Following a heartbreaker against the Heat on Saturday, the Spurs look to get back on track in a tango with the Sacramento Kings.
Sacramento Kings @ San Antonio Spurs
AT&T Center, San Antonio, TXOctober 20, 2014, 7:30 PM Spurs Time
RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI
Last season, the Sacramento Kings were chock-full of talented players whose skill sets almost entirely overlapped on both ends of the floor. Their offense was limited to several ball-dependent playmakers (DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay), and several role players who couldn't hit their jumpers (27th in the league for 3-point %). Nik Stauskus and Darren Collison should be welcome additions in that regard, and Ben McLemore, whose shooting stroke has been touted by one of the league's greatest shooters, appears to be much improved after a rocky rookie season.
The other major flaw with the Kings was their team defense, which finished 24th in the league in Defensive Rating. It didn't help that their team leaders were, for the most part, willing to forgo real defense for gambling on passes and isolation plays. While Darren Collison is an undeniably worse basketball player than Thomas, you have to wonder if Collison better addresses the needs of the roster, specifically on defense. Thomas paired his small stature with a subpar effort defensively, which hampered Coach Malone's ability to lock down the paint. Darren is a solid defender, and along with a more-focused Cousins, could be a more defensive-minded team this year.
The preseason is nearing its conclusion, and Malone will have to figure out how to properly allocate minutes to his players. On the other end of the spectra, the Spurs' roster is all but set now. Josh Davis was never more than a D-League consideration. Kyle Anderson secured a platoon role between Austin and San Antonio with serviceable play, and a decent jumper. Despite his Spur-like efficiency in minimal playing time and willingness to sacrifice his body for the betterment of the team, JaMychal Green may be forced to further prove himself in Austin before he can be deemed NBA-ready. Then there's Bryce Cotton, who has, quite literally, played himself off of the court.
With Kawhi, Tiago, Patty, and possibly more out for tonight, this could very well be another tough game for the benchwarmers. However, the actual result of this game is meaningless compared to the many teachable moments that can only be learned from playing against other NBA-caliber players.
Preseason Game 5 | ||
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Sacramento Kings | San Antonio Spurs | |
October, 20, 2014 | ||
AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas | ||
7:30 PM CDT | ||
TV: N/A Radio: WOAI 1200AM | ||
Starters | ||
Darren Collison | PG | |
Ben McLemore | SG | |
Rudy Gay | SF | Kyle Anderson |
PF | ||
DeMarcus Cousins | C | |
Game prediction: Spurs by 6.
As always Tony must dominate Fisher, andyou can get your San Antonio Spurs tickets from Daniel Farias with Spurs Sports & Entertainment:
Tel: 210-444-5607 | dfarias@attcenter.com