Official Game Thread: Hawks - Kings

[lethalweapon3]

Whoa… never thought we’d see this town again!

Yes, the Sacramento Kings are back in NorCal, this time for the foreseeable future. New owners, new coach, new attitude. And to DeMarcus Cousins, I have one question for you.

CAN YOU DIG IT?

With the Hawks in town for tonight’s contest (10:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, CSN Bay Area), Cousins is likely relieved to know that not all Atlanta residents are flying in-and-out of Sacramento just to be a bug in his ear. Boogie, you see, is being “mentored” these days by a guy who was the most prominent big man in the NBA for a long time. And Shaquille O’Neal, now vested in the Kings as a minority owner, believes the 6-foot-11 Cousins can seize that reputation for himself, if he desires it and listens to him.

Cousins (20.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 47.2 FG%) is probably receiving random advice on any number of Shaq-isms. Use your hips to create space under the rim. Commit to getting 7 points every quarter. Address every ref with, “Excuse me, kind sir (or ma’am).” Don’t fake the funk. Forget about starring in Kazam Part II, try hosting All-Star Comedy Jams instead!

It will be interesting to see where the notoriously moody Cousins’ saturation level is, given the garrulous O’Neal’s unsteady stream of ShaqFu-for-thought. Likely also to gnaw at DMC’s delicate psyche is O’Neal’s apparent eagerness to share his personal advice for Cousins, and good/bad opinions about him, to anyone with a microphone or a notepad in his vicinity. We’ll all see how that’s going by Game 82. But for now, Game 4, it’s all copacetic.

You can be sure Cousins will hear a few words from the Diesel (not our Diesel) if the relatively lithe Al Horford (15.0 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 50.0 FG%) is routinely blowing around him to the basket, and plopping mid-range shots in his eye without any effort to close out. Al has averaged 22.3 PPG on 59.2% shooting in his last 3 matchups with the Kings.

It’s bad enough that not everyone’s yet convinced the new minority owner isn’t the best big man in Sleep Train Arena right now. In more than a few minds, the best playmaking guard in town might still be the Mayor. The Kings have been working to change that in the offseason, bringing in Greivis Vasquez to compete with Isaiah Thomas for the starting PG spot. New coach Mike Malone went back-and-forth with the duo all preseason. And the winner is? Well… hard to tell.

Vasquez has been getting the starting nod thus far and has handled the ball well (just 0.7 Greivis Errors per game so far), but isn’t doing much in terms of assists -- 3.7 APG, after 9.0 with the Hornets last season ranked him third in the league. Defensively, the best that can be said is that Vasquez survived the one-two punch of Chris Paul (26 points, 10 assists) and Steph Curry (22 points, 12 assists), on consecutive losing nights, on the heels of taking on the speedy Ty Lawson (20 points, 8 assists). As a team, the Kings rank 26^th in per-game assists while shooting just 40.1 FG% (27^th in NBA).

They’ve been chided for their slow starts by Malone. For an offensive spark at the point, he subs in Thomas (19.0 PPG, 4.7 APG, 54.5 3FG%), the only other King currently scoring in double-figures. But Malone is already declaring he’s not averse to shaking up the lineup to get more competitive starts from the jump. For example, starting 2-guard Marcus Thornton (9.3 PPG, 37.0 FG%, 30.8 3FG%, 2 total assists, 1 total steal, 28 mins/game) hasn’t been appreciably better through the first 3 games than lottery selection Ben McLemore (8.3 PPG, 38.5 FG%, 28.6 3FG%, 2 assists, 1 steal, 20 mins/game). John Salmons (5-for-22 shooting so far) must only be starting due to a lack of defensive help at the wing.

Malone’s displeasure with his starters extends well beyond the backcourt. “No resistance, no fight, no pride,” Malone bemoaned about the defense, after Andrew Bogut scored consecutive easy short hooks to start Golden State off to a 27-17 first quarter against Sacto on Saturday. Jason Thompson (4.7 fouls per game, no steals yet) is trying to help Cousins (4.0 fouls per game), but he’ll have his own hands full keeping guys like Paul Millsap (16.3 PPG, 55.6 FG%) from having restricted-area shooting drills.

With free agent pickup Carl Landry out for half the season while repairing his hip flexor, the Kings will need Patrick Patterson to provide an offensive change-up (as he did in the preseason) and wily vets Chuck Hayes and Travis Outlaw to make rebounding easier when Cousins (team-leading 2.7 steals per game) has to step outside the paint to defend and help.

The Hawks know a little something about having to scurry back into games after woeful starts, losing the first-quarter by 33-22 and falling behind by as much as 21 in L.A. on Sunday before deciding to join the party. If Kyle Korver is going 6-for-6 on threes and you’re left hoping for a game-winner to beat a Kobe-less Laker team, something’s not good. Mike Budenholzer knows halfcourt team defense has to improve, as does the pitiful foul shooting, literal gifts to opponents. Two-out-of-three ain’t usually bad, but Atlanta’s Smoovellian 66.3 FT% ranks 27^th in the league.

Jeff Teague stayed aggressive with his shot (7-for-18 FGs) against the Purple ‘n Gold, but not so much as it pertained to getting his teammates involved (4 assists) against a futile Laker backcourt. Whichever team’s top players come out of the gate productive and focused, in the first and third quarters of tonight’s game, will likely have very relieved fans at the game’s end.

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[Admin]

Man that's good stuff! I often learn a new word reading these game threads. Who even knew you could use 'garrulous' in a sentence?

[willthepureshooter]

This should be an up and down game. Tons of scoring and long distance shooting. Will be fun! Go HAWKS!!

[yungsta]

I think isaiah thomas will be a big X factor. We have always struggled to guard super quick point guards who are under 6 feet for some reason. I remember guys like nate robinson and will bynum destroying us.

[DJlaysitup]

One of your best lw3 !

Should be an interesting game...gotta work tomorrow but what the hell...winner is 2 and 2 (in good shape) and loser is 1 and 3 (surely doomed).

GO HAWKS !!

P.S. - I generally think of my boss as a talkative scatterbrain...but now I know she is just "garrulous"...Haha!...Thanks

Edited November 6, 2013 by DJlaysitup

[Rick]

I'm going to be at this game. I'll try and provide some comments from within the Arena if my 3G is working ok.

Cheers

Rick

[uga2006]

Our lack of size up front will definitely show up in this game. Cousins and Thompson could have a huge rebounding night with our 6'7 PF and 6'9 C.

[jrok23]

Can't wait for the game tonight I wanna see some of Jared Cunningham just to see he has

[DJlaysitup]

"Sleep Train Arena" ..?? ...Seriously ?

[Rick]

This arena looks so old. Maybe half full. Maybe.Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[Rick]

Ha. Heard a guy talking behind me about the arena. It cost $40 million to build back in the 80s. One of the screens in the new Cowboys arena cost that. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[Rick]

Teague hobbled straight to the locker rooms, didn't bother going to the bench. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[Rick]

Teague back on the bench. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[Admin]

Just said sprained ankle and will get taped up and back in. Hope he'll be ok

[Pacman21]

I see terrible 1st quarter defense is gonna be a theme for this season

[Rick]

Getting killed in transition, and seem static on offenseSent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[Rick]

I think there are about 5 or 6 Hawks fans here. That includes my wife and daughter. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[OrlandoHawk]

What a run...this team will fight

[Rick]

Ha. They had a cricket demonstration. As an aussie, I find that hilarious. Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

[OrlandoHawk]

Only if DeMarre could shoot with his defense and hustle