Tim's Game Preview: Game 9, Sacramento Kings
by TimAllen on Nov 10, 2010 5:38 PM CST
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Maybe Tyreke should take the bus to games from now on....
Minnesota Timberwolves (1-7) vs. Sacramento Kings (3-3)
Tonight, the Timberwolves will take on the Sacramento Kings for the second time this season, although it will be the team's first matchup of the season against Tyreke Evans, who was suspended for the Wolves' home opener. The Kings eeked out a one-point victory in that game on October 27th, but have dropped two out of three at Arco Arena, and come into Minnesota after losing by 9 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
The Wolves, meanwhile, are coming off of a spirited moral victory against the Los Angeles Lakers - their fourth moral victory of the season - which puts them over .500 in the Moral Standings for the first time since 2009. Kevin Love had 23 points and 24 rebounds in 38 minutes, including a career-high 11 offensive rebounds.
In their rematch against the Kings, let's break down the matchups and see who is going to come out on top this time.
Samuel Dalembert is a wonderful humanitarian and philanthropist, which he will continue to be tonight as he consistently gives away post position to Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic.
Darko Milicic vs. Samuel Dalembert
One question has come up amongst Minnesota Timberwolves fans about Darko Milicic that I think it is time to answer. How come Darko Milicic does not dunk the basketball? Why does he settle for that awkward little hook shot instead of just throwing it down on opposing centers?
The answer: It's just not sporting enough. If Darko started dunking the ball, the game would be too easy for him. Centers - not wanting to be on a poster or on a guerney being rushed to the OR - would simply move out of the way or stop playing altogether. He would murder the game. Darko, in the interest of fairness, uses the hook shot because he knows it brings him down to the level of a Dwight Howard or a Wilt Chamberlain (as a Detroit scout once noted).
Samuel Dalembert, meanwhile, inspired the Sixers so much that they traded him for Andres Nocioni's corpse and Spencer Hawes, whose best case scenario is a taller Brian Cardinal.
Darko already brutalized DeMarcus "Al Jefferson 2.0" Cousins. Bring on Sammy D.
Winner: Darko Milicic
According to ESPN's John Hollinger, Kevin Love is on 24-hour suicide watch due to his forced captivity in Minnesota.
Kevin Love vs. Carl Landry
"Kevin Love is sad.
Play him all 48 minutes.
Win championships"
Most days, Kevin Love rarely leaves his house anymore and steps outside only to drive to practices and games. On his days off, neighbors have said that he just sits in the living room window wearing a UCLA robe and matching slippers, occassionally drinking shots from a bottle of Jameson. From time to time, Love will play NBA 2K11 on his XBox 360, trade himself to the Lakers for Sasha Vujacic and a 2nd round draft choice, and play virtual Kevin Love for all 48 minutes of every game. When the console is turned off, he slumps back into his chair, stares at a picture of Kurt Rambis and wonders if the bullet will be in the chamber this time.
As sad as the situation is for Kevin Love, opponents know that the last thing they can do is relax.
"Kevin keeps hoping that if he plays hard enough and grabs a few more rebounds, they'll let him go," admitted Carl Landry during a pre-game interview with KFAN. "He's even taking boards away from his own teammates, thinking it will put him a little closer to a trade. I really gotta be on my game."
Friends say that after Kevin Love's performance against the Lakers, he immediately called friend Bill Simmons to ask him which team he had been traded to. When Simmons replied that no trade had gone through, Love staggered back to the locker room.
Simmons recounted that, "Love tells me he has these recurring nightmares involving Ryan Hollins and Anthony Tolliver. He's even started boxing out random strangers while walking down the street, not knowing what else to do to increase his trade value. I don't know how to help him other than to give him support. Free Kevin Love."
Winner: No One
This may be Omri's last appearance in Tim's Game Preview if he keeps giving way to Francisco Garcia.
Michael Beasley vs. Omri Casspi
Omri Casspi is a career 67% free throw shooter. He does not have the stamina or strength to defend most 3's. His three point shot has not been that accurate since the middle of last season. And he is not exactly a force on the boards. If Mr. Casspi does not pick up his play soon, he will probably be playing a lot closer to Israel and will be sharing post-game meals with Allen Iverson.
The only way Michael Beasley will have to play in Europe is if David Stern's expansion program falls into place. Beasley is quietly having a MIP-level season, averaging nearly 15 points and 5 boards (and 1.2 assists) a game and taking on the leadership role on this young Wolves team. He has been vocal with teammates after they have given up points on defense and is our most aggressive offensive player.
