension and fines. We are saddened by this news and apologize for any inconvience this may cause. Refunds will be processed in a timely manner. To our charities we would like extend a personal apology and we will be looking for ways to fund raise in an effort to provide a donation.

Jazz Legend John Stockton's last interviews as a player via @Monilogue

0
0

Check out this great piece of John Stockton history - his interviews right after his last NBA game, and on Utah Jazz locker clean out day. Of course, who else, but Moni was able to upload this.

And thank you Moni, I had never seen these interviews before. I was in medical school when all this happened. I missed out on that year Karl Malone was on the Lakers. And I sadly missed out on John's last interviews.

DeMarcus Cousins Welcomes Dwight Howard To California

0
0

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins learned about the Dwight Howard to the Lakers trade on Thursday night, he processed it, and he responded the only way he knows how: by trolling hard.

Check out what Boogie posted on Instagram as the news of the trade leaked out, via Greg Wissinger:

Boogiegram_medium

Uh huh. He used one on this photo, but clearly Cousins has #nofilter.


Team USA Vs. Spain, Open Game Thread

0
0

The game starts at 7 a.m. Pacific on NBC.

Boston Celtics Daily Links 8/12

0
0

Herald Team USA-Spain basketball final is a rematch of ’08
Russia wins men’s bronze, beats Argentina 81-77
Mike Krzyzewski: Gold-medal game his last as Team USA coach
Kobe Bryant prepares for likely Olympic last hurrah
FIBA: No basketball age limit expected for 2016
Globe Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan says goodbye after 44 years
Celtics Green Jason Terry's New Tattoo is AWESOME!
Brandon Bass Doing Good Things in China and at Home


Celtics Life Video: Kris Joseph interview at Celtics Summer Soiree
Ray Allen returns to New England, talks Celtics
CelticsBlog Doc Rivers Might Be The Next Team USA Men's Basketball Coach
Is the Dwightmare Just Beginning for the Rest of the NBA?
Celtic Thunder Video Tribute to Perk
ESPN Allen on C's: I have a bond with them
Terry's new tattoo
Thanks, Bob
Lex Nihil Novi Game 7, 1982 ECFs (HD)
C's Down Kansas City Kings
Celtic Nation SQ12#12 The “What If” Rookie Game (Part 1)
CLNS Radio Jason Terry gets a new Tattoo, confident in his Celtics
Red's Army Celtics Sneaker Madness II continues
Celtics Sneaker Madness II continues
Your Morning Dump… Where Ray Allen is not an emotional person
CSNNE Changing Face of the Atlantic MORE: Preseason all downhill from here
Allen returns to New England; talks about 'ex-teammates'
Celtics Town Top Games of 2011-2012: #6
Green Street Why Kris Joseph deserves the 15th Celtics roster spot (Part One)
Celtics Title Town Question of the day: Lakers or Heat? Who do you hate
Celtics Morning Joe: Terry makes his stand
More Ray Allen crap
Heat vs Celtics season preview: (3 of 4) LBJ vs the Wings
Bleacker Report How Do the Boston Celtics Match Up with the New-Look Los Angeles Lakers?
2012-13 Atlantic Division Preview
Four Things This Summer That Have Changed the Image of the Miami Heat
Updated NBA Title Odds Following Dwight Howard Trade
CBS Sports Shaq says pressure on Howard like never before with trade to L.A.
Avery Bradley’s Busy Summer
WEEI WEEI.com’s Paul Flannery on the Dwight Howard trade and how it impacts the Celtics
Air Alamo Stein: Gregg Popovich, Rivers top two candidates for USA coaching job
SB Nation Jason Terry Tattoos Boston Celtics' Mascot Onto Arm, Wins The Offseason
NESN Trey Hardee, Jen Kessy, Liu Xiang Among Olympic Athletes Wearing Kinesio Tape (Photos)
Sheridan Hoops Offseason free agent signings and trades of the Dallas Mavericks.
USA Today Shaq, Barkley talk Dwight Howard
NBPA Today’s NBA Players, Tomorrow’s NBA Executives
Inside Hoops Lakers will have massive payroll in 2012-13
Chicago Tribune Michael Jordan could lose $1.5M on West Side gym

