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Unless
you wear a Laker uniform, like I clearly saw on Fox
and Grant who took 2-3 steps onto the court as soon
as Horry made his charge back at Davis. Madsen held
Horry back, and Madsen and even Horry remained off
the court, in what one can consider the "bench
area" even though they were nowhere near the
actual bench, but down the base line behind the basket.
However, Fox and Grant were on the normal bench area,
the row of seats one normally calls the bench area.
I saw them both jump up and charge onto the court.
NBC
made a big point to say that Augmon was already checking
into the game and said it wasn't fair to suspend him
because he wasn't on the bench, but in the box waiting
to step onto the court. Hey, it was a natural thing
for him.
Just
like we tried to say that the Magic had called a time
out and our players were ALREADY walking onto the
court at the time.
Sorry,
no gray areas. Stu made that real clear. No excuses.
Suspensions for each.
Unless,
you wear a Laker uniform, of course.
Anyone
remember that we were one game from the Pacific Division
Title? Think that game in Miami made a difference?
Funny
Suns Story Not to be Missed
Valori1
Read
this on a Suns fans page - cracks me up!
I
just thought I would share an amusing story with you
guys to maybe lighten the mood.
As
you all know, the Suns players were out selling playoff
tickets themselves. If you waited in line, you could
buy your ticket and get an autograph from a player.
My parents and little brother went to Arrowhead Mall
to buy tickets. Cliff, Mario, Daniel, and Perry were
all there.
My
parents waited about an hour to reach the front of
the line and while waiting chatted with a young single
mother behind them. She had a two year old son. When
they got to the front of the line my little brother
got real excited and shook Mario's hand. My mother
borrowed the single mother's instamatic camera to
take a picture. So they got the tickets, T-Shirt,
and autograph and moved out of the way. The single
mother moved up and introduced her two year old to
Mario. Mario smiled. The two year old then projectile
vomitted all over Mario and Cliff.
I
wasn't there but could imagine the humor in it. I
guess the guys were really nice about it all. They
apparently saw the mother's obvious embarassment.
I
don't know if that was the bad omen preceding the
game but I think it's a damn funny story.
Comments
Pondo
Great
game on Sunday. Glad they did two things: won the
game
and 2nd, did it on a NBC Sunday noon game! Now
they
need to keep it going on Wednesday night!
Love
the comments about JWill. Glad to see him playing
like
we just knew he could do. Fun to watch him drive the
ball
down court and head for the basket for a layup, just
has
to make them. Maybe he could start using the
backboard
more? It will come! Keep playing your game
JWill!
Could
make comments about each of the players as again,
this
was a TEAM victory!!
Did
any of the Fans meet the Kings when they fly back
home
on Sunday night? Sure nice to have them back here
"staying
out of trouble" rather than staying in Phoenix
where
you just never know what might happen before
Wednesday.
Love it!
Milos
The
game was very difficult to watch. I was dead tired
when it finished but still could not go to sleep (midnight
local time when it finished). Too much adrenaline,
I guess. I'm sure all of us can breathe more easily
now because this was definitely a must win game, just
like the previous one. The Kings made too much mistakes,
opening the door for the Suns to come back, but still
managed to win in the end. The Suns helped by missing
shots and FTs. Delk scared me in the first half. The
next game will put the pressure on the Suns, but I
hope that Kings will not be too relaxed, try as hard
as they can and finish the business in Phoenix. I
have a feeling that the first half of the next game
will be crucial - the Suns willl try everything and
if the Kings can hold them off the Suns should fall
apart in the second half. Just a hunch.
I
thought the refs were favoring the Kings to some extent
which made Vlade's complaining that much more foolish.
Especially the second outburst when he got close to
ejection. I was annoyed by some of Vlade's plays although
I must credit him for some key points/rebounds and
assists, esp. in the 4th.
Jason's
game was absolutely phenomenal, while it lasted. I
thought Adelman chose the right moment to put BJ in
the game, but waited too long before putting JWill
back in, in the 4th quarter. BJ was not himself. JWill,
keep proving me wrong, I love it when you do that
Peja,
I'm still waiting for your A game, but the effort
is surely there. Same goes for Vlade and Hedo.
Of
course, Doug and Scot were playing excellent bball.
Barry did very well for the short period of time he
was playing while the Kings were climbing out of the
hole they fell into in the 1st Q.
Webber
just shouldn't go back to shooting a lot of jumpers
and everything will be all right. Somehow, I am no
longer worried by his game as much I was during some
of the earlier games, in the regular season. He seems
to play more maturely and in accordance with his current
capabilities.