His hip appears to be fully healed and Michael Beasley is going to score at least 25 points in this game. Put it on the board.
Winner: Michael Beasley
Tyreke Evans does intense training in order to push the accelerate down as hard as he does.
Wesley Johnson vs. Tyreke Evans
Tonight, last year's NBA Rookie of the Year goes up against this year's leading candidate for the award. It is an exciting matchup, especially for Timberwolves' fans, many of whom wanted to draft Tyreke Evans in the 2009 NBA Draft. Evans is a solid player. He's a nice scorer in the paint. He can rebound well. His defense is not terrible. He's not a great passer or playmaker for a guy in his position, but his athleticism makes up for that much of time.
Unfortunately for Kings' fans, Evans does not have the size or basketball I.Q. to handle Wesley Johnson. Worldwide Wes is having the best rookie season for the Wolves since Stephon Marbury. In the eyes of most pundits and Canis Hoopus posters, the consensus is that he was the better pick over DeMarcus Cousins, who is tied to Sacramento's bench with a referee's whistle.
Good luck trying to grow a few inches to be able to block Wes' shot or doing some pre-game conditining to be able to keep up with Wes' drives, Tyreke. You can't bring your car on the court. Evans is either going to be sitting next to Cousins with early foul trouble or he will be sitting on the hardwood after getting scored on by Wesley.
Winner (and its not close): Wesley Johnson
Contrary to popular opinion, Beno Udrih did not build his house out of his own bricks.
Sebastian Telfair vs. Beno Udrih
Some readers of my previews have suggested that I have been a little unfair to Sebastian Telfair. After all, I usually focus only on his outstanding shooting ability and shot selection without giving any regard to the rest of his skill set. Bassy has the 5th highest PER on the team (13.3) - 4th if you do not consider Mo' Ager's 17.1 - and is the leading assist man so far this year for the Wolves. The man knows how to set up an offense.
The reason that I focus on the shooting, I guess, is because when Bassy sets up an offense, its kind of like he's playing Jenga. He'll pull the first few pieces out fine. Then he takes a shot and it starts to wobble. A few more shots and the game looks like its about to tip over. Until finally, the offense that he did so well setting up falls back to the table after Bassy insists on pulling out one of the bottom support pieces.
That being said, Bassy is playing Beno Udrih tonight. If basketball is Jenga, Beno Udrih would be the kid who just pulls out four pieces at a time and smashes the game apart with his bare hands. Beno Udrih is to point guards as Tyreke Evans is to highway state troopers. Sure, they can both put on the uniform. But its never really believable.
Winner: Sebastian Telfair
It wouldn't be a Sacramento Kings' game preview without a picture of DeMarcus Cousins.
The Wolves are making major strides and no one sees them coming. We should win easy tonight, but if Tyreke has a good game and makes it close, we have the players to get it done in close game situations.
My prediction: Timberwolves 109 - Sacramento 75
Timberwolves record: 2-8 (72 games until the first round begins)
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This should end in the Win column for us
Anything else after yesterday’s performance will be a huge letdown.
DMC
Jabba the Dud.
DMC tries throwing up some 3-point shots (4 in one game), and was subsequently relegated to coming off the bench.
Breaking down cognitive dissonance and group think since gasoline was cheap.
When asked to stop jacking threes that game
DMC responded, “Me no wanna wanga.”
Discussing homerism since 2008!
by biggity2bit on Nov 10, 2010 6:17 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
speaking of bigs and 3s:
Hollinger had a great column about the weirdness of last night’s action in indy and miami:
They scored 14 points in 28 seconds, a rate that would give them 1,440 points if they did it for a full game.
• They made 3-pointers in four straight possessions that lasted nine, six, seven and six seconds. Two of those speedy scores came without the benefit of a timeout to advance the ball.
• They scored more points in the final half-minute of regulation (14) than in the entire first quarter (13).
• The Jazz came into the game averaging 4.8 made 3s per game, putting them near the bottom of the league. They made five in the final 2:11, including one by Andrei Kirilenko (31.0 percent career) and three by Millsap.
Utah scored so much, so fast, that the Jazz came back even though Miami was making its free throws and didn’t turn the ball over — the Heat converted 8-of-10 when Utah began fouling intentionally.
However, the main oddity was the player doing most of the damage. Millsap had made only two 3-pointers in his entire NBA career; he was 2-for-20 in regular-season games and another 0-for-4 in the playoffs.
