2010-2011 Sacramento Kings Preview- vs Golden State Warriors + The Real Kings of Cali :: Around the Association

By Atma Brother ONE Sep 6, 2010, 7:06pm PDT

Definitely one of my all-time favs.

I remain pleasantly shocked that we were allowed to use this theme.

This episode of the world famous Around the Association is going to be a little different. It's not just going to be about the Sacramento Kings as we're going to inject some serious Dubs flava here. I'll warn you Kings fans- this might be a little reminiscent of Ice Cube's classic Lethal Injection.

JUMP 'cause YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT!

After the Ron Artest and Bonzi Wells- led Kings' impressive 1st round 6 game series against the San Antonio Spurs in 2006 and the unforgettable, unbelievable, and unstoppable WE BELIEVE Warriors run in 2007, there has been quite a drought in Northern California NBA hoops. There's really no other way to put in. From 2007-2010 both of these teams have essentially sucked and it's likely that both teams miss out on the West's Elite 8 once again this upcoming spring.

However we won't dwell on that today my friends in the Bay and Sactown. Today we'll focus on the 4 very intense upcoming battles between these two squads for the naming rights to THE REAL KINGS OF (Northern) CALI.

Kings?

Warriors?

Let the pre-coronation festivities being...

Backcourt- Sac vs GSW

(And for Tyreke Evans I pray this doesn't mean "back in court". Sorry bad joke, but lay off the gas pedal homie!)

If I hear the words "20-5-5" again or "first rookie since Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, blah, blah..." I'm going to hop in my Toyota Prius and speed down Unviersity Ave, hook a right onto 84 Dumbarton Bridge, go 880 North, 80 East, and 5 North till I hit Arco Arena at 130 miles per hour while my man DJ Fuzzy Logic captures the whole thing on video from his iPhone 3GS. (The words forced joke come to mind.)

Anyhow you get the point. Stephen Curry might not have won the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year, but he'll be the 2011 NBA Sophomore of the Year.

I don't think the cameraman gave these two rookies the heads up that he was about to snap their photo.

A Link Back

Even if you believe Tyreke is better than Stef-fun or that they're equal or that Monta Ellis is the most defenseless, turnover-prone, ball-hog, you're going to have a hard time convincing anybody that Donte Green or Francisco Garcia have 1/10th the baller status of Ellis. So case closed.

Real Kings of Cali Backcourt: GSW

Frontcourt

Truth be told I was praying on draft night that DeMarcus Cousins would slip to the Warriors. That didn't happen, so now I'm going to project him as Zach Randolph 2.0.

Yes, this guy.

I'm fairly convincible that Cousins will amount to the steal of the 2010 NBA Draft (hey everyone has Ridiculous Upside at this point), but there's no way you can convince me that he's going to put up 20 ppg, 11.7 rpg, and 3.6 apg next season, which is what David Lee (most underrated move of the 2010 NBA offseason by Warriors GM Larry Riley- puppet who?) put up last season.

It also won't take much to convince me that Jason Thompson will have a better season than Andris Biedrins next season or that the the small forward spot is a draw between both teams.

But still.

David Lee.

Real Kings of Cali Frontcourt: GSW

Bench

With the way the injury bug has hit the Warriors the past... decade?... we use the term "bench" lightly. This could very well be starting 5 for the Warriors by game 7. As of writing I can't say I'm sold on Brandan Wright, Dan Gadzuric, Vladimir Radmanovic, or even Charlie Bell (though I wouldn't be shocked if he shocked me with his defense- shocking I know). But I am confident in Carl Landry (assuming he's the backup, but if not Cousins is still an upgrade over the Warriors bench bigs), Beno Udrih, and Francisco Garcia will amount to be a decent bench. Landry's more than decent by the way.

Real Kings of Cali Bench: Sac

Coaching

I've always liked Paul Westphal more than most (He MADE Charles Barkeley and Kevin Johnson in 1993! Okay, kidding.), but come on now. Don Nelson is a coaching legend for good reason. These guys played hard for him at the end of last season and he has a special bond with some of the key players on the Dubs.

Nellie, Mitch, and the Curry's.

Haters will hate, but that's another story for another time folks.

Real Kings of Cali Coaching: GSW

Threads

I remember back in the mid-late-ish 90's when Mitch Richmond donned the Kings new threads at the NBA Draft Lottery. I thought they were pretty hot.

Those were the days.

Pretty hot too- except for the horrific lettering.

This is um... NOT.

I wouldn't even give this to my cousins as a gift. (What's with all the bad jokes today?)

Real Kings of Cali Threads: GSW

Fans

We don't need no stinkin' cowbells.

With all due respect to the good folks over at Sactown Royalty, do we seriously even need to go over this?

Sactown Royalty

Easily my 2nd favorite Northern California NBA Blog.

Real Kings of Cali Fans: GSW

Real Kings of Cali = Golden State Warriors*

* We obviously mean Northern California for all intents and purposes here. If you thought otherwise, well you must think the NBA season ends in mid-April.

Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings. Mark your calendars for their 4 games this season. It might be meaningless, but there's a great chance one of them goes into quadruple OT.

I love this game? I mean: I LOVE THIS GAME!

Who will be crowned THE REAL KINGS OF CALI in 2010-2011?

Last season: Around the Association: 2009-2010 Sacramento Kings: It's all up from here

More 2010-2011 GSoM Around the Association Fun