Congrats
to the Kings
Critic
Didn't
get to see any of the game, but the box score looked
like many contributed and the Kings won the battle
of the boards -- usually a good barometer of the Kings'
work ethic in a game. Jason's blowing kisses is a
great way to cope with hecklers. "Be kind to
your enemies (it'll drive them nuts)" is an old
addage from at least as far back as the late 60's
that seems to apply here. I have found that, when
expressing disrespect in a traffic situation, a blown
kiss can annoy folks more than the more traditional
one-finger salute. No way you can get fined or suspended
blowing kisses, right?
Those
who foresaw doom and gloom after game 1 must surely
be seeing some sunshine by now. The Kings may or may
not win game 4, but they have regained homecourt advantage
and may take out the Suns in the 4 game series some
of us predicted. Because elimination games on the
road are tough to come by, I'm guessing it will go
5, with the Kings losing a tough game 4, then winning
game 5 easily when they too experience the motivation
of facing elimination. It appears that their offensive
focus has broadened from just CWebb to a wider range
of weapons and that Jason is playing his best basketball
of his NBA life. It says a lot that Kidd hasn't eaten
the Kings' PGs for lunch so far. No tougher PG matchup
in the NBA.
Jeff
My
personal opinion on the discrepancy in the fouls is
that Phoenix is forced to play more physically up
front because of the difference in the skill of these
two teams' big men. The Suns have muscled up on the
Kings all three games. In game one, the refs wouldn't
call anything in the paint. They set that out there
early in the game, and were mostly consistent throughout.
The Kings lost game one mostly because they wouldn't
respond to the more physical play allowed. In the
last two games, the Kings have been lucky enough to
get refs who are calling more calls down low. Simultaneously,
they are attacking the basket more than they did in
game one and are benefiting in that they are going
to the line when the foul is called.
Actually,
if you look at total fouls called, the Suns only were
called for less than a handful of fouls more than
Sacramento, but but Sacramento went to the line way
more because they were aggressively attacking the
Suns down low.
Phoenix
realizes that their only chance to contain Webber
and Divac is to lay the wood on them. With that strategy
comes the realization that you are going to get fouls
called on you most likely. I mean its kind of like
employing a hack-a-Shaq defense. You can't complain
about being in foul trouble if you are fouling. And,
I personally don't think Phoenix is complaining about
fouls.
Webber
and Pollard were in foul trouble throughout the whole
game too, so I have a hard time building up sympathy
for Phoenix's predicament.
I
think the Kings have been lucky to get fairly consistent
refs in two of their three games. In game 1, the refs
seemed to stick to one style of play being allowed
(physical) while in game 3, the refs seemed to follow
the rule book very closely in what they called as
a foul. In game two, the refs were very inconsistent.
They made a ton of bad calls - most were in the Kings
favor. But in a blowout, I would bet refs lose their
concentration just like most players. And I doubt
the calls made much of a difference
If
the Kings expect one thing from the refs it should
be to be consistent. If they let the game be physical,
then the Kings should just go to work and fight the
Suns Physicality with some of their own. If the refs
call it close down low, then attack them hard knowing
they will get in foul trouble again. The Kings need
to learn to read the refs early on in playoff games
and react to the style of play their calls are dictating.
If they can't handle the refs letting the game be
physical, then they probably don't belong in the playoffs.
Misc.
Hallama
Ho
hum, these playoffs are such a bore.
Doug
Christie; enough said.
Clinching
a series is hard enough, to do it on the road is very,
very tough. A good test for the Kings. If the Kings
do win again on the road, they will have played 4
staight away from ARCO before coming home for the
Lakers in Game 3.
Conspiracy
Theorists; well, if the evil NBA and their cohorts
NBC are truly puppet masters, then the Kings will
win Wednesday and face the Lakers on a highly rated
Sunday afternoon.
Peja
v. Marion; they have virtually cancled each other
out which is better for the Kings since they have
more weapons. I have a good vibe on Peja for Game
4. You can't keep a good man down.
JWill.
Who gave this kid smelling salt?
Hedo.
Doing other things to contribute. Keep shooting.
Looks
like Adleman has made an adjustment to the Kings half-court
offense after that stagnent Game 1 debacle.
They
now run a triangle (not like the Lakers) with a man
in the deep corner. This allows an entry from either
the wing or corner, and more importantly, gets a guy
like JWill involved in the offense to pass, or shoot
that short 3. It also allows Webber or Divac to get
deeper position instead of popping out to get a diagnal
pass from the wing (Christie).
I
don't remember seeing this set during the regular
season. There seems to be a much better flow and ball
movement. Webber is no longer isolated holding the
ball while waiting for cutters. While Webber's numbers
are down a bit, the team has benefitted overall.
Good
job Kings coaching staff.
Sunday's
Game
Catman
Had
to leave with about nime minutes left, just as the
tide was really turning. Unfortunately, someone in
my house (no one's fessing up but Stu Jackson is investigating)
managed to set the VCR to channel 66 so I didn't get
the rest of it taped.
