Evans Excited to Team Up With C-Webb
February 4, 2010 by Andrew Nicholson
A day after his 32-point, eight-assist, seven-rebound effort against the San Antonio Spurs, including 10 points in the final 37 seconds, Kings rookie sensation Tyreke Evans was named to Sacramento’s Haier Shooting Stars team at All-Star Weekend.
Already headlining the Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam with rookie teammate Omri Casspi, Evans is excited to join Kings legend Chris Webber and NY Liberty forward Nicole Powell in the competition against teams from Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta.
“Hopefully we can get a win,” Evans said smiling after Thursday’s practice.
As for the final-minute surge, which his teammate Spencer Hawes likened to a Reggie Miller-esque finish, it meant little to the Kings point guard.
“I didn’t really know until after the game,” Evans said. “A couple teammates told me that. It wasn’t good enough. We didn’t get the win when we should (have), so it didn’t really mean much to me.”
Although he’s missed time caused by a bruised left hip and a sprained right ankle, Evans said he felt well the morning after his first game back. As tough as his teammate Casspi has been all season, the Kings forward missed Thursday’s practice due to a stomach virus.
Watch - Kings Practice: Tyreke Evans.
After the setback to another veteran, current playoff-bound team, Coach Paul Westphal said he’s staying true to his preseason message, being honest. Lately, his truthfulness has been most evident in film sessions where the Kings head coach points out specific areas where players and the team need to improve. Despite the stretch of tough outcomes the team has endured, Westphal remains positive and committed to teaching the young players.
“I’m loving it,” Westphal said of the season overall. “We started down the road to respectability and I can see it up ahead. I just don’t know how far it is in the future. But I told the team today, as long as we get better every day (it’s) all we can ask and the least we can ask, as well.”
With the Phoenix Suns coming to town for their final regular season appearance in Sacramento, Westphal says what the team needs to do to be successful is apparent to players and fans alike.
“It sticks out, and everybody can see it,” he said. “Our defense is too soft in the middle. We don’t do a good job controlling the dribbler. We don’t do a good job of helping at the point of the screen. We don’t do a good job of rotating and covering the basket. A lot of those things are experience-type things, team defense that’s being learned by the young players. Also, some of it is effort, and we have to sort out which is which as we go forward.”
Watch - Kings Practice: Coach Westphal.
As the team’s starting center, Hawes, who has combined for 41 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in his last two games, says, although the interior may be giving up too many points, it’s a responsibility of the team to slow down inside scoring, not just the Kings frontline.
“It’s a collective effort to turn that around,” he said. “We all kind of have to be on a string. The first thing is keeping your man between you and the hoop, and once that breaks down everyone has to (react accordingly with help defense).”
Watch - Kings Practice: Spencer Hawes.
Leading up to the Kings-Spurs tilt, shooting guard Kevin Martin had averaged 28.7 points per contest over the past three outings, while he only notched 15 points against the Spurs, he said the team and him just need to put together one strong game to regain the early season swagger.
“We just need one to get it going,” he said. “We just learn from our mistakes last game and hopefully correct them and win and get over this hump.”
Asked if he thinks the team is making steps in the right direction, Martin said, “Yes, we just need to do it over a 48-minute period and finish off some of these games.”
Watch - Kings Practice: Kevin Martin.
See Martin, Hawes and the Kings take on Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and the Suns on Friday at ARCO Arena at 7 p.m. Buy tickets now.
im starting to not believe in Kevin Martin
dont do that you have to believe he will hit crucial threes, free throws, and mid rang jump shots.
Why are we bashing Kevin Martin when this article is such a positive announcement about Tyreke Evans??? With averages of 20.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 5.1 APG Evans is on track to be the first rookie to average 20-5-5 since LeBron James.
Too good to be true? Heck no, Tyreke Evans is the real deal.
Its hard to be patient with this team, I'm so excited seeing all the potential, i find my self wanting a championship team right away. However, i then realize that they win and loose as a team and it will just take time to find that groove. These guys play hard and that's what keeps me watching every game. My only complaint is even though we get bad calls once in awhile, we need to learn to shake them off. Throwing a fit after every bad call hurts you and your team…( Jason) … No more baby fits. I love how every game different Players stand up and play well. not just the same 5 every game. I love this team, and I'm proud of them win or loose. I just have to be a little patient and wait for them to find there groove as a team.
tyreke really is turning out to be the Lebron of point guards. Lebron redifined the small forward position and tyreke seems like he is well on his way to showing he can score and create like a legend. sure he has room to grow in getting his teammates in the right spots but the guy is a rookie! it's frustrating we're not closing out more games but at least the guys are holding themselves accountable, which shows us they want to get better and win.
have to add that it's nice to see spencer growing up and starting to produce a bit hopefully this type of play is here to stay from him.
Tyreke deserves all the rewards that are coming his way. Looking forward to the next few years to see how much he grows as a player. He will definitely be All- Star material. Congratulation to you Tyreke, also to Mr. Nicholson for writing another fine blog. Your blogs are always full of knowledgable information and of interest to us Kings fans.
Todd you hit it right on. I watch every game and see all the potential this team has. I get all worked when they play well against good/great teams (Lakers, Cavs, Suns…) but just can't hold on. They make mistakes that just make me furious. I also need to keep telling myself to be patient. Coming off a 17-win season, we can't legitimately expect to see a championship team, maybe even a playoff team. I had originally thought that they could finish .500 but now I just want them to double their win total. They're such a young team, but with so much talent, it will only take a year or two for them to get everything together and make a push and be a team to beat again. I can't wait.
Thank you for the encouragement, Steven. I appreciate your positive feedback. Tyreke's early career production has been a lot of fun to watch. The future appears very bright!
Team SACRAMENTO got to get that W at All-Star Got to get it Reke. C-Webb reppin the #4. ITS GONNA be SICKKKK
we should trade kevin martin and a second draft pick and kenny thomas for igudala
??????????
I still dont think trading Martin is the best solution but im glad our President of Basketball Operations is Geoff Petrie I know he will do the right thing to get the Kings back to a playoff team in the future.
Tyreke Evans scored 10Pts. in the last 37seconds against the Spurs on wednesday when i went to the game. That was great, the Kings were a steal away from tying the game with 4.7 seconds left before George Hill was fouled and the game was over after he made both free trhows and Tyreke made a three at the buzzer.
what do you do when your father and older brother criticize you about how you play basketball and does it matter how pretty your shot looks i thought what only mattered was getting the ball in the net?
Also what do you do when your high school basketball coach makes the team up before tryouts start?
Sorry, for typing that i just wanted to get my feelings out.
it is the best solution to trade the garbage martin that has no defense and just score points off of free throws come on dan what planet are you from ? the guy stinks at his positon i would rather have tyreke take over the 2 spot anyday its a no brainer.. tyreke is obviouisly thw whole package and martin is as boring as it gets and just a one dementional player……wake up dan and smell the future…
duh…trade k-mart for josh howard now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on tyler, that will never happen…andre is one of the best guards in the league and kevin is average at best
Sounds personal Steve, is it?
no i just had a bad day, everythings good now thanks for asking thoe
Kevin Martin looked good today vs New York, but Evans is a just a Miracle aint he?
Well still we need a big name player who can play offence and defence and who does not get hurt every season and misses like half the season and Tyreke is our big name guy now so we have to start building aroung him to make Tyreke and the Team better