SB Nation - Sacramento Kings

Kings Things I'm Thankful For

Exhibit G — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:34:25 -0000

More photos » by Rich Pedroncelli - AP

Nate Robinson is thankful he got out of the way and won't be prominently featured on Donté Greene's next poster. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

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As I sit here watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, I can't help but wish that it was dangerously windy in New York. It always make the parade more interesting.

But I also can't help but reflect on how enjoyable the beginning of this season has been. As I read the recap from last night's game, I couldn't help but to think of a few Kings things I'm thankful for.

The Kings are 6-8. A lot of teams wouldn't celebrate a losing record, but after a 17-win season it's nice to have experienced 6 wins already this season.
Tyreke Evans. As someone who was among the most vocal advocates for some kid named Rubio, I have become completely enamored with Tyreke and his game. I really like what he brings to this team, I think he can become a star, and I he's a fun player to follow.
Sam Amick and Jason Jones. It's truly something to be thankful for that there are two quality reporters giving us Kings news.
Donté Greene's rebirth. As a guy who many had written off, it's really nice to see Donté making a positive impact in games.
Kevin Martin. Even though he's injured, I feel thankful to be a Kings fan so I can understand just how good Martin is, even if casual fans of other teams don't fully understand.
Jason Thompson. It's a lot of fun watching JT come into his own and becoming a true force down low.
Beno Udrih. Yes, that's right. I'm thankful for Beno Udrih, specifically how he's back to playing well and working on earning that contract. We should all be thankful that his play has improved from last season.
Coach Westphal. The guy deserves a lot of credit for some of the early changes we've seen. Just how much credit is still unknown, but I'm thankful that we've got a coach who seems to have a clue what he's doing, and it getting the players to buy in and play hard.
Sactown Royalty. I've said it before, but I am so very happy that this site and this community exist. I'm thankful for guys like TZ and Section who keep things running, and I'm thankful for all of the folks that read and contribute. The level of discussion here is so far above and beyond anything else out there, and it make me proud to be a part of it. Much thanks to everyone who discusses, argues, debates, and jokes about our favorite team, the Sacramento Kings. You're what makes a 17-win season tolerable, and what makes a 6-8 start feel so rewarding.

If I've forgotten anyone or anything, or there are other things about the Kings that you'd like to share you thanks for, let's open it up in the comments.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Daily Links 11/26

FLCeltsFan — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:40:15 -0000

First of all, let me wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!   And, now on to today's Links.

Herald   Ainge: KG making progress despite warning signs
Celtics thankful for Paul Pierce
Team keeps tabs on Kevin Garnett’s recovery
Lakers tower over Knicks
Report: Allen Iverson to retire
A rare turkey day game for Jazz: Thanksgiving game is first since 1978.
Celtics win just in time
Globe     Rivers on Garnett's minutes: 'Just by vision'
Celtics 113, Sixers 110
Pierce provides steady presence in win
Confidence is high for Rondo
In crunch time, Pierce took charge for Celtics
Net asset: Celtics’ late shooting puts this one in win column