The odds of a (now) 21.7 percent career 3-point shooter hitting three straight are about 1 in 100. The odds of two other modestly talented long-range shooters (Kirilenko and Deron Williams) getting into the fun to make it five straight makes it a 1-in-873 proposition.
And…
And remember….Han shot first.Of the 20 shots, eight were 3-pointers, including five by Dunleavy. Based on the shooters’ career stats, the odds of Indy making eight consecutively were 2,818-to-1. The Dunleavy hot streak alone was hugely unlikely — his odds of making five straight 3s were 175-to-1.
• Dunleavy scored 24 points in the quarter on seven shots and six free throw attempts, for a true shooting percentage of 124.5.
• The Pacers could have scored more but they gagged on three free throws. Dunleavy missed one of his six tries, and McRoberts missed both freebies after absorbing a flagrant foul from Al Harrington.
• If you take away the third quarter, Indiana still shot 53 percent.
• Entering the game, Indiana’s 41.7 percent shooting mark ranked 27th in the NBA. This morning they’re up to 15th.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there have been 396 quarters played this season, and the two teams combined to score fewer than 54 points in 273 of them, or 68.9 percent.
Yet all of that pales beside the one jaw-dropping stat that tops them all. The Pacers made 20 straight shots in the third quarter, and I’m not sure people appreciate how remarkably unusual that was.
Using Indiana’s 45.7 percent mark on the season, the probability of their making 20 straight shots is … 1-in-6,333,970.
Calling it “unlikely” is the understatement of the century. In all probability, you’ll never see anything like this again, ever … and your children, grandchildren and several generations of descendants won’t, either.
NBA teams play 328 quarters a season, meaning 9,720 quarters leaguewide. So if the league stays at or near a 30-team alignment, you would have to watch every quarter of every game for about 643 years, on average, before again seeing a team rip off 20 straight made shots to start a period. If you were one of the 11,122 people in Conseco Fieldhouse Tuesday night, consider yourself lucky.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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Abnormal as it may be, it still happened
I doubt any Jazz fans sat around thinking “God, it sure sucks we had to get lucky to beat Miami. I know the Jazz aren’t really that good”
Blue pills were just as “ya, but…” as red pills last night. Just because it’s improbable doesn’t make it impossible, and doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be enjoyed when it does happen
Luckily for them....
..they don’t play in Wonderland. They don’t have to say those things because they aren’t true and they win lots of games with competent coaching and general managing.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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They also aren't in phase one of rebuilding
Or the youngest team in the league
And what they did last night in Miami isn’t any less abnormal than what we did last night in LA. Having the attitude of not enjoying good performances because they’re not what the team normally does is kind of defeatist. If we go strictly by the expected, then the only way we’ll be happy is if we’re Heat or Laker fans, because that’s the only way the numbers will say we’re good enough to win everything
Not at all...
….but they also don’t have the experience of years and years of hoping for moral victories. The idea that the Wolves are in phase one, or that anyone following this club should accept that notion, is a joke. They’re nearing the end of Kahn’s self-proclaimed opportunities for rebuilding. The Wolves are not in phase one. They’ve had multiple 1st round picks for consecutive years. They’ve cleared the books for cap space going back to the McHale days. Love, Brewer, and Pek were drafted by the old regime. What is defeatist is accepting incompetence. This fanbase deserves better than what it is getting and it will only continue if people continue to accept the whole “Well, at least they didn’t get slaughtered!” angle. Yes, I was entertained by the game. It was awesome to watch close basketball. But it’s not repeatable and that’s what sucks. No one is saying not to be entertained here. The whole point of the red/blue post was to tell people to choose one or the other because you can’t have both with this team. It’s not possible. Ownership and the front office put fans in that position; one where they have to believe in magic to have fun and be entertained.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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See, I disagree with that
This is the first time Kahn and Rambis have had the roster they way they want it. I don’t really see how we could be anything but at step numero uno, or how Kahn could have gotten us to where we are any faster than he has.
A few things
First, this isn’t even what they have been telling season ticket holders or corporate accounts. Second, the number of people who hold your opinion about the matter and who will pay for tickets is a rapidly declining number. Third, even if you’re right about this year’s roster, that’s not exactly panning out to be much of a compliment.
