Nor Cal Basketball

DAVID DOW NBAE / Getty Images
The 76ers' Elton Brand shoots over the Kings' John Salmons during Philadelphia's 125-91 romp Monday night. With Ron Artest gone, the Kings lack a defensive stopper whose primary responsibility is to contain the opponent's main scoring threat.

The worst defensive team in the league.

How's that for openers?

As the Kings prepare for tonight's 2008-09 debut at Arco Arena – still without the suspended Brad Miller and the ailing Francisco García - the most energetic, enthusiastic and committed contributors are a couple of NBA neophytes, 20-year-old Spencer Hawes and rookie Jason Thompson.

The problem isn't the kids. It's everyone else.

Kevin Martin, John Salmons, Beno Udrih and Mikki Moore inexplicably failed to realize that tipoff was a week ago, that while four road games is a brutal way to start the season, the pay grade stays the same. Diving for loose balls. Contesting jump shots. Stretching for rebounds. Rotating aggressively. Sliding into the passing lanes.

Last I checked, these activities are permissible in both the blue and red states, yet there were the Kings these last few days, and mostly the veterans, doing little of the above in Minnesota, Miami, Orlando and Philadelphia. With the exception of the narrow defeat to the Timberwolves, the Kings embarrassed themselves, their coach, their owners and their once-impassioned fans.

"I can take the losing," a hoarse Reggie Theus said Tuesday while watching tapes. "What bothers me more than anything is that a year ago we had a reputation as a team that played hard every night. That doesn't seem to be the priority this year."

While it's early, it's never too soon to change. We believe: Start Thompson immediately; the rookie is the best rebounder and most skillful power foward on the roster. Give more minutes to rookie point guard Bobby Brown; he will make mistakes, but his quickness can awaken a slumbering, sluggish lineup; remind Martin that his idol, Michael Jordan, dictated outcomes at both ends.

But here's my surprise ballot: Assign Salmons to Ron Artest's old role as defensive stopper.

While the Kings' interior defense has been as empty as the Target parking lot at 2 a.m., the greater concern is on the perimeter, where it is incumbent upon the wing players to provide resistance and impede penetration. Instead, Martin has been waving opponents toward the rim, Udrih has been pump-faked out of his sneakers, and a flat-footed Salmons has been moving in cement, repeatedly leaving the frontcourt players exposed.

"We have to change the mentality," Theus said. "Everyone wants to score, but we need someone to step up as a defensive leader."

Salmons has to be that guy because, of all the Kings, he is best-equipped for the task. Because that's what his team needs.

Quality NBA clubs invariably have at least one starter designated as a stopper, whose primary responsibility is to contain the opponent's main scoring threat. Maybe everyone simply forgot. With all the training camp chatter about improved offense, defense has been an afterthought.

Well, it's time to recall that the last two seasons, Salmons was the most effective defender not named Ron Artest. (And before everyone starts shrieking about Artest's departure, the Kings ranked 26th in overall defense last season.)

At 6-foot-7 and 207 pounds, the slinky, deceptive small forward has the length, speed and anticipation to stay with scorers. He has the ability to initiate a vigorous, determined defense that hustles back in transition and clogs the passing lanes, disrupting offenses and at least making opponents uncomfortable while executing sets.

While Salmons longs to score – his tendency to monopolize the ball can be maddening – the two concepts are not mutually exclusive. What defies logic, however, is any suggestion that the Kings can play atrocious defense and be a reasonably proficient offensive unit. They can't. They won't.

Excluding those up-tempo Paul Westhead-type clubs that attempt to break speed records while scoring well into triple digits, fast-breaking teams generate the bulk of their opportunities off turnovers and defensive rebounds. Accepting that the Kings are rebuilding, and realistically might threaten for the final playoff berth, there is no reason to think they can win consistently by consistently outscoring opponents. They can't. They won't. They don't have the Vlade-Webber-Peja talent to be an explosive halfcourt team.

Their season will be determined by the defense, by Theus' willingness to redefine roles, to make the difficult decisions.

It starts again tonight.

Posted on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 PST at http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1371086.html
Author: avoisin@sacbee.com (Ailene Voisin)