CelticsBlog     Celtics Hang On For The Win
Big plays in 4th propel Celts over 76ers
Loy's Place    Comments from the Other Side - Sixers 11/25
Celtics.com   Tony Allen Took Boston Students Grocery Shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner
Ford Keys to the Game: 76ers at Celtics
MetroWest Daily    Celtics: Age not the issue for the C's
Celtics 17   Allen Iverson is calling it quits.
Red's Army    "KG wouldn’t be playing... if he was hurt"
And the Rollercoaster Ride Continues...
Celtics Hub    Game#15/82: C’s (10-4) vs. 76ers (5-9)
Is the "Flip the Switch" Cliche True? C’s 113, Sixers 110
Examiner    This Thanksgiving, Celtics fans have a lot to be thankful for
North Station Sports     NSS Live Game Chat: Sixers vs Celtics
Hardwood Houdini    Rondo Drinks Red Bull After Third, Celtics Win
Lex Nihil Novi     "Kevin Garnett is an Average NBA Forward"
11-4: Celtics 113, Sixers 110
Jabbar was No Russell 83-84
CelticsLife     13 Refs Involved in Gambling Scandal According to a Source
Celtics LIMP by Sixers....
Celtics/Sixers Post Game Videos
Boston 113, Philly 110 Highlights
Gino's Jungle     Gino's Starting Five
Celtic Nation Thankful For The Truth
CSNNE    C's/76ers: Live from the Garden
Rondo shoots the C's to victory
C's avoid upset, squeak passed Sixers
WEEI     Doc Rivers, Celtics Pregame on WEEI
Rasheed Wallace, Celtics Postgame Guest on WEEI
Liberty Ballers    Sixers lose to Celtics 113-110
Patriot Ledger     CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Garnett grinds it out to start
Celtics struggle again in victory over shorthanded 76ers
CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Returning from knee surgery, Kevin Garnett goes full speed
NESN    Paul Pierce Potent as Celtics Deep-Six 76ers 113-110
Paul Pierce Proves Celtics Would Be Lost Without 'Truth'
Live Blog: Celtics vs. 76ers
Hawks Out to Prove Themselves in Tough Eastern Conference
Dana Barros Says Celtics Need Consistency to Get Wins
Slam Dunk Central    Celtics Slip Past Under-Staffed Sixers 113-110
ProJo   Celtics 113, 76ers 110: A close call for Boston
Celtics beat Philadelphia, 113-110, after a wild finish
Celtics-76ers pregame: Rondo will not have to face Williams tonight
Celtics-76ers pregame: Celtics expect more from the 76ers
Celtics journal: Rivers is tired of questions about Garnett’s knee
Morning Journal     WAKE-UP CALL: A look at the Eastern Conference free agents thus far WAKE-UP CALL: A look at the Eastern Conference free agents thus far
Philly.com    Unemployed Iverson reportedly is retiring
Depleted 76ers are edged by Celtics
Green Street    Doc: Pierce is our MVP
Turn up the volume: Pierce imposes his will
Fast Break: Celtics-Sixers
NBA ref scandal re-opened
Sports of Boston    Pierce’s 27 Helps Power Celtics Past 76ers
CT News    Pierce, Rondo Lead Celtics past 76ers: 113-110
ESPN    Pregame notes: C's vs. 76ers
Pierce takes charge
Can Rondo's jumper create confidence?
Paul Pierce makes sure the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers
Celtics Stuff Live    Gang Green: Season 3, Episode 6
Dimemag     It’s a New Day
Telegram    Rivers: KG in time warp
Pierce cooks Sixers’ goose
Celtics slip by sorry Sixers
National Post   Doc Rivers not sure Iverson's retirement will stick
4 Sport Boston 14 Reasons Not to Count the C’s Out
Washington City Paper   Cheap Seats Daily: There Was a Time When Folks Weren’t Nice to Abe Pollin?
Fan Huddle    The Celtics Need Ubuntu More Than Ever
WHDH     Source: Gambler claims 13 referees involved in NBA betting scandal
Yahoo    NBA bans Kings scout for gambling on team
Ball Don't Lie    Allen Iverson retires
Crashing the Glass Celtics win ugly
Inside Boston Sports    C's Survive Another Close One
Josh Q Public    Giving Thanks To Boston Sports On Thanksgiving

Kings Blow Out Knicks 111-97, Donte Greene Makes Case for Hall of Fame

Ziller — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:51:49 -0000

Since the 1986-87 season, only three players have registered six block and six made threes in a single game: Raef LaFrentz (twice), Robert Horry ... and Donte Greene. Tonight, against the Knicks. The Show added five assists, four rebounds and a steal for good measure, and finished with 24 points on 13 shots. The entire Sacramento team played well, but this was Donte's night.

