Westphal's Rotation

[Eze]

So he said he'd be surprised (assuming no other additions) if his starting lineup wasn't:

Reke, Thornton, Salmons, Hayes, Cousins.

Thoughts?

[nuraman00]

I don't know if I want Hayes-Cousins, or Cousins-Hayes. Either way, those are the right guys.

[Eze]

Same here - and same here. lol

Cousins would probably have an easier time guarding centers - there aren't that many good ones on either side of the court and he's quicker than the majority of them. Let's Chuck guard the opposing (usually better than C) power forward.

[ctba]

Same here - and same here. lol

Cousins would probably have an easier time guarding centers - there aren't that many good ones on either side of the court and he's quicker than the majority of them. Let's Chuck guard the opposing (usually better than C) power forward.

Yah

[PackfanMatt_12]

Evans
Thornton
(no name)
Hayes
Cousins

Off the Bench:
JT
JJ
Fredette
Thomas
Garcia

[bloatedmaniac]

So he said he'd be surprised (assuming no other additions) if his starting lineup wasn't:

Reke, Thornton, Salmons, Hayes, Cousins.

Thoughts?

I like it, though I'm sure JT/Hickson might get a crack at the starting lineup if one of them excells.

[nuraman00]

Cousins would probably have an easier time guarding centers

Then I want him guarding power forwards. It's time to stop holding these guys back, or to continue protecting them. It's time for Cousins to reach his potential as an elite defender. What better time than now, on a super lottery team?

Tyreke Evans already would rather C.J. Miles instead of Devin Harris. He never guards the best opposing guard player anymore. I don't want that to permeate to Cousins.

Hayes can teach Cousins the tricks to defending without fouling. I already think Cousins does have some sense of what to do. He just needs to learn how to avoid the fouls now.

Cousins is never going to learn if he keeps guarding patsies like Daniel Orton instead of Dwight Howard. (He actually did guard Howard a bit last year, but you get my point).

[nuraman00]

I could see JT being the starting PF instead at least at first.

That would be a mistake. Thompson is a backup PF, that's his destiny. (Potentially a good career backup PF, but still.)

[bloatedmaniac]

Dang you're fast. I changed my post a bit. I think Hayes is better off as a bench player, and that JT/Hickson would be better off starting if they find confidence (based on potential skill level if they reach it). Thats the key part though, as we know they lack that satisfaction.

Overall, Hayes will provide tough defense and rebounding when he starts. That will take some pressure off of Cousins. Dalembert was a nice goalie, but pretty soft at times. Hayes isn't like that.

With Salmons over Casspi, Thornton over Udrih, and Tyreke over crybaby Tyreke there should hopefully be less penetration for the defense to worry about.

[nuraman00]

Dang you're fast. I changed my post a bit. I think Hayes is better off as a bench player, and that JT/Hickson would be better off starting if they find confidence (based on potential skill level if they reach it). Thats the key part though, as we know they lack that satisfaction.

Overall, Hayes will provide tough defense and rebounding when he starts. That will take some pressure off of Cousins. Dalembert was a nice goalie, but pretty soft at times. Hayes isn't like that.

With Salmons over Casspi, Thornton over Udrih, and Tyreke over crybaby Tyreke there should hopefully be less penetration for the defense to worry about.

I do not want Hickson starting, as long as Hayes, Cousins, or Thompson are healthy. Hickson sucks. He's a rebounding version of Moore. That's it. Hickson is an extremely inefficient shot-maker. He turns it over a ton. He has bad hands. He can rebound. He also can block shots, but they're the stat-collecting kind. The kind that doesn't affect the game as much. They're not Dalembert-level blocks.

Hayes can pass. He had a triple double last year.

2011-03-23 (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201103230HOU.html)

He also averaged 2.7 assists in 28.1 minutes, although I'm a little suspicious because that's so much better than any previous season, I think there will be some regression to the mean. His assist % the last two years were 11.4 and 14.3 %, so maybe he is improving.

Hayes can rebound.