It's
clear Chris Webber isn't right. How many times did
he do a shoulder dipsey-doodle instead of going full-force
up and at the rack? Phoenix wouldn't have had that
huge lead if Webber could finish. He got it going
a little during the comeback, but then it was a perimeter/free
throw game after that. If not for Scot Pollard, there
would have been nothing in the paint. Maybe it's good
these games are two weeks (seemingly) apart, giving
Webber time to rest. Shudder to think what he'd be
like if there were back-to-backs.
Kings
should wrap it up Wednesday, but I can see Phoenix
winning. No way Sacramento loses Game 5 in its crib
(yikes, now Bonsy has me in Rome mode....).
Characteristics
of a Championship Team
Bonsy
At
the beginning of the season, some of you noted how
this team seemed different from the year before, and
why some think this team has championship quailty.
Here's a few things I remember, and how I think we've
seen these come into play in the playoffs. I'd be
interested in other things you folks have seen.
1)
Closing out a close game. We've seen games won this
year that we all know they'd have lost last year.
For example, a close game in Vancouver early where
the Kings found a way to win in the final minutes.
We didn't win every close game, but the ones we did
win signaled a big difference from last year.
2)
Winning in OT. That triple OT in Toronto where they
never gave up. Many OT games where early in the season
we gave up some, but later, I think we won several
in a row. A big OT in Utah, a big OT in San Antonio.
3)
Comebacks. We had an amazing number of big comebacks
in game where we were down 17 or more and came back
to win.
4)
Keeping leads. The opposite of comebacks is our ability
to never blow a big lead once we had it. Can you guys
think of a game we lost where we had a big lead? I
remember a few where the opponent came and made a
game of it, but never won. This includes the ability
to step on their throats once you have them on the
ropes.
5)
Regrouping after a big loss. We've had only a few
big losses (big meaning important games) and almost
every time we responded with a win, even a winning
streak. Remember when we beat Portland in Portland
and the Blazers next game they only scored 58 points
in Cleveland? That never happened to the Kings.
6)
Beating winning teams on the Road. And this includes
a much improved road record overall. But we beat all
the top teams (in the West) in their house.
7)
DEFENSE! Defense is probably the biggest difference
between last year's team and this one...
Conversly,
areas I think this team still struggles...
1)
They don't handle success well, but seem to perform
better with their back to the wall. Not necessarily
a negative but can be a big gamble.
2)
Flat, too confident at home at times. Take home for
granted.
3)
J-Will still unpredictable.
4)
Webber's ankle? One dunk he had would have gone in
had he gone up jumping off both feet, but we saw him
"one foot" it and it ended up a finger roll
that rolled out.
This
list was prompted by comments Kobe Bryant made after
they swept the Blazers. It was something like the
Lakers know how to close out games and that's the
difference between champions and others. I got to
thinking, the Kings do that, too. At least as good
as the Lakers have all season long.
Big
Win
The
Real JC
One
more game to go and its time to put down the Fakers.
Funny thing about superstition. I watched game one
in my living room and the Kings lost. I watched game
two in my bedroom and they won. I told my wife that
I couldn't watch anymore games in the living room
because they lost last time I watched them there.
My wife invites a bunch of our friends over to watch
the game and I have to sit in the living room to entertain
and the Kings are down 17 after the first. I tell
my wife and all my friends that I cant watch the game
here anymore and go into my room to watch the final
three quarters. I am yelling and hooping it up in
my room as the Kings dominate three straight quarters
to win game three, of course all of my friends are
Faker fans. I don't know if any of you are superstitious,
but I will have my butt encamped in my room to watch
the games from here on out to my wifes embarrasement
or not.
Donut's
Digest
el
donut
Here's
how I see it. The Kings can make a statement by taking
out Phoenix in game 4. Such a statement lends authenticity
to their imago as they head to LA. No game 5, if you
please. Not even open for discussion. Momentum is
like a rolling freight trainvery hard to stop. You
can feel the ground vibrate as the locomotive hurls
down the track. Sacramento can come into LA with the
ground moving under their feet with a game 4 win,
propelling them with tremendous momentum in, through,
and out of LA. So much has been said of the mental
aspects of the game, well, Sacramento can play that
game, too, by closing it out in game 4 with the Suns,
adding heft and gravitas to their reputation. Going
to a game 5 stunts their momentum. Instead of resting
(sore bodies and ankles) they have the task of once
more having to hang on and win. And, of course, what
if they should get beaten! God forbid, but in the
NBA anything can happen. Our collective hearts would
do well with a breather before we get into the LA
dogfight. So, if the Kings are really serious about
the finals, they have one more thing to do before
the LAbellyacherstake out Phoenix in game 4. No if,
ands or buts about it! Just do it and then go into
LA and tear a great big Sacramento hole in them. This
is what the Kings need to do to set up their victory
in the finals. Go Kings, don't look back, it's yours
for the taking.
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