Tyreke Evans's 20-point streak ended at seven. Instead, he pulled together a 19-11-7 night. (Not bad, rook.) 'Reke's jumper was very clearly off -- he had two airballs and another with barely hit the front iron -- but he still managed to get a point for every FG attempted. Not the most efficient scoring effort, but one hell of an all-around game. (He also led both teams in plus-minus, at +23. You don't need to play superlative defense to limit Chris Duhon to 2-8 shooting, but Evans did. He also switched on to Nate Robinson in the third quarter; Robinson shot 2-5 that quarter, after going 6-8 in the first half.)

Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni had fantastic first quarters ... and neither played a ton beyond that. Hawes played only six minutes in the second half, making way for extended minutes for Jon Brockman, who handled business (six points, nine rebounds, one near concussion for David Lee). Lee had a pretty potent first quarter and first half of the third quarter against Hawes (though Spencer was more potent), and honestly Brockman didn't do tons better. But in a blow-out in which Hawes had his game going and his confidence high, there's no harm in letting Mancakes stretch the old forearms. He's a real joy to watch, and while that has something to do with muted expectations, there's something to be said for constant violence after two decades of relatively straightlaced Kings basketball.

Omri Casspi is 8th among rookies in per-game scoring, 10th in per-game rebounding, 3rd in effective field goal percentage (minimum 100 minutes played), 4th in True Shooting percentage and 14th in PER, above players like Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Earl Clark. Omri Casspi is good.

Jason Thompson had another rough shooting night, but an exemplary effort on the boards. Three offensive boards in 25 minutes, considering how well the Kings shot, is no small matter. Also, while he got into foul trouble, he did not scream at the referees, except for once, which is an improvement.

Unfortunately, the Nets lost in Portland, so the Kings have some added pressure heading into Friday's game. In case you have forgotten, the Kings gave those awful 1998-99 Clippers -- who started 0-17 -- their first win. During the 1988-89 Miami Heat's 0-17 start, the closest game was against the Kings, a 96-94 Sacramento win to send Miami to 0-14. So, um, gulp.

"It's plain and simple..."

Seth — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:50:24 -0000

"...The Sacramento Kings are playing a lot harder than the Knicks". - Mike Breen

Yep. It's this seasons second or third (can't remember) appearance of Francis the Vomiting Man (now with noose!). The Knicks are getting completely out-worked by Sacramento. The shot selection is awful and the defense is worse. Seriously. Donte Greene's a good player, but the Knicks are making him look like the second coming of Christ right now. This one is ugly.

I guess this is the fourth quarter game thread if you're still watching. What are the odds this 20-point deficit ends up being single digits?

Former Kings Scout Jack Mai Banned From NBA For Gambling

Ziller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:48:46 -0000

Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting via Twitter that the NBA has banned former Kings assistant scouting director Jack Mai after a year-long investigation revealed that Mai bet on NBA games, including ones involving the Kings. Woj says they were small bets with acquaintances, and that Mai didn't use his position to influence any games. But obviously, um, still bad.

Mai also claims he resigned from the team -- the team is now apparently telling people they fired him. Last year, when it went down midseason, Sam Amick reported it as "an abrupt resignation."

I asked Geoff Petrie about the contraction of the scouting staff in September. He indicated that the scouting department cuts were a part of general cost-cutting.

UPDATE: Woj reports the investigation began with accusations that Mai used his position to broker deals for NBA player appearances and for equipment with teams in China and Korea. So, basically, the allegation is that he traded on his job title to make some side cash.

UPDATE 2: The Kings have released a statement. I posted it in full after the jump.

Today we were informed by the NBA that it has concluded its investigation with respect to the activities of one of our former employees, Jack Mai. The investigation revealed that Mr. Mai participated in improper wagering activities while a member of this organization. Mr. Mai’s employment with the Kings was terminated in January 2009. Mr. Mai has now been disqualified from further association with the NBA or any of its teams. We take this matter very seriously, and we fully cooperated with the NBA’s investigation.

