LOS ANGELES - It never gets old coming down here.
And, no, not just because I went from talking with the hoops version of Yoda one day (that being Kings assistant Pete Carril) to walking next to a real, live Yoda impersonator in front of Hollywood's Chinese Theater the next. Kings Land compared to Lakers Land is quite the contrast. So many more characters.
The point of the trip was to catch up with a particular character who was only visiting, that being former Kings coach Reggie Theus. Now an assistant with Minnesota (whose team plays at Arco Arena on Saturday night), we caught up on all things past and present for this story. As always, there was some interesting material that didn't make the print editions, not the least of which was Theus talking glowingly about this new cast of Kings that has surprised so many folks around the league this season.
He talked about how the team has added the sort of toughness he wished his players had when he was in charge and discussed a few individuals as well.
"I'm very partial to big guards, especially tall ones who can play point," said Theus, who was fired 24 games into last season and replaced by interim coach Kenny Natt. "So I think that (rookie guard Tyreke Evans) is tremendous. I think Noc (Andres Nocioni) brings an element there. He's a pretty damn good player. You've got (Jason) Thompson, who we all knew was going to be an energy guy with a great attitude who you could count on every night. Beno (Udrih) is back to playing the way Beno played for me the first time he got there. You add (Omri) Casspi, who has some talent. You add (Jon) Brockman, who has some beef. You add (Ime) Udoka, who is a guy that (Kings basketball president) Geoff (Petrie) and I talked about many times just in terms of the way he played."
Theus admitted it was hard to watch the Kings last season, when he would lament some of the changes made by Natt.
"They took Beno (Udrih) out of pick and roll," he said with exasperation. "They're playing better now because, why? He's in pick and roll. Why would you take Beno out of pick and roll? Those kinds of things I thought were depressing. He was having a subpar year anyway, but taking him out of pick and roll was the worst thing for him."
And while Theus didn't offer any specific expanation, he said he was far more upset with the way he believes he was betrayed by his former assistants - most notably Natt.
"I had a couple of guys who were very disloyal," he said. "There's one thing that you have in your life is your loyalty. When you don't have loyalty, you have nothing. You can be really bad at what you do. But when you're not loyal, that's a whole 'nother thing."
Theus seems to have adjusted just fine to being an assistant coach. He is keeping the routine simple off the court, living in a townhouse in downtown Minneapolis so as to limit the walking commute to the Target Center, His duties, according to T-Wolves head coach Kurt Rambis, are to scout opponents for approximately 20 of Minnesota's games and work with a small group of players on a hyperfocused basis (and the rest less frequently). Forward Ryan Gomes is among them, and he said Theus' playing background makes him worth listening to as an assistant.
"The players might be different (from Theus' NBA days to now), the athleticism and things might be different from now and before, but he was in the era when Michael Jordan was playing and those guys were playing," Gomes said. "The rims stay the same height, the court was the same length, so you know, that's the thing.
"It's very valuable (for him to be a former player) because you know he played his league, he knows what it takes, he knows the traveling schedule, the type of players you're going to play against, the type of focus you need to have. It's great. Nothing against coaches who have not played the game, but when you have someone who has played the game you look at it a little different. You know, he played 12, 13 years, 15 years ... He scored a lot of points, he did a lot of things at this level. So you look up to that, you honor that, and you listen to that."
Theus was in his hometown because the T-Wolves were taking on the Lakers. It was a bit surreal for me, as there were stories with Kings ties all over Staples Center. There was Ron Artest, who was good enough to sit down with me before tipoff for a story that will run when the Lakers come to Arco Arena on Dec. 26.
There was Rambis, who would likely be the current Kings coach had he accepted the Kings' two-year, $3 million terms presented to all three of their final candidates last summer. Chuck Person was there, too, the former Kings assistant who was fired along with Theus and is now working with the Lakers. And don't forget about Jason Hart (former Kings point guard now with Minnesota).
Such is life when it comes to covering a team that's spent so many years in transition. - Sam Amick
From the Minneapolis Star Tribune
Lakers top T-Wolves for 11th straight win, By Jerry Zgoda
(Minnesota head coach Kurt) Rambis gets his ring from Lakers, By Jerry Zgoda
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press
'Lakers crown Minnesota wannabes,' By John Shipley
'Wolves Corey Brewer working hard to find shooting touch,' By John Shipley
From The Bee
Theus stands by the job he did with Kings, By Sam Amick
Kings notes: Evans in company of a great is Oscar Robertson, By Jason Jones
TONIGHT'S GAME (By Jason Jones)
Kings (9-12) vs. Timberwolves (3-20)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Arco Arena.
TV: CSNCA. Radio: KHTK (1140 AM).
Kings update: Home has been kind to the Kings, and they'll need that after two more road losses. Sacramento lost its last game at Arco but is 8-3 there this season. Tyreke Evans scored 30 points in the Kings' home loss Sunday to Miami. Rookie Omri Casspi is coming off a career-high 20 points Wednesday in San Antonio.
Timberwolves update: Like the Kings, Minnesota relies on young players. The Timberwolves' chances have improved with Kevin Love returning to the lineup Dec. 4 after missing the first 18 games because of a broken hand. Center Al Jefferson is still working his way back from last season's knee injury. Rookie Jonny Flynn runs the offense.
Probable starters
KINGS
No. Player Pos.
13 Tyreke Evans G
20 Donte' Greene G
5 Andres Nocioni F
34 Jason Thompson F
31 Spencer Hawes C
TIMBERWOLVES
10 Jonny Flynn G
22 Corey Brewer G
3 Damien Wilkins F
8 Ryan Gomes F
25 Al Jefferson C