Hayes is a great man-to-man defender.

Hayes is a career .518 shooter.

Hayes averages 1.5 steals per 36 minutes.

He does more than Hickson (defense, FG%, passing, low turnovers).

He does more than Thompson (defense, passing).

[Eze]

It's time for Cousins to reach his potential as an elite defender.

He's just 21. lol

Foul prone as he is, same with JT, we need them to stay on the floor. Hayes' game is defense so I'd prefer him on the best offensive big man, whomever that is. Also doesn't require Cousins to put out the same effort on the defensive end so he can focus more on offense.

It's what the Lakers do with Kobe until about 5-6 min left in the 4th - he just plays center field to preserve his energy.

[Gunshot]

A 6'6" PF ain't cutting it IMO...don't care how good he can pass
I officially protest this decision

[Eze]

Watch Chuck shut down Amare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6f5Uyu6Dv4

[Eze]

and lol @ garnett. pwned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW1S7rD3Y0

[nuraman00]

He's just 21. lol

Foul prone as he is, same with JT, we need them to stay on the floor. Hayes' game is defense so I'd prefer him on the best offensive big man, whomever that is. Also doesn't require Cousins to put out the same effort on the defensive end so he can focus more on offense.

It's what the Lakers do with Kobe until about 5-6 min left in the 4th - he just plays center field to preserve his energy.

And I disagree with that strategy. They have had several games over the years where they get carved up.

Even back in 2002-2003, Chauncey Billups would tear up the L.A. Lakers. Phil Jackson said after a game in 2003, "Chauncey Billups made me sick".

So when I watched the 2004 Finals, I wasn't surprised. I'd seen Billups do those exact same things in every LAL-DET game over the prior two years.

Westbrook guards the best guard all game long. That's what I want Evans to do.

Kidd in his prime, Payton, Stockton. They did that too.

Rasheed Wallace would guard Duncan from the start of the game. But it probably helped that they matched up a few times in college too.

Since I see Cousins as a better offensive, same defensive version of Rasheed Wallace (Wallace really wasn't a good offensive player, he just had one good move down low and could hit the 3-pointer), Cousins has to do as much as possible. Especially for the Kings to compete for the 20th best team in the league, and 10th in the conference.

Rasheed Wallace's DRTGs his first two years: 108, 103.

Cousins last year: 105.

Make the leap, DeMarcus. Get to 104 and start guarding the David West's, LaMarcus Aldridge's, Luis Scola's.

If anything, save Hayes defense for the 4th, let him "close" on defense. Cousins can get his offense in the 4th after the guards get it going in the first half. The game will slow down more, and he'll get to the foul line more too in the 4th.

[nuraman00]

and lol @ garnett. pwned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiW1S7rD3Y0

Why didn't Hayes do that in this game?





2008-03-18 (http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200803180HOU.html)





This was the game that snapped Houston's 22 game winning streak. It was against Boston.

[EvansCousinsDUO]

I'm hoping cousins stats look something like 19ppg-11rbg-2blck this season.

[Gunshot]

Watch Chuck shut down Amare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6f5Uyu6Dv4

so Amare only scores 17 and Chuck scores 2
that's a loss

[nuraman00]

It's what the Lakers do with Kobe until about 5-6 min left in the 4th - he just plays center field to preserve his energy.

Here are more examples on why it's a bad strategy:

Stojakovic drains 10 3's, Paul dishes 21 assists in win over Lakers
http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=271106013

++++++++++++++++

I also remember reading one recap that started with "The guard slicing defenses and driving down the lane wasn't Kobe Bryant. It was Chris Paul.".

I can't find it right now.

Ok, here it is:

http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=261206013

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The guard slashing to the basket and blowing by defenders on the way down the court wasn't Kobe Bryant (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3118).
Chris Paul (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3930) upstaged the Lakers' superstar with 26 points and 11 rebounds in the New Orleans Hornets' 105-89 victory Wednesday night that snapped their season-high five-game losing streak.

[nuraman00]

I'm hoping cousins stats look something like 19ppg-11rbg-2blck this season.