Preview: Knicks at Kings

Ziller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:27 -0000

by Mike Groll - AP

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That's low, Al Harrington. Real fricking low.

THE OPPONENT

This is going to blow your fricking mind: the Knicks defense is better than the Knicks offense.

That is more of a commentary on the dreadful shooting the Knicks have given the world this season. New York ranks 22nd in effective field goal percentage, and 24th in three-point shooting. This is particularly problematic because the Knicks have taken more threes than anyone else. A full 32 percent of New York's FGAs are threes, which is outpaced by Orlando (34 percent) but still bloody robust. And, again, bloody, considering New York hits only 31 percent of those. That's an eFG of about 46 percent on threes, which is comparable with lower echelon two-point shooting. While threes are among the most efficient shots in the game, you do need to remain fairly good at hitting them to reap the benefits.

As for New York's defense: opponents turn the ball over quite a bit against the Knicks. Larry Hughes is the only passing lane wizard on the squad, but Sacramento has shown such a propensity to turn the ball over lately that even Eddy Curry could morph into a hawk before our eyes. A frightening visage, no doubt.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Al Harrington	14	31.1	6.7	15.1	44.3	1.4	5.1	28.2	4.2	4.9	85.5	1.1	4.8	5.9	1.4	2.4	1.2	0.4	3.3	19.1
David Lee	14	32.6	6.9	13.1	53.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	3.4	4.6	73.4	2.3	7.4	9.7	2.6	2.4	1.2	0.4	3.4	17.2
Danilo Gallinari	14	29.1	4.6	10.2	45.5	3.0	6.7	44.7	1.7	2.0	85.7	0.6	3.6	4.2	1.5	1.4	0.8	0.6	2.2	14.0
Larry Hughes	12	33.4	4.5	10.8	41.9	1.1	3.8	28.3	2.5	3.2	78.9	0.8	3.3	4.1	4.1	1.7	2.1	0.7	2.5	12.6
Wilson Chandler	14	33.0	4.9	12.3	39.5	0.7	3.3	21.7	1.8	2.0	89.3	1.6	4.0	5.6	1.7	1.7	0.5	1.2	3.6	12.2
Nate Robinson	8	21.4	3.3	8.9	36.6	1.5	4.5	33.3	0.9	1.4	63.6	0.6	1.3	1.9	3.3	1.6	0.8	0.4	2.4	8.9
Toney Douglas	13	14.5	3.4	6.6	51.2	0.8	2.2	37.9	0.4	0.5	83.3	0.2	0.8	1.1	0.6	0.8	0.4	0.0	1.5	8.0
Chris Duhon	14	34.5	1.9	7.7	24.1	0.8	3.9	20.0	1.9	2.3	81.3	0.3	2.9	3.2	6.2	1.9	1.2	0.1	1.4	6.4
Eddy Curry	4	11.3	1.8	4.5	38.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.8	3.3	53.8	1.0	1.5	2.5	0.0	2.8	0.0	0.0	2.0	5.3
Jordan Hill	7	7.7	2.0	3.1	63.6	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.6	0.7	80.0	1.1	0.6	1.7	0.3	0.7	0.4	0.4	1.6	4.6
Jared Jeffries	13	19.7	1.2	3.0	41.0	0.2	0.8	30.0	0.4	0.7	55.6	1.2	1.7	2.8	1.4	1.2	0.5	0.8	2.2	3.1
Marcus Landry	4	5.3	1.0	2.0	50.0	0.3	1.0	25.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.8	2.3
Darko Milicic	8	8.8	1.0	2.1	47.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	1.6	2.3	0.5	0.3	0.5	0.1	0.9	2.0

Seth of Posting & Toasting is the funniest 20-year-old I've ever met, which the two exceptions being Donte Greene last year and myself at age 20. (If you can't see the joke in there, my humor is way too next level for you.)

