Artest came through on his statement after his second game with the club (a loss in Toronto) that the Kings would make the playoffs. We were looking pretty pathetic around Xmas/New Year's, but this is definitely a different team. Certainly one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs. If we go up against the Spurs, I think we can definitely push them to six (maybe even seven!), but even I would find it difficult to believe we can pull a Nuggets '94 against either San Antonio or Dallas. IF, somehow, the Lakers lose to the Hornets in their finale and we edge them for the seventh by beating the Sonics Tuesday... I think we would match up quite a bit better with Phoenix (despite that embarassing collapse against the Suns at Arco last week).
I remember that statement and he has come through for us. Props to Artest. I disagree. Spurs are looking shakey to me. Dallas on the other hand are a Stellar side with Dirk and doubt we would be able to get past. Suns we would match up to I believe also. Reason being they are very attacked minded.
With the Kings beating Seattle tonight, Sactown has put pressure on the Lakers to beat the Hornets tomorrow night if they want to avoid playing the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. (Of course, being a pessimist, I'd bet money right now that L.A. will win in a blowout and Kobe will go off for like 65 points... )
I thought the Hornets would've beat us on Monday night, I was surprised at how easily, or well at least with ease, pushed them aside. So I'd imagine that the Lakers would have little problem with them. I dont know who I'd rather face, the Lakers or the Kings?
Well San Antonio it is then. Count me among the Kings fans here in the Sacramento Valley not convinced that we have much of a chance to win the series. Even if Duncan is not 100% the depth of San Antonio scares me. Even if you stop Ginobili or Bowen from running rampant, their bench is full of veterans - Barry, Finley, Van Exel and the old man whose name raises Kings fans blood pressure every time it is mentioned... Robert Horry. Having said all that, however, I have a feeling this team can at least make the Spurs and their fans a bit nervous by winning at least TWO games in this series.
I truly believe that we can push Spurs in this series. IMO they have not been playing all the well to me and in the playoffs anything can happen
Okay... that first game flat out sucked. We didn't get into a rhythm on offense until it was late, and the harassing defense we played against the Spurs two weeks ago was nowhere to be found tonight. Bibby in particular has to step it up on the defensive end or that Frenchman will be driving at will on us all series. The Spurs are a better, deeper ballclub, but we gotta give them more of a fight than we did this afternoon. Pathetic effort today.
Damn. Now Artest has been suspended by the league in Game 2 for going upside Ginobili in the first game. So much for at least just making it a series.
Your boys were probably going to lose game two anyway--I think we'll see a hangover effect tomorrow. Their hope going in was to win the first game. Now, they need to just make good things happen and play competitively. If they can go home convinced they can win on their own court, it won't be a completely wasted trip, even if they're two games in the hole. OTOH, if the pull off a miracle win tomorrow, (less than 5% possibility, I think,) then they'll be in a better place than anyone could have expected, regardless of the blowout Saturday.
Well, two games in the hole, as expected... and yet, the loss tonight feels nearly as bitter as the blowout in Game 1, because this one was there for the taking at the end of the 4th quarter. Yes, it took a big effort from Bonzi Wells and Shareef Abdur-Rahim, a playoff breakout by Kevin Martin... and a few bad calls by the refs . But dammit, we should have somehow found a way to win that game. When Brent Barry got that lucky bounce on his three, though, I somehow knew that we were going to tank it in OT. Brad Miller was again doing his impersonation of the Invisible Man, and Mike Bibby, expect for a couple of buckets in the OT, was pretty well useless. I could probably say something about playing well, not having Artest, etc. Tonight just reminded me, however, that regardless of what happens here in Sactown, the Spurs will probably win this series. I would have given us a fighting chance had we stolen this one tonight. I might change my tune if we somehow convincingly win Game 3 & 4... but the outlook is pretty bleak at the moment from where I'm sitting.
Bibby is useless on D. He was guarding Barry, but Duncan easily knocked Bibby down on the screen as Barry got himself into the corner. Also, why didn't Martin foul the driving Ginobili before Manu dished it to Barry? BIG big mistake when the Spurs needed a three.
One lucky bounce deserves another. Things are still buzzing here in California's capital city after Kevin Martin's driving layup at the buzzer (off that Bibby steal from Ginobili) that gave us the win. As in Game 2 an excellent overall effort by the Kings appeared to have gone to waste because of mental mistakes on both ends of the court in the latter part of the 4th quarter. I gotta say though, that this series could as easily have been 2-1 to the Kings just as it was very nearly 3-0 to the Spurs if not for the harsh mistress that is the laws of physics. I still am not 100 percent happy... we need to win Game 4, and the Spurs will come out pretty focused after what happened tonight. There were certainly areas where the Kings need to play better. Even if we win the next game, I still might not be that convinced we can win the series... but man do I at least want to make those Spurs fans sweat buckets in the process.
WOW. NOW I am a believer. Miller a good game, Bibby a mostly mistake-free game, Artest locked up Manu and even Game 3 hero Kevin Martin chipped in with more points. Tonight was all about Bonzi Wells, though. Hustle on the offensive and defensive boards, and hustle on the offensive end where the Spurs could barely contain him. His play the last few games has been nothing short of awesome. (It makes me a bit sad to think about the fact that he's an unrestricted FA at the end of the season, and will command major $$... but I'll try not to dwell on that now.) So might we finally win in SA like we nearly did last week? The Spurs will give a much better effort next game, I'm sure. If so, I will be in da house in standing room Friday when the Kings have a chance to win. At the very least, I'm glad there will at least be a Game 6 back here in Sactown.