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.
Omri is playing redicululous. Tyreke's gonna play i bet. It was just a little soar. He's been tough all year. Westphal's comments are always perfect. Donte against Melo is the matchup of the night. I didn't realize we had so many top scoers in a row. time to get over that hump and get that w.
ty better play this is the game we need to win
let's bring it
כל הכבוד עומרי! כל הכבוד למלכים
עומרי! העלית את הרייטינג בישראל ובארה"ב, המון ישראלים עוקבים אחריך בהערצה רבה ומדירים שינה מעיניהם. עלה והצלח! ש
עומרי ,אוהבים אותך ותמשיך לעשות כבוד למדינת ישראל
רק בזכותך אני אוהד את הקינגס,וצופה הדוק בכל המשחקים
Omri was a such a great pick. Petrie hit the last draft class out of the park!
The entire team is fearless. That's what is so unbelievable about them this year. Beno is playing so great. Lets get this one tonight!
any update on tyreke? is he a go?
He is out for the Nuggets game and questionable for Wednesday's game agains the Sixers. Thank you for asking.
looks like they'll pull out the win even without evans out. this team always finds someone to step up!
casspi was so great agnest the l(icking buts)aykers if he was put the free throw at the and of the 4 quearter we coul'd ween that busterd. but steel casspi proof to us that he is better then Tayrick (I will never pass that ball) Evens at the money time so maybe evens is the future leader of that teem. but now. wastphal give him to mach credit. may be if we dont look at the stats however we chack the perssonality and the coldness at the end of eche game we found out that now casspi is ours best rookey! and look at this when evens on the bentch we can ween a division laeder. make me thoght that we may could ween laykers and cavs if tayrek wasnt disturbing us didnt wee?
like I said im my comment maybe tyreke make hurm more then benefit too the teem…
?
may be wastphal dosnt beneficent withe evens wehn he give him the right to lead the teem. cuse maybe he is dont preperd yet to this responsibility
wastphal shuold make evens know the if he is not pass the ball when he need to or if he play awful he didnt a saint he is not jorden or even not kobi. not yet. bat wastphal make him felt like a superstar this is bad. in hebrew we have a nice slang on players like evens. we say his urine came up to his brain! I thhgot that he shuold be a superstar in the end. but wastphal must take it essy withe him
Even witout Tyreke the KINGS are playing "team" basketball. Just go to show you, when one or two players are out, the others step up to the plate so to speak and play great basketball. TEAMWORK!
WOW!!! It is fun to watch TJ and Donte start coming around and taking charge of their game. What joy for these young players (who many Kings fans had their doubts about) perform the way they do. The excitement is building more and more at every home game watching this team. It's only December…………sellouts are in the near future! ROCK ON KINGS!!!!
Such a fun team!
קודם תלמד לכתוב באנגלית לפני שאתה מחליט לקשקש.
בונה אחי אתה מגוחך !
kings cant do nothing without jason thompson and treyke evans? so sign them a long year deal