THE KEY BATTLE

I would announce the coming conquest of Tyreke Evans over his worst DraftExpress comp (Hughes) if Evans were certain to play, but alas, he is soft. (This is the greatest: part of the Peaches crusade against Kevin Martin was that Evans was so tough that he'd play through minor things like sprains. "If it isn't broke, you play." Guess what? Sprains hurt! They limit your ability to run, stop, jump, cut and slide! Basketball requires those movements! Frequently! And basketball players -- even tough basketball players -- need to let their body heal sometimes. Sorry that Kevin Martin and Tyreke Evans and Bobby Jackson are robbing you of your $0 tickets.)

In conclusion, if Grant Napear were an actor, he'd be Peter O'TOOLe. If Grant Napear were a president, he'd be IDIOTham Lincoln. If Grant Napear were a Danish philosopher, he'd be Soren DOUCHEgaard. If Grant Napear were a game show host, he'd be Pat SaJACKASS.

THE KEY BATTLE, NON-TANGENT EDITION

Beno Udrih, meet Chris Duhon. Destroy Chris Duhon. Destroy him. (I will also accept Jason Thompson vs. Al Harrington.)

INTERESTING SIDESHOW

The Kings are 0-1 in games when free pregame buffets are provided to fans. But I've got a special feeling about this buffet. Yes, this one will beget good things. Lofty things. (Seriously, nice promo, Kings. Golf clap. If I didn't have a date with an infant and some spit-up, I'd be right there with you shovelling mashed potatoes down my throat, leaving my seat to visit the gentlemen's room at a crucial point in the game. Right there with you.)

BOLD PROCLAMATION

Eddy Curry will not feel like commiserating with Francisco Garcia over the dangerous realities of exercise balls. (Speaking of which, does anyone else think El Flaco should spend his time away from the court doing stand-up? "An Israeli soldier, Sean May and Eric Musselman walk into a bar. And then I'm like, wassup fellas? <cackle>")

NUMERIC PREDICTION

Considering the Sexy Systemic Rating System has been an abject failure in determining margins of victory, let us stick to the mainstream methods: random guesses, based on intuition and hope. Kings 124, Knick 78.

DETAILS

7 PM start (for the game and the game thread. Forreal this time). Buffet opens at 5:30. No Game Thread II tonight. Post-game thread at 9:45. Go Kings.

Game Preview: Suns vs Grizzlies

PanamaSun — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:31:48 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

3 days ago: Phoenix Suns center Amare Stoudemire, center, takes a shot between Detroit Pistons defenders Jonas Jerebko, left, of Sweden, and Ben Wallace, right, in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Phoenix. The Suns won 117-91. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

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There's a Suns game tonight! Yay!

The Phoenix Suns get a visit from the Memphis Grizzlies tonight, and look to remain perfect at home against a resurgent Grizzlies team that has won 4 of their last 5 games.

The Suns (11-3) looked dominant against Detroit, where they shot a season best 58% from the field. They burned the Pistons from behind the arc shooting 11-18 threes. This game against Detroit was not an anomaly. Our beloved team is tough to beat at home, there shouldn't be any doubts about that. They have won 14 consecutive games in this building (counting last season) and remain being one of the few teams who haven't lost in their home court this season.

The fact that Memphis (5-9) has been playing very well as of late makes this game really interesting. Their offense has been clutch and, during their last 5 game stretch, they have been holding opponents to 96.6 points per game.

The Grizz

On their last game against The Kings, Rudy Gay took over and destroyed Sacramento literally on his own. He leads the Grizz averaging 21.9 points per game.

Marc Gasol is having a good year on the defensive end, leading the team in blocks. He blocked 4 shots in that win against the Kings. The Suns will have their hands full keeping him off the boards.

This is a team that's running on momentum but they will start their road trip playing against one of the toughest teams in the West (God, It feels really good to type that). The keys for them to win the game is to continue to shoot very well from the field and defend the three point line, cross their fingers the Suns are not shooting lights out and capitalize on The Suns mistakes. Easier said than done.

The Suns

On the other hand, Phoenix is rested and playing at home. Their mentality should be to put this one away early in the game so the starters can rest. I expect Gentry to use the bench for a lot of minutes and use active defenders (Dudley) on guys like Mayo and Rudy Gay.

Amar'e is on a roll and will look to score more than 20 points in his fifth consecutive game. He has been looking stronger and faster and I expect him to attack the basket throughout the whole game.

I have nothing but good things to say about Amar'e. I never expected him to recover this fast from a serious injury. There's no way you can play like this after an injury unless you work you ass off in the pre-season and in practice. Just like it happens with Nash, people might be taking for granted Amar'es' contributions to the team. He's deadly accurate from the field and I feel that he's doing his best on the defensive end. I'm really happy with the way that he's playing.

This is also the perfect opportunity for Gentry to give more minutes to Barbosa. He needs more playing time to shake off the rust. Some of you might have noticed that he's rushing shots and sometimes making dumb decisions on the court. This is easy to explain:

As a player, you feel and notice when your role has been reduced. You are happy for your team mates but you don't want to be left behind either. You want to contribute. So whenever you come in the game, most of the times you only have one thing in mind. Score.

You have witnessed the wonders of playing a lot of minutes, Channing Frye is a great example. He feels he belongs here and that's showing on the court. I would not give up on LB or look for a trade yet. He can get hot in a minute and prove his worth.

Wow! Sorry about that! I'm rambling already.

Get ready for the game tonight. It's going to be fun. The underdogs continue to impress. Here we come.

Go Suns!

Kings Finish Winless Road Trip, Lose 116-105 in Memphis

Ziller — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:20:03 -0000

by Mark Weber - AP

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No moral victory in losing at Memphis, by double digits, in a game the Kings were never in from about the fourth quarter on. The team played an unfocused, sloppy game, refusing to put together even two-minute stretches on vibrant basketball. If the Kings play one quarter of ball the way they did in Dallas and Houston, it's a win. But they didn't, and that's four straight losses, and a 5-8 record.

Not to make an excuse -- there are no excuses for 21 turnovers against a team as defensively lethargic as the Grizzlies -- but you wouldn't look like a loon if you suggested Scott Foster had the over. Though Jason Thompson was ineffective on offense, his foul trouble killed the team's energy in the first half. He played only 27 minutes due to the fouls, and still had a game-high 10 rebounds. He can destroy Memphis, even though he's had two disappointing games against them this season. He's built to beat teams like this, and being sent to the bench with all those fouls prevented that. (I should note for posterity that Paul Westphal didn't needlessly sit J.T. to protect him -- Thompson was legitimately in foul trouble before Westphal took him.)

Spencer Hawes (4 points on 5 FGAs, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 turnovers in 25 minutes) was rather emblematic of the problems the Kings had. Hawes was called for two brutal three-second violations on offense, in situations where three-second violations was basically indefensible mistakes. Just as with the team as a whole, Hawes would have one good play (a block, a nice backdoor pass to Beno Udrih) and would follow it up with three or four bad possessions.

Tyreke Evans had solid numbers (28/4/4 with five turnovers) but never really had control of the game. Udrih initiated the offense much of the first half, and Evans's gravity ebbed and waned. I think it's reasonable to say he was the most talented player on the floor, but the Kings needed him to take over the game. And he didn't, until the match had been decided. Having a Wade/Roy type player means having a player to live and die by. Evans played so well that the Kings could have lived if he'd taken his proper role. But it didn't happen. He is 20 years old, of course, 13 games into his ~~pro~~ NBA career. There's time for growth.

For the record, Omri Casspi got ejected from this one for ... objecting to Jamaal Tinsley holding onto his arm. Omri's two technical fouls were the first two for any Kings player this season. (And yes, Rasheed Wallace tallied five before any King received one.) It's also worth noting for posterity's sake that Donte Greene -- that Donte Greene, you're thinking of the right one -- fouled out in 19 energetic minutes. Two of those fouls were absolutely absurd by normal NBA standards, but par for this game, which a preseasonesque 54 personal fouls.