This team pitched this year as the year where they’re competitive. They’ve burned through a ton of assets with very little to show for it. Here’s what he’s gone through:
http://gmapuploader.com/iframe/zIrlwOgk1D
I have no doubt that these assets could have been put to better use and with a coaching staff that caters to what is brought into the kitchen instead of trying to make bolognese out of nothing but fish and cheese. If there is nobody else in the NBA that could have gotten a team with that many assets to 15 wins in 2009 and 1 win this year, then I don’t know what to tell you.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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I don't disagree that things could be better
I just disagree that things aren’t at a realistic place for them to be. If the team is telling people something different, then that’s an error in marketing. The reality of the situation is that this is the first year that Kahn has been able to field a roster to his liking (good or bad), and that nothing could have been done to significantly speed that up. You can’t build something new on a lot that already has something standing on it.
It's not even an error in marketing
In fact, it is simple marketing 101.
But in any future endeavor, there are unknowns.
Their marketing hype indicated that there are unknowns, there is no guarantee, but it also tried to fire up the fans and sell tickets. That is their job, no big surprise. To blame this on marketing ignores reality, IMHO.
So let’s give them space to work it out.
Did you know...
Ryan Hollins’ PER of 21.21 is only 1.94 less than the PER of Darko/Pek/Koufos combined?
Quantity over quantity is always the way to go when you’re talking about centers.
I think
you’re massively underestimating the value of that 2014 second rounder from NOH. Chris Paul will be gone by then and they’ll still be recovering from Okafor/Peja/Collison trade/West
That’s gonna be the first pick of the [second round of the] draft!!!!!!!!!!!
You're not letting natural selection take its course! You're like the guy who invented the seatbelt...
Surely
Kahn will pick a Ginobli with that one.
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Nov 10, 2010 10:02 PM CST up reply actions
Just because the fans are in their 4th or 5th rebuilding phase
does not mean that the players or coaches are.
I’m still having fun this season, and I expect to continue that way.
Thanks for running a great sports blog, I appreciate it.
Thanks
I’m not worried about the players and coaches. I’m worried about the franchise. Kahn has a solid track record of doing one thing and one thing only with this much input on a franchise. The fans and franchise deserve better than what they’re getting.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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you do a great job, SNP
but I’m not worried about the franchise. Franchises don’t get screwed, people do. In our case, it’s the fans (especially season ticket holders) that get screwed.
I haven't written an insightful post in years.
yeah..
..i’m more worried about the fanbase in the sense that i don’t think papa glenn has too many more years in it for this.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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I think Taylor's committment to the team...
…is about the most guaranteed thing there is about the franchise
Not "nearing." The 'five windows' are done.
Kahn told us when he was hired that the core of the team would be in place by the start of this year.
Yikes.
That's what I'm saying though
It is in place. I don’t understand why people expected things to be any different than they are now. By “five windows”, did people think that meant we’d be a playoff team by the end of that?
No.
But if this is the core….
Question: How good do you think the current roster + Rubio can be? What’s the ceiling?
When everyone approaches their potential?
Playoffs for sure. Depending on how good Rubio is, maybe a lot more.
I’m just not sure why people thought that a team this young with this many new faces wouldn’t be getting blown out by teams like Orlando and Miami.
I'm okay with blowouts to Orlando and Miami.
But more of the 20-25 point variety, not 30 and 40 points. And not blowouts to Memphis and winless Houston.
I thought this was going to be a competitive team that won sometimes, and it’s not that.
I really think Houston is being underestimated
They played a ridiculously difficult opening schedule…they’re a lot better than that record makes them appear
But with Ishmael Smith playing 40+ minutes...
they shouldn’t blow the Wolves off the floor like they did if this is more than a 20-win team.
Maybe, maybe not
Kevin Martin, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Yao, Brad Miller, Courtney Lee….that’s a very talented team of players who are all battle tested. And the Rockets are second in offense right now, so 120 isn’t that out there for them
And that's obviously...
…not a winning message for anyone in the franchise right now.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
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And people are now holding them accountable with their wallets..
…and it will only continue to get worse because they’ll continue to make it up as they go along.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com
I guess you and I see that part differently then
To me, this team is in a much better place than it was last year or two years ago. I’d hardly say Kahn doesn’t have a plan. It’s just not a plan everyone likes
We'll see how the year goes
I think it’s too early to say this isn’t working. Brand new roster and we’re only 8 games into it
+1
I think it’s pretty obvious that one of the important motivations over the last few years was saving money. And as much as we like to talk about saving money as a goal for future cap flexibility business doesn’t work like that. Saving money is an end in itself.
by midlife crisis on Nov 10, 2010 9:20 PM CST up reply actions
And you don't understand why people expected things to be different?