Revisiting The Kings' Offensive Performance In 2011-12

0
0
Photo

I wanted to look back at the Kings' 2011-12 season (who wouldn't?!) so that we have an accurate picture of the past as we roll forward. We'll start with the offense over the next couple of days. Today, some big picture items about the offense in FAQ style.

So, the offense was the Kings' strength in 2011-12, right?

The offense was the Kings' strength in 2011-12 much like navigation was Napoleon's strength in 1812: it was wholly inconsequential to the outcome most nights. By season's end, Sacramento ranked No. 21 in the NBA in offensive efficiency, which is a measure of the team's true scoring aptitude. (Pay not attention to the team's points per game, which were inflated by a fast pace.)

But the Kings' offense got much better after Keith Smart took over, right?

There was very limited data for Paul Westphal's version of the 2011-12 team: he coached just seven games. (That means that Smart owns 59 of those 66 games with the No. 21 offense.) But yes, the offense was better under Smart. In the first seven games under Westphal, the team scored 0.96 points per possession (historically bad). Under Smart, the Kings scored 1.02 points per possession, better but still pretty awful.

But what about when Isaiah Thomas took over at starting point guard? That's when the offense really began to sing.

Isaiah became a regular starter on February 17. Before then, the Kings averaged 0.97 points per possession. From February 17 to the end of the season, the Kings averaged 1.05 points per possession. So yes, Isaiah's promotion is timed with the rise of the Kings' offense. The Isaiah-era performance is slightly above league average, which, for this team, is pretty damn good.

Note though that correlation doesn't necessarily equal causation here. Isaiah becoming a starter coincided with John Salmons, the Kings' worst starter, going to the bench. Jason Thompson also took over full-time starting power forward duties about two weeks before Isaiah rose, and it's pretty obvious that J.T. was the Kings' best offensive power forward last season.

Was the Kings' offense better at home?

Indeed, as it is for most if not all teams. The Kings scored 1.05 points per possession at home, and 0.97 points per possession on the road.

What was the biggest difference at home vs. the road?

Pretty much everything but turnovers -- the Kings turned the ball over at similar rates at home and on the road. But the Kings shot better on twos and threes at home, drew more fouls and rebounded the offensive glass better. Here's the breakdown.

Two-point percentage: 48% at home, 45% on road
Three-point percentage: 33% at home, 30% on road
Free throw rate (made FTs per attempted FG): 0.21 at home, 0.18 on road
Offensive rebound rate (percentage of opportunities rebounded on offense): 32% at home, 26% on road

Who can I blame/credit for the offense?

Next time, my friends! Next time.

Top Five Trades in Dallas Mavericks History: #2

0
0
MINNESOTA, MN - FILE: The smile that launched a thousand ships.  And all those ships contained tall white guys with guard skills.  (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images)

Closing in on the top trade...

The Dallas Mavericks do not have what many would call a "storied history"; having joined the NBA in 1980 they remain one of the younger franchises in professional basketball, and so a list such as this may not require going too far in the Wayback machine. However, through the years the Mavericks have been one of the league's most active teams on the trade market, a tradition Mark Cuban has proudly continued, if not brought to crescendo. Some trades have been dubious, others hilarious, but these are the five we are calling "the best", under whatever arbitrary criteria so followed.

Find what checks in at #2 after The Jump:

February 21, 2002: The Dallas Mavericks trade Tim Hardaway, Donnell Harvey, Juwan Howard and cash to the Denver Nuggets for Nick Van Exel, Raef LaFrantez, Avery Johnson, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, and a first round pick.

