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WHY
THE KINGS ARE DIFFERENT...
CaliDrumGirl
What
is it about this squad?
Win/loss tally? Nope--Dallas has bettered
that so far. Star players? No All-Star starters
and even their "big three" fly
further under the radar than most teams'
stars. Okay, they have probably the deepest
bench in the NBA. Bobby Jackson, Turkoglu,
Pollard, and possibly Jim Jackson and Keon
Clark would be starters on many teams.
Is it the starting five? Our MVP-in-waiting
is averaging a double-double, flirting regularly
with triple-doubles and showing greater
leadership...but he struggles with his free
throws and makes some passes that would
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make
most coaches rip their hair out. Our hero of the
previous post-season is improving steadily, but
spent over half of what is in the books for this
season in recovery; first his foot, then his shot.
Our league-leading ballhawk can shoot the lights
out, or leave the trigger on safety for the whole
game. And our Yugo dynamic duo have been slicing
through opposition D like a hot knife through butter--but
have had games where it looked like some of that
butter got on their hands.
They've humiliated the Nets by 36, the juggernaut
Mavs by 29...then dropped games to Toronto, Miami,
the Clippers. |
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That said, the Kings have won more games than they've
lost...quite a few more, in fact...and despite stumbling
spells here and there, look good for the post-season
to come. Despite numerous injuries to various players.
Despite those who continue to question Sacramento's
mental readiness. Despite themselves, on a couple
of occasions.
But there's
a leader in each division. What makes the Kings
different?
Maybe it can
be summarised by that side trip to North Carolina
yesterday. Rather than taking a precious day off
during an already grinding road trip, they flew
to Charlotte, rode on a bus for an hour to Salisbury,
and stood in the sub-freezing, bitter cold beside
their teammate, their brother, Bobby Jackson, in
loving support as he faced the agony of his mother's
funeral. There could not have been any question
in their minds that the side trip would leave them
less energetic for the game the next day. And yet
there was no question that the team would make this
trip to Salisbury, according to Chris Webber. One
can only imagine--for he apparently did not know
in advance of his teammates' gesture--how Bobby
felt at the service, looking up, spotting a group
of men much taller than the rest of those in attendance,
seeing those familiar faces...
Heart. I think
that's it.
Sometimes
heart will get you a win. Chris' heart will get
a team riled up in a huddle, coming out more firey.
Doug's gets you a steal, a save, sometimes a screaming
dunk. Vlade's? Heaven knows how much that man's
great heart has brought to the Kings. And to countless
others who have never heard of the Kings. Mike's?
Cold-blooded threes. Peja's? That and a level of
competitive "ganas" that helped his country's
team win a World Championship this summer.
Can heart
win a championship? Remains to be seen. Not alone,
certainly, but it can't hurt. Especially when coupled
with determined, unselfish passing and shooting,
their normal level of lockdown D, and those occasional
steals, no-look passes and rim-bending dunks.
Just a hunch
here, certainly a hope...but I think heart just
might make the difference this time.
Rest up, boys. You have a game to win Tuesday night.
My son would like nothing better for his birthday
than a Kings victory. Fans have heart too, you know. |
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