You expected this team to be 1-7 this year with an average scoring margin of -17?
These are not the droids (numbers) you are looking for
Interesting stuff, but I am going to quibble with how I assume (and I could be wrong, no it’s true, it happened once before) the 1-in-verylargenumber numbers were calculated in that last bit. The calculation isn’t ‘what are the odds a 20% shooter makes 5 in a row’.
The better calculation is ‘a 20% shooter is going to shoot 200 shots, how many streaks over 4 in a row is he likely to have in those 200?’ (alternatively, how likely is he to have a streak of at least 5; alteralternatively how many shots would he have to take before he has a insertnumberhere% chance of having hit 5 in a row). For the 20 in a row it would be something like ‘45% shooter over 4500 shots.’ In addition, (I didn’t see the game), but for odds calculations of it happening again it would reasonable to exclude uncontested dunks and breakaway layups if there were any.
Flipping a coin 4 times gives you a 1-in-16 chance of all heads, but we all know if you flip it 100 times you’re almost for sure going to get 4 in a row at some point.
Incredible stuff though, and clearly the odds of it happening (at least the 20 in a row; not so much the 8 threes in a row since the Wolves got to 5 last night with the Local Masons out there) are still small since we (I anyway) in fact have not seen it. Truly remarkable there were 8 threes in the mix.
It's a trick. Get an axe.
The Jazz look like they are going to complete their second straight
double-digit comeback against a Florida team. They’re up by 7 on Orlando now. Big Al has looked very good tonight.
I think it is worth noting..
…that this is the first game preview where the Wolves have not outright won all of the match ups. That is almost as momentous as the whooping the Wolves are about to bring down in SacTown.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com
Ya
I think UCLA’s ‘pro’-shop is the only winner of that matchup. Certainly not the neighbors.
Discussing homerism since 2008!
by biggity2bit on Nov 10, 2010 6:20 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'm not sure if you meant to say that the moral victory was over the Minnesota Timberwolves or not
but either way, awesome.
"Pinch-bunters don't have a ton of value, even with the Twins"
by Steven Ellingson on Nov 10, 2010 6:34 PM CST reply actions
Whoops, meant over the Lakers, of course.
But if any team could beat us, it would only be the Minnesota Timberwolves.
I actually thought you did that on purpose
and I chuckled… now I have to unchuckle… :(
You're not letting natural selection take its course! You're like the guy who invented the seatbelt...
I love you Tim Dog
DMC= All Jefferson 2.0. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!! and I like the picture of DeMarcus Cousins. However Jabba’s chin is smaller than DMC’s.
If you're watching this Jazz-Magic game
you can no longer say that they don’t call traveling in the NBA.
You know what I think would be a nice idea for home games?
The David Kahn Dunk Tank.
If we win, Kahn stays dry. If we lose, however, fans will get to throw at a dunk tank with David Kahn sitting in it. The number of points we lose by is the number of fans who get to throw balls at the tank.
I think it would A) Increase attendance and B) Be a nice incentive for Kahnzy
NOTE:
The Lakers were so unsettled by the game with Minnesota last night, that Derek
Fisher held a closed door ‘meeting’ with the Lakers. Word out of the locker room
was that Fisher ‘let the team have it’ after their poor showing against the Wolves
last night.
Jackson was upset that the Lakers had to rely on the skills of Kobe Bryant to get out of trouble last night. Kobe took charge because the Lakers forgot their offense.
Jackson and Fisher were both concerned that last night they were ‘out-hustled’.
Finally, the pups break out of the kennel and do something that the basketball
world takes note of. Now we have to watch those turnovers.
Wolves, it's time to "switch the flip".
This was a good preview
I especially like that we’re over .500 in the moral victory standings.
We're also..
…well above .500 in hypothetical bar brawls. Pek is the league leader.
Forever splitting the Cheechakos from the Sourdoughs
www.canishoopus.com
Stay classy Minnesota.
"We're not talking about me and Darko in the same sentence." - Chris Webber vs KAHN!
by caseycheesecake on Nov 10, 2010 10:01 PM CST reply actions
Anyone noticed...
Beasley with his upside down headband? =\ Oh well, 42 points works for me!
Didn't get to watch the game but, as a Kings fan, I did learn one thing
need to read more Tim Allen. Been reading here off and on but for some reason always ignored the game previews. Very immature, over the top, and glorious. Gave me a good laugh. Hats off.
I predict JT will never breathe through his nose.
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