This one might be a little controversial. Why is this trade better than the ones that brought Steve Nash and Tyson Chandler to Dallas? Hear me out.

This is(was?) a classic Mark Cuban trade. Much like what the Josh Howard trade would have been, if Caron Butler hadn't hurt himself and Brendan Haywood hadn't developed "can'tmakefreethrow-itis". By taking on extra salary(i.e the bad contract of Abdul-Wahad) and throwing in cash as a sweetener, Cuban was able to create an enormous disparity in talent-exchange. I mean, look at the players Dallas sent out: the corpse of Tim Hardaway, two 20-something first round picks in Harvey and the '02 first rounder(used on the disappointing Frank Williams), and the decent but hardly exceptional Juwan Howard, with career 13 point 6 rebound averages.

What Dallas got back requires in-depth explanation.

Entering 2002, Dallas was a young, upstart franchise, having made their first playoff appearance in 13 years the season before. But they entered the fray at a time when Western Conference dominance was at perhaps an All-Time high, with not just good, but legendary teams, like the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, the Duncan/Robinson Spurs, and perhaps one of the best teams ever to not win a title, the early-aught Kings.

Against these teams, Dallas was clearly outmatched, being dismantled by the Spurs in 2001, and suffering similar defeat at the hands of the Kings in 2002. Dirk Nowitzki, a rising star in the NBA, was still young, and for the Dallas franchise, hanging with the likes of the NBA's elite was nearly unimaginable.

Enter Nick Van Exel. A nine-year veteran, Van Exel was used to winning from his days in L.A, and after publicly asking for a trade from the lowly Denver Nuggets, was shipped to Dallas almost as an afterthought, as the supposed real catch was multi-talented center Raef LaFrentz(Don Nelson really liked tall guys that could shoot). While LaFrentz was a valuable rotation player, it was Van Exel who would ultimately make the biggest impact, and I would argue changed the course of Dallas Mavericks history. Even Dirk Nowitzki has remarked that it was Van Exel who made believers out of the young, inexperienced bunch of kids in the Mavericks locker room, as Van Exel would seem to always rise to the occasion and loved taking the big shot in the big moment.

If you're looking for the guy who paved the way for Jason Terry as a Maverick, it was Van Exel, who came off the bench and would look to shoot early and often, and often right in his man's face.

In the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals, against the rival Kings, Van Exel put on one of the greatest playoff runs in Mavericks history, scoring 76 points in back-to-back wins, both wild affairs that had final scores reminiscent of NBA track meets of the 1980's(Dallas scored over 130 points in back to back playoff games, including a wild 141-136 double OT game, which was the first time a team had done so in the playoffs in over 15 years). The Mavericks would beat the Kings, at the time unthinkable, and advance to only their second Western Conference Finals in franchise history.

That series, sadly, would end in defeat, as an injury to Dirk Nowitzki left the Mavericks one man short, but it took the erasing of a 13-point fourth quarter lead by the Spurs(and Steve Kerr) for San Antonio to keep Van Exel and the Mavs from forcing a decisive game seven. Even despite the loss, the young Maverick team and Dirk Nowitzki had overcome yet another obstacle in their quest toward an NBA championship. Though Van Exel and LaFrentz would be shipped off the following year, the dividends paid by this trade would not end, as throw-in Avery Johnson would develop a relationship with the players during his time as a Mav, prompting him to resign with Dallas before retirement, and eventually replace Don Nelson as Head Coach.

Johnson's time with the team has come under attack by some in recent years, but for all his faults, it was Johnson who turned the attacking, run-and-gun Mavs into a defensive-minded squad, and who helped turn Dirk into a more well-rounded offensive weapon by working him consistently in the high-post to take advantage of his height and shooting skill. These changes would lay the groundwork for not just the first Maverick FInals appearance(where Johnson's Mavs would lose), but the next one, and hopefully the third soon to come.

