POINT GUARDS

Critic

Bibby will have never had so many easy ways to get assists before in his career because he never has had even close to the offensive firepower at the other end of his passes as he now has. Any PG would salivate at playing for the Kings. My idea of an easy assist is passing the ball to Peja or CWebb coming off a screen. Also, I think the Kings will find that their PG spends more of his time getting the ball to the open man while he's still open than his predecessor and that shooting percentages of other Kings will go up (maybe only a smidge, but up). I loved to watch

Jason's magic show as much as the next guy, but you only get two points per FG, with no style points. I think the other Kings won't have to work quite as hard for their shots with Bibby running the offense. Of course, if the RA offense requires him to dump the ball to the left wing and jog through the lane, not much will have changed. On the 3-on-2 fast breaks, look for more times where the PG takes the ball towards the hole till someone stops him, stops at the foul line and hits the open wing man (there has to be one) with a simple bounce pass for a lay-up/dunk than was the case with Jason, where he might pull up and jack a 30 footer instead or might do a move that he alone could do that was shown 7 times per newscast that evening, but miss the ensuing lay-up. More basic (running) basketball and less showtime.

It will be fun to see if Lowe lets Jason control the ball more in Memphis's half-court offense. If he does, Jason might have a great year. I hope he does well; the kid is fun to watch. Contrary to popular opinion, I think Jason is potentially more valuable in the half-court offense than on breaks. Breaks are simple and you don't need to do a circus act to score and taking chances risks losing that easy score that is your birthright with a man advantage. But in the half-court offense where the D is set, the ability to create something out of nothing via ball handling and penetration can be REALLY valuable, even if there are some turnovers that accompanying the scoring. He wasn't all that valuable to the Kings as he was used, however, at least IMO. Bibby will be better, even if less exciting.

Reno Lady

I'm excited about this year's team just as I was last year's - but even more so. Seems as if everyone of the guys returning from last year knows how good this team can be and worked on their games over the summer to do their part to make it even better. As I was reading Critic's post about Bibby I had to smile a little because it must be like "manna from Heaven" for him to have those 4 guys from which to choose - can he go wrong going to any of them? Not one bit! How many PGs in the league have the luxury of knowing all 4 of the guys on the floor with you can be a virtual scoring machine if you'll just get the ball to them? And then to realize that if one of them takes a breather there's someone just as good that will step into their spot? I know the Lakers have the BS and Kobe and there's no denying they're the champs right now - but top to bottom the Kings are a much more talented team and I think, if they play smarter, our 12 guys can beat their 12, 3 out of 4 games. I'm hoping Adelman will tell Bibby and Christie to put some pressure on the Lakers backcourt as they try to bring the ball up, causing them to either violate the 8 second rule or make a bad pass that Webber's long arms or Peja's quick hands will grab. Shaq can't score if he doesn't get the ball and Kobe gets frustrated and makes errors when guys like Christie get on him real closely. And while some say maybe next year I think there's a good chance the Kings can knock the Lakers off this year.

The Roots of the Running Game?
Knute

I was going through some old basketball cards last night and I came across my old Blazer cards from my adolescence. Included was a 1970-71 Geoff Petrie rookie card! I grew up in Portland and feasted on the expansion era Blazers in my youth. In fact, the first two sports autographs I ever got were of Adelman and Petrie, at the Stage Door entrance to the old Portland Memorial Coliseum when I was 11 years old!

Anyway, in case anyone's unaware of their history, I was reminded that Adelman and Petrie were the starting backcourt for the expansion Blazers (29 wins!) in '70-71. Adelman was a serviceable point guard picked up in the

expansion draft from the Clippers (very savvy, but slow and not very skilled). Petrie, on the other hand, was the blazers first-ever draft pick and had franchise player written all over him. He won the co-rookie of the year with Dave Cowens in 1971. He averaged over 24 ppg three out of his first five seasons. He was smooth, pretty quick, and an awesome pure shooter. He could have been an all-time great player, except he blew out his knee circa 1975 and was never the same again. Twas before the 'scope.'

But I digress...

My point is that the Blazers' expansion coach was a guy named Rolland Todd, who ran a relentless run-and-gun system. Almost as over-the-top as Paul Westhead with Loyola Marymount in the Bo Kimble/Hank Gathers era. The Blazers ran and ran and ran. Adelman was traded from Portland to the KC/Omaha Kings in '72-73, I think.

Anyway, given their ancient history with Portland in the early '70s, I wonder how much of their current up-tempo philosophy was forged in their early days together under Rolland Todd? We know Petrie was initially trained much differently at Princeton. Since Petrie/Adelman consistently shaped up-tempo teams over the years in both Portland & Sacramento, it seems to be more a matter of shared philosophy than them shaping their system to match the talent on hand. Anyway, it's kind of interesting to think that much of the flavor of the current Kings may have been shaped by the philosophy of a now forgotten expansion coach from 30 years ago.........

If so, then bless you Rolland Todd, wherever you are.

GATHERS AND KIMBLE - A look at the Past

Click Here for the Story

Bo Kimble

I'm not sure a sports story has ever grabbed me like that one.

I actually have an autographed picture of Hank Gathers, (Kimble too), I remember the Gathers pic must have been mailed right before he died, cuz it showed at my house right after his death.

I still have both pictures.

Eeyore

That story, man o man that is to me the epitomy of what sports is about. It transcends life. No matter what walk of life or economic niche you fill, no matter your color or creed we can all identify with a story like that. Those two were lucky though. They had a friendship that all us of would kill for, or even die for, but are terrified of. Afraid to be that close to somebody.

How many of us hold things in, keeping our true nature form even our spouses or best of friends b/c we are afraid we'll get hurt or won't be taken seriously? How many of us get too busy to call a friend to check on them?

I thank God that my wife is my best friend and that I am learning to be completely open and transparent with her. Life isn't complete without a friendship like that. Bo and Hank had that kind of a friendship.

So even if life was short for Hank, they still had that.

It woulda been nice to see them go to the NBA together, eh?