Thomas Robinson continues to display a high level of energy while on the court. He believes that its his role to irritate the opposition with his intensity.
“I think that’s my whole job – to annoy the other guy to the point that he just doesn’t want to check me no more,” the rookie forward said following practice.
He doesn’t get distracted when opposing players voice their frustration with his style of play. The Kansas forward says he just continues to play his game.
“It’s really not my job to care what they think or say,” Robinson said stoically. “That’s something they gotta deal with.”
Who will start Monday’s game versus the Portland Trail Blazers? Head Coach Keith Smart wouldn’t reveal his lineup following Saturday’s practice, but suggested that he’s going with a different look.
With his starting five in flux, there seems to be a sense that players are trying to show different or new skills this season. Kings guard Marcus Thornton for example has shown an improved willingness to pass – a facet of his game that’s been a surprise thus far. Does Smart think players are developing new abilities in order to earn consistent minutes on the floor?
“We have so many guys who can play multiple positions,” said the Kings’ head coach. “They have to be able to do other things in those positions also.
“We’re looking from the ground up,” Smart added. “We didn’t have a good season last year. So, we’re looking for guys (and) how they fit and how hard they play together on offense and defense…”
A few players suffered some minor bumps and dings in practice today. Near the tail end of the scrimmage session, Thornton turned an ankle while trying to drive past teammate Francisco Garcia. Thornton was able to walk it off and went into treatment following practice.