Other Top Trades in Dallas Mavericks History:

Number Five

Number Four

Number Three

DeMarcus Cousins And The Wake-Up Call

0
0
Photo

As I watched Sunday's gold medal game between the United States and Spain, I kept watching the Gasol brothers own the paint. I watched as Team USA struggled to match up. Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love did enough, obviously, and this is in no way a knock on them. I like those guys. Hell, I love Kevin Love and his game. But he's no defensive stalwart, and there's no scenario where Rick Adelman will be preparing for a game against the Grizzlies and think to himself "you know, I think I'll have Love guard Marc all night."

And that led me to think about DeMarcus Cousins. It made me think about how, after Team USA lost potential players such as Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge, they really could have used someone of Cousins' size and experience. The selection of Anthony Davis was defended as a defensive choice, but he was used sparingly throughout the Olympics. Davis is still very raw, and sat on the bench as the U.S. struggled to control the paint Sunday.

And then I started thinking about LeBron James, and his growth. I was thinking about how this was clearly LeBron's squad. He was the player you expected to take over down the stretch. Gone were the days of 2008 when LeBron was all too happy to defer to Kobe Bryant down the stretch. 2008 was called the Redeem Team, but these Olympics were the culmination of LeBron's personal redemption. Leading the Miami Heat to the championship, winning a much-deserved MVP, finally embracing the post game, and now leading his peers on the world stage and becoming the star on a team of stars.

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski had an excellent article on Monday about LeBron's growth and emergence. I highly suggest reading it in its entirety.

As I read that article, I kept thinking about Cousins.

The article talks about how LeBron was given an ultimatum by the Team USA program after 2006. He had to shape up, take it seriously, or he'd be out. But this is the specific quote that got me thinking about Cousins:

"LeBron James is a different player and a different person than he was in '06," Colangelo said in a private moment after the United States' 107-100 gold medal victory. "And I say that with exclamation marks. He's matured incredibly as a person, player and leader."

We've discussed in great depth the problem with Colangelo's flippant remarks about Cousins' maturity. Colangelo lost a lot of respect in my book when he wrote off his comments as simply "not feeling well". Colangelo even went on to praise Cousins as camp progressed. Nonetheless, Colangelo should serve as a wake-up call to Cousins.

Cousins went into camp taking it seriously, there's no question there. He was the most intense player, fighting and scrapping and banging to prove he deserved to be there. He showed that fire. He realized he belonged among players of All-Star caliber. His wake-up call has nothing to do with how seriously he takes the game.

The wake-up call for Cousins should be how he is perceived. Colangelo was wrong in what he did. He blasted a kid he'd never spoken to, never directly interacted with. But he did that based on a reputation attached to Cousins long before camp.

Most of us around here understand Cousins, and we've seen enough of him to look past some of the on-court antics. We see his faults, but we also see his strengths. We've seen enough of him to know that we like the person underneath those on-court antics. As James Ham once said, Cousins is "an acquired taste." But Cousins needs to be more than that.

There's no excusing what Colangelo did. With the talk of implementing an under-23 rule for the Olympics, there's a chance that Colangelo's prejudices could cost Cousins his only chance to represent his country in the Olympics. I doubt that happens, but there's a chance. Even without an under-23 rule, Colangelo owes it to the Team USA program to be better than that. He owes it to the program, to his country, to get to know the candidates for the team before he decides their fates.

But while there's no excusing Colangelo, I hope it serves as a wake-up call to DeMarcus in the same way Team USA delivered a wake up call to LeBron. Cousins has never lacked the fire, but I hope the Select Team experience taught him just how hard he needs to bring it to be truly elite. In 2016 or 2020, I want Woj writing about Cousins' growth and dominance.

Cousins has the potential. We know he's willing to work. Now I want him to overcome. Overcome his reputation, overcome his foul trouble, overcome his shooting percentage. Become a player that isn't an acquired taste, but that is impossible not to admire.

Viewing all 2536 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images