I think he's more of a man-to-man defender than a shot blocker.

And that's too many rebounds IMO.

19 ppg, 46% FG, 9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 1.2 steals, 2 assists.

[bloatedmaniac]

I agree, you can't baby players too much unless you are certain they will fail (Hi Bibby). Cousins is very young and has the tools to be a solid defender with experience. You have to let him know what you expect from him and challenge him as you go. Don't let others do his work unless the game is on the line and you need a shutdown player to close out a win. He got much better at not fouling out right away as the season progressed. Let him continue to learn.

@nura. Oh I agree Hickson sucks. I'm not a fan of players who don't play hard, and he is one that lacks all kinds of energy. In a perfect world, if they lived up to their potential then they'd earn the time. JT has double double potential, Hickson has the potential to be a very good scoring 4. Then you can have a great 3 way tandum of JT/Hayes/Cousins for example as we had last year with Dalembert at season's end. Naturally I won't hold my breath. I wouldn't be shocked to see Hickson to play like lethargic garbage, and for JT to have a good month along with 2 months where he looks like he is out of pills.

[Eze]

Strategy seemed to work okay for Kobe :heehee:

[Gunshot]

I was gonna say....they won and all

[nuraman00]

I agree, you can't baby players too much unless you are certain they will fail (Hi Bibby). Cousins is very young and has the tools to be a solid defender with experience. You have to let him know what you expect from him and challenge him as you go. Don't let others do his work unless the game is on the line and you need a shutdown player to close out a win. He got much better at not fouling out right away as the season progressed. Let him continue to learn.

@nura. Oh I agree Hickson sucks. I'm not a fan of players who don't play hard, and he is one that lacks all kinds of energy. In a perfect world, if they lived up to their potential then they'd earn the time. JT has double double potential, Hickson has the potential to be a very good scoring 4. Then you can have a great 3 way tandum of JT/Hayes/Cousins for example as we had last year with Dalembert at season's end. Naturally I won't hold my breath. I wouldn't be shocked to see Hickson to play like lethargic garbage, and for JT to have a good month along with 2 months where he looks like he is out of pills.

I would have rather had Sky Eyenga than Hickson.



45


46


Ok, to be fair to Hickson, his FG% went from .554 to .458. I am not sure why that much of a dropoff, but if he can shoot .49 or better, I will be satisfied.

[nuraman00]

I agree, you can't baby players too much unless you are certain they will fail

The other thing is, the only way Cousins will get on an All-Star game in the next few years is via coaches vote.

How do you get voted by the coaches? Guard the best big.

[Eze]

Ok, to be fair to Hickson, his FG% went from .554 to .458. I am not sure why that much of a dropoff, but if he can shoot .49 or better, I will be satisfied.

Lebron James - he makes life easier. Free dunks one year to double teams the next. lol

[ctba]

Lebron James - he makes life easier. Free dunks one year to double teams the next. lol

http://www.lovehorsepower.com/galleries/44269331/CheeseDS/album/slides/funny-pictures-captain-obvious-cat.jpg

[Gunshot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjDp1wakajI&feature=player_embedded

[nuraman00]

What did the reporter ask Hayes at the 3:39 mark, right before "that was another one"?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-pvJB4-HYY&t=3m37s

[nuraman00]

Does anyone have clips of Cousins and Hayes guarding each other?

[Gunshot]

What did the reporter ask Hayes at the 3:39 mark, right before "that was another one"?


How tough was leaving Houston?

[nuraman00]

How tough was leaving Houston?

Thanks. It almost feels like the same question. "How tough was it not following Coach Adelman". And "How tough was it leaving Houston".

[DCKingsFan]

Cosign this powerful post. Best player need to step up and guard the best player on the other team.

[Eze]

I think they should late - I'm not a big fan of wasting offensive stars energy early though. Of course, it always depends on the player/situation - but I'd rather have my best defender against their best offensive guy given a similar position. And to me, Hayes is by far the Kings best big defender.