Enemy Lines

an opposing team's scout sizes up the Kings

"Going from Jason Williams to Mike Bibby was a real plus. With Bibby at the point, they'll have a lot more consistency. He does the same things as Williams but makes better decisions and is more accurate shooting the three....

Transition defense is the key to stopping the Kings. You have to pick up Bibby as early as possible and prevent him from seeing the whole floor. But it's not just getting back; it's locating their shooters, particularly Peja Stojakovic, because they love to hit that first trailer. They also like to get Chris Webber on that early post-up. You can't let Webber get the quick seal, in transition or in half-court, so you have to bump him off the box and try to move him out, although he can get hot outside....

They don't have a complex system in the half-court, and they frequently fail to execute, but they can all pass and shoot. You have to double Vlade Divac but not too early. Wait until he backs in, and don't double with whoever's guarding Stojakovic. They run Peja off screens, and you have to play those honest. If you cheat and come over the top, he'll fade to the corner and kill you from there....

They'll be better defensively, too. Your problems start when your point guard gets broken down; Bibby's not a great defender, but he's better than Williams....

I think they overpaid to keep Doug Christie, but Scot Pollard's a good role player for them. One guy people don't think about much is Bobby Jackson, an underrated player who has been on the floor a lot at the end of games."