Fearless Casspi, Kings Ready for NBA’s Leading Scorer
December 27, 2009 by Andrew Nicholson
For a young team, there is no better way to gauge its talent and potential than to pit it against the League’s elite.
The Kings have faced LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers, and now they host Carmelo Anthony’s Denver Nuggets.
In a span of six days, the NBA’s third-youngest team will face its third top-five team and third sensational scorer.
Sacramento’s exuberant and relentless Kings are learning from their overtime losses and impatiently preparing for their next tip-off.
“Here we are, back at work, getting ready for another Division leader to come in tomorrow and try to ram that wall down,” Westphal said in reference to his Kings-Lakers postgame comments.
Though it was the second near miss in as many games, after shooting 40 percent from the field, 24 percent from three-point range and 65 percent from the free throw line, Westphal was pleased with his team’s performance against the defending NBA Champions.
“We played great, we played hard and we didn’t even shoot the ball well,” Westphal said after practice and reviewing the game tape.
Despite the team’s shooting woes, Beno Udrih shot 53 percent from the field (10-of-19) and 43 percent from long range (3-of-7) on his way to a season-high 23 points. The Kings starting guard also dished six assists and grabbed two steals while giving up just two turnovers in nearly 47 minutes. His willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team has been one of the many bright spots for Westphal through the first third of the season.
“I have no idea where we’d be without Beno,” Westphal said. “He has meant a lot to us leadership-wise at both ends of the floor. He deserves any praise he can get right now.”
While Udrih has become the second-most proficient shooter among guards (52.7 percent from the field) this season, his teammate Omri Casspi continues to prove he is among the League’s elite rookies. Against the Lakers, Sacramento’s number 18 tallied his second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He again showed his ability to play big in crunch time as his timely and-one helped earn the Kings a trip to overtime.
“We wanted to let our fans go home with a big smile on their faces, like it’s a new age here now,” Casspi said after Sunday’s practice.
Though he was disappointed the team came up short in the win column, he’s confident the Kings recent play is raising eyebrows.
“I think it’s a good message for the League because we’re a good team (with a) very good future,” Casspi said.
With his unyielding passion and fearless approach, Casspi has shown no sign of awe against two of the NBA’s most dynamic players, James and Bryant. It’s those qualities and his belief in he and the Kings that has allowed him to play with such confidence.
“It’s a great challenge,” Casspi said. “I love to compete against those guys. I love to compete against the best, and that’s why I’m here…
“We had to come out and really play hard, as we did,” Casspi said. “A lot of (Kings) players came in and (played very well). Tomorrow is going to be the same. We have to come out with the same aggressiveness. It’s going to be very hard to maintain it, but Denver is going to punish us if we (don’t).”
Like the Cavaliers (Central) and Lakers (Pacific), the Nuggets come to town leading their division (Northwest). And like Sacramento, who may be without starting point guard Tyreke Evans due to a sprained right ankle, Denver is expected to be without its playmaker Chauncey Billups, who is out with a left groin strain.
Even with the possibility of the two powerful point guards out of action, the matchup remains a physical one. It’s the type of game this year’s young tenacious Kings relish.
“They scramble the game with the intensity of their defense and their aggressive play,” Westphal said of the Nuggets. “They get to the free throw line at a very high rate. They’re very tough to guard because of Carmelo Anthony, particularly, and others, as well. They attack at both ends of the floor and they’re another top-five team in the League. It’s another big challenge for us.”
“We’re an aggressive team now,” Casspi said. “We’re not backing down from anybody. Down six, down eight, we keep playing hard. Down 35, we keep playing hard, so everybody has to be ready for us.”
According to Coach Westphal, the Kings approach is the kind necessary to be successful.
“We have a lot of players who don’t back down from anybody, and that’s what you need in this league.”
Watch – Kings Practice: Coach Westphal.
Watch – Kings Practice: Omri Casspi.
See Casspi and the Kings take on Anthony, the League’s leading scorer (30.4 ppg), and the Nuggets on Monday at 7 p.m. at ARCO Arena. Buy tickets now.
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