Kings Report
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Thunder has just taken the practice floor inside the Sacramento Kings’ practice facility. They plan is to get a good, solid practice in today and use the session to build on the defensive effort the team showed agaisnt the Wolves last night.
I’ll have a full report on the Thunder a little later today after the team wraps up practice, but for now I’ll drop a few notes about the Kings after dropping in on their practice.
The Kings are a bruised and battered bunch, with more key guys hurt and hampered by injuries that the Thunder. Kings starting point guard Beno Udrih, who you might remember as Tony Parker’s backup in San Antonio a few years back, will not play tomorrow night. Starters Brad Miller and Kevin Martin and reserve Quncy Douby all sat out of the Kings’ preseason opener Tuesday night at Portland. Kings starting power forward Mikki Moore is nursing a sore left knee. All four participated in a long and physical practice today, but Kings coach Reggie Theus said Miller, Martin and Douby aren’t 100 percent. But it sounds like they’ll take the court Friday.
The Kings dropped their opener against the Blazers 110-81 and looked pretty bad doing it. They shot just 29 percent from the field and made only four of 16 3-pointers. They allowed Portland to shoot 50 percent and saw the Blazers’ starters outscore theirs 66-37. Again, the Kings were missing two starters, including leading scorer Martin, but that could give you an idea of how ugly things could get Friday if too many starters sit.
Kings coach Reggie Theus on a permanent NBA team in OKC: “I remember when we first came here. I imagine that they got the red carpet treatment when they got in town and everything is very positive. But if they come out and play hard every night and play together….Oklahoma is typically a football (state), a great football (state) with great fans. So they have an opportunity to build something quickly.”
Theus on whether Durant is a franchise player: “Oh yeah, for sure. And he’s going to get better. He’s nowhere near as good as he’s going to be a couple of years from now.”
Theus on Jeff Green: “Talented. He’s a lot like (Kings rookie) Jason (Thompson) in a lot of ways in his abilities. But he’s a guy that plays outside-inside, can run the floor, has got strength. I think he’s a heck of a player. He’s got a good chance to be a very good basketball player.”
Theus on Russell Westbrook: “He’s kind of an all around guy. Plays hard. Defensively, he was always very good. But he does those intangibles (when it comes to) hustle, the (Leandro) Barbosa types of stuff. When you think of him, that’s what you have to think about is Barbosa.”
For all you Hornets fans out there, I had a chance to catch up with former Hornets guard Bobby Jackson, who is back with the Kings after spending the last two seasons in New Orleans/Oklahoma City and Houston. Jackson was a fan favorite in Sacramento during the Kings’ best years from 2000-05. The Rockets traded him back to Sacramento in August as part of the Ron Artest deal. Here’s my Q&A with Jackson…
Q: What was your reaction to Oklahoma City getting a permanent team?
A: I think it’s great for that team. I think it’s great for that city. The fans loved it when we were out there. So I think it’s great for the city but also great for the state of Oklahoma. So I think everybody’s going to come out and support it and it’s going to be real big, not just for the city but for the overall state.
Q: What do you think about the Thunder?
A: They’re kind of like us, young and talented. They’re going to run and push the ball. They’re a great young team. I think with them, the more time they get on the court together as a team the better you become and the more practice time you get the better you become. So it’s a process, especially being in the West. The West is just so tough right now, especially for the teams that are not predicted to be in the top eight. But I kind of think our teams are totally similar because of the young talent that we have.
Q: What are your favorite memories of Oklahoma City?
A: Not the weather. (laughs) The fans, how nice the fans were. The people and the community was just nice. I think that says a lot. It wasn’t a lot to do. I wasn’t trying to find a lot to do. But you didn’t have to worry about bad areas to go to. It was a good overall city. The cost of living was great. The schools were great. So it’s a great city to have an NBA team in.
Q: Do you look forward to going back and playing inside the Ford Center?
A: Of course. I still have friends out there. I still talk to people out there. So I look forward to playing anywhere that I have friends and people that I had a close connection with and that I played at.
Q: What’s it like being back in Sacramento after a couple of years away?
A: Good, man. We got a good team. We’re just young. We’re dealing with a lot of young guys. They don’t know how to play the game. But it keeps me young. I feel like I can still get out there and play great and do the same things. But at some point my knees start aching and I’ve got to sit down. I can’t do all that pounding like I used to do. I’ll play all day, but if I stop I’m done.
Q: What’s your role with the team this year?
A: Same. Be that energy guy off the bench. I probably won’t look to be that scorer that I once was. I’m probably going to look to be a guy that looks to run the offense a little more and take the shots that they give me. But just run the offense and play solid defense and be a leader on the floor.
Q: How has your mindset changed now that you’re entering your 12th NBA season?
A: Like I said, I’m not looking to be that aggressive scorer no more. That’s changing. But I know I still can play. I’m trying to get the younger guys involved. I’ve had my fun. I’ve done all I can do. Now I’m just trying to make them understand the game.
Q: What’s that adjustment like for you, going from potent scorer and former sixth man to being a veteran leader?
A: It tells you where you are in your career. I know I still can score in this league anytime I want. But I’m just trying to help the young guys. But when they need me to score that’s when I’ll do it. If we need a basket, I know how to get to the basket and I know how to draw fouls. I think that aspect of the game I’m never going to lose. I know how to play the game. I know how to control the game. I think that’s going to help me out and help this team out in the long run. Being in the league 12 years, you kind of lose some things. You lose your jumping ability and your speed and quickness. But you also gain things. You gain knowledge. You gain better shooting ability. You gain better control of the floor and become a better defender. You know when to gameble and where to be at in certain situations. You know all those things. So being in the league so long, I know all of the advantages I have over the young and athletic guys.
Q: What can you tell fans who might not know Kevin Martin about him and his game?
A: Watch out. He’s a blur. He’s fast. He’s one of the most efficient scorers in the league. He gets to the basket with ease. He can draw fouls. He can shoot the ball. We’re looking for big things from Kevin. He knows what he has to do. He has to put the onus on his shoulders.
Q: Have you thought much about life after basketball?
A: Always. After 12 years you better start thinking about life after basketball. I was thinking at 10. I definitely want to get into coaching at this level because I love basketball. I played it for so long and I study it and know the ins and outs. I don’t want to coach high school or college, that’s too much. The NBA is too much too, but I’m here and I think I’ve got a great future (in this league). So it’ll be good for me to start (on that track) after I retire in a couple of years.
-DM-
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nice interview with bobby jackson, he’s a cool guy. i met him and tyson chandler when they came into the restaurant i was bartending at. they were super nice, chatted and signed autographs effortlessly. i’m glad he’s happy, a true class-act.