06.27.08
Posted in Sacramento Kings, Basketball at 1:10 pm by tim
Normally I think it’s a little ridiculous to grade a draft five minutes after it ends. The true value of a team’s draft probably won’t be known for years. But who can wait years?! Besides, I need to kill some time at work, so here we go…
Why an A? Why an extra +? Cause I’m being optimistic. That doubles as my optimism grade. Plus, as of today, none of the three players the Sacramento Kings drafted have pissed me off. I’ll leave the booing to New York, the ultimate pack of morons. How much did it cost you to get in there and boo your team’s future? Do you even wait to hear the name anymore?
It could’ve been better I’ll admit. It seemed like Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless would drop to the Kings and be a huge steal at No. 12, but of course the Pacers took him at No. 11 and ruined my life. I was also hoping Memphis guard Chris Douglas-Roberts would fall into the Kings’ laps at No. 42, but guess what? Gone at No. 40.
Instead the Kings get power forward Jason Thompson from Rider in the first round. Never heard of him. Never even heard of his school. Frankly they both sound made up. But I trust GM Geoff Petrie, who’s first round draft history includes Peja Stojakovic (14th), Jason Williams (7th, uhh, turned into Mike Bibby), Hedo Turkoglu (16th), Gerald Wallace (25th), Kevin Martin (26th, Western Carolina), Francisco Garcia (23rd) and two guys I’m hopeful for - Quincy Douby (19th) and Spencer Hawes (10th). Pretty much nobody but Petrie and the Kings scouts liked this year’s pick.
“He is a 6-11 power forward with some three skills who averages 20 points, 12 rebounds, three assists per game and is a tremendous all-around player for a big guy,” Petrie said of Thompson. “What really impressed us was his ability to dribble the ball, pass the ball and run the floor with his size. We think again that he will be a multi-dimensional type player for us.”
Head coach Reggie Theus pointed out that Thompson began his high school career as a guard before outgrowing the position as another positive.
“The fact that he grew slowly (means) he handles the ball for a big guy extremely well,” Theus said. “(It also) means that after he can rebound the ball he can also become a ballhandler on the break. He runs the floor really well, and just gives us some size and athleticism around the basket, which we really need.”
So there. It’s a scientific fact. In the second round, Sac grabbed Virginia guard Sean Singletary, who I’ll assume is the next Chris Paul, and Georgetown bench warmer/towel boy Patrick Ewing, Jr. I’ve seen Ewing play and … he seemed kind of crappy. But when you look at his stats … they’re pretty crappy too: 6.1 points, 4.2 rebounds in 21.7 minutes. But hey, that’s in the past. Let’s hope he turns into his dad and the Kings hit on all three draft picks.
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06.12.08
Posted in Sacramento Kings, Basketball, Morality at 5:05 pm by tim
I dedicate this to everybody who called Kings fans, Kings players and Kings coaches crybabies or whiners in 2002. Former NBA ref Tim Donaghy, who has admitted to betting on games, including ones he worked, has now alleged in court papers that the Kings - Lakers series of 2002 was tampered with. The document, submitted by his lawyer, reads:
“Referees A, F and G were officiating a playoff series between Teams 5 and 6 in May of 2002. It was the sixth game of a seven-game series, and a Team 5 victory that night would have ended the series. However, Tim learned from Referee A that Referees A and F wanted to extend the series to seven games. Tim knew referees A and F to be ‘company men,’ always acting in the interest of the NBA, and that night, it was in the NBA’s interest to add another game to the series. Referees A and F heavily favored Team 6. Personal fouls [resulting in obviously injured players] were ignored even when they occurred in full view of the referees. Conversely, the referees called made-up fouls on Team 5 in order to give additional free throw opportunities for Team 6. Their foul-calling also led to the ejection of two Team 5 players. The referees’ favoring of Team 6 led to that team’s victory that night, and Team 6 came back from behind to win that series.”
Team 5 is the Kings, Team 6 is the Lakers, and Douchebags A, F and G are Dick Bavetta, Bob Delaney and Ted Bernhardt. The three allowed L.A. to take 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone. They scored 16 of their last 18 points at the line, while centers Vlade Divac and Scot Pollard both fouled out trying not to breathe on Shaq.
“My first thought [upon hearing Donaghy’s allegation] was: I knew it,” Pollard said Tuesday night. “I’m not going to say there was a conspiracy. I just think something wasn’t right. It was unfair. We didn’t have a chance to win that game.”
“This is a hard one to swallow,” Pollard said. “If it’s ever proven, the league owes me a ring. I guess I can’t really say that, because it doesn’t change much. It just breaks your heart.”
Anyone who watched the game, including honest Lakers fans, knows that should’ve been the end of the series. Instead, the Lakers won game seven and the championship over a weak New Jersey team.
NBA Commissioner David Stern had his chance to respond to the allegations, and basically said that Donaghy was a felon with no credibility and that his claims were “baseless.”
How can he be so sure? How can he dismiss the idea so quickly? The felon and cheater was employed by the NBA for 13 years, and Stern had no idea.
He might be right, but he needs to wipe that smirk off his face while he answers, cause I’m not laughing. I don’t think it’s funny, I don’t think it’s ridiculous, and I’m not satisfied with his answer. If anyone wants to argue that there wasn’t a conspiracy, then they have to offer an explanation for the officiating. How could it be so bad? It was more than the volume of calls that came just when the Lakers needed them, it was the calls themselves (e.g. Bibby’s bloody face fouling Kobe’s sharp elbow).
Stern also acted like this was old news. Apparently the NBA launched a $1 million investigation after Donaghy got caught. But I don’t know how thorough it was because Delaney said nobody has tried to contact him about the game. You would think you’d be interested in talking to the refs involved in this game.
I’m still not convinced there was an explicit conspiracy, but I have to think the league wanted a game seven and the refs knew it. Most importantly, perception is reality. Nobody trusted NBA refs before Tim Donaghy. Stern’s casual brush-off isn’t acceptable. Kings fans have never gotten over that series, and especially game six. Saying “Don’t worry about it” isn’t good enough.
As crazy as it sounds, Donaghy getting caught might be the best thing that could’ve happened. The NBA needs a revolution in the reffing department. Get rid of all of them and start over fresh. Right now, people are convinced that corrupt or just plain bad refs are costing their teams games, series’ and championships. Referees robbed the Kings of a championship in 2002, and I’m just one of the many who are pissed off about it.
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