A FAN'S VIEW OF THE GRIZZLIES GAME
john114AAA

Bavetta received a smatering of boos from the crowd just before the tip off. A few fans were on him really hard for his role in last year's playoff debacle. He was making like he did not hear and one fan said: "hearing is the second thing to go, after sight!", then Bavetta made a couple calls in Griz favor and that fan shut up.... it was me... Ha! HA! The Kings started out slow like most first games after road trip but then really got it going and had a 49 to 29 lead and then the wheels fell off. Some said it was because of key timeouts by Griz coach and changes to offensive and defensive rotations and use of zone defense by Griz that made difference. The Kings built up another 20 point lead at 89 to 69 (I think) and then the wheels came off again. Rick had to put the entire first team back in to "save" the game at the end. I thought that was crap. our bench players would have never lost the lead had they been playing without Webber on the floor. Webber took almost all the shots and at one point missed 7 in a row. I do not understand why Webber would get 43 minutes in a game against the lowly Griz??? Oh well... just a Kings fan who wants perfection.

Yes, Peja seems to be back... and that is the best news in a long while for the often injured Kings this season. Peja's shot seems to be back as he hit some of those really long range jumpers from everywhere and hit some nice fall backs from 14 to 16 feet and cut to the basket well for a few dunks and layups. To be 28 and 10 with as many injuries as the Kings have endured is amazing to me. I saw some real fire in hedo when he played 8 or 9 straight minutes in the first half. He was the last bench player to leave the court in the 2nd quarter. For some reason, the coach did not play him in the second half, maybe it was his 2 for 6 shooting while jim jackson was going 4 for 4. If Hedo continues to come in and play with that level of intensity, I think we will see his minutes go back up. But, as you and we all know, Coach Rick loves to play his veteran starters until their legs drop off.... drives many of us crazy.... The Griz and their young players get the same treatment every second tier team and young player gets in the NBA. We have seeen it for years with the kings. The Kings definately got the benefit on many calls. However, they let Bibby get beat up pretty good several times and I thought Adelman was going to explode after a no call on the Griz guarding Bibby on the last second shot at the half undercut Bibby and nno call. Oh well.... I and we should not apologize for any calls the kings get at this stage of their development and value to the league. The Kings and their players have suffered and "paid their dues" at this point and deserve the same respect given to other top tier teams and players over the entire existence of the NBA.