Jon Brockman deserved all the minutes he received (14) plus all of Hawes's. Sergio Rodriguez had 16/7 with only one turnover off the bench -- Udrih was ineffective for the first time in a few weeks, and I wouldn't be surprised if Rodriguez is in position to deliver Beno a shorter leash during the coming homestand.

Kevin Martin cannot get back soon enough.

Rudy Gay is the worst good player in the league.

Lover's Embrace: Memphis Grizzlies Blow Out Kings 116-105

djturtleface — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:47:10 -0000

More photos » by Mark Weber - AP

2 days ago: Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans, second from right, drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies', from left, Marc Gasol, of Spain; Sam Young; and Rudy Gay during the first half of an NBA basketball game game in Memphis, Tenn., Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Weber)

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Team cohesiveness hasn't been a strong suit of the Memphis Grizzlies since, well, ever. In the pre-playoff days, it never really seemed like anybody liked Pau. You can't just exclude the franchise player like he's the nerdy European. In the playoff days, people seemed to like Pau even less. Doesn't make sense, but it's true.

And since the post-Pau days, team morale and locker room togetherness has been piss poor. Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo openly feuded last season, something that received little press but was obviously apparent. Mike Conley couldn't exist with Kyle Lowry platooning, which is of course absurd. Darko ripped his freaking jersey off.

There was no reason to rip a jersey off tonight though. The Grizzlies moved the ball nicely. All the starters found shots. Rudy Gay looked like a franchise player, as he has the past few games. It's not like the Kings are exactly world-beaters, but they beat us last time, and this time we killed it.

When the national media claimed that adding Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson was going to blow up the solid young locker room, it was like, "What solid young locker room?" With Iverson out of the picture, however, a nice little bit of camaraderie is starting to appear.

The terrifying part is that Zach Randolph has been a part of it. Z-Bo has been saying the right things to the press. He has been sharing the ball. He hustles, at least as much as he can hustle. He cleans up Rudy and O.J.'s out-of-control messes. Over the past couple games, Randolph has constantly had his arms around Rudy and Marc's necks, and I don't think he's just tired from all that hustling.

Zach Randolph is acting like a veteran leader for this team, especially for Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay. Is it a surprise that those two are rocking with their backs to the basket? Yes. It is a surprise. I think I know the culprit. And I like it. That doesn't mean I want to see Rudy stop dunking or want Marc Gasol to start shooting that one handed post shot that should never, never freaking ever, go in -- but it is encouraging.

Rockness Monster: Rudy Gay is starting to play more like a franchise player every night. Not a championship team caliber star, mind you, but a franchise player. His game is becoming a lot like Carmelo Anthony's, but more Paul Pierce in terms of contribution. And yes, I think that he could have a very Pierce-like career.

U-Turn: Mike Conley played not so awful tonight. Also Marcus Williams came astonishingly close to a DNP-CD because Jamaal "Ashey Larry" Tinsley just straight rocked the fast break. He doesn't have his sea legs under him on defense yet, but knows how to move the ball up the court.

Bitter Limon: O.J. Mayo is terrible at defense almost all the time. I used to think he was good, but that's just not true. He lined up almost exclusively against Tyreke Evans tonight, and vice versa, and Reke Havok routinely blew past him for an easy bucket or to draw a foul on one of the bigs.

Sleeping With the Enemy: The Kings got a lot of ticky-tack fouls and violations, specifically travels and reach-in calls, early on. The Grizzlies got them too, but not until after it made some sense. Anyways, it clearly got in the Kings players' heads, which in turn diminished their efforts. Omri Casspi continued to look great, so did Tyreke, and Sergio Rodriguez looked decent too. But I didn't see the back-to-wall effort this team was supposed to show.

Game Thread (It's About Time!!!) - Kings at Grizzlies

section214 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:34:59 -0000

Sometimes you just have to take the law into your own hands.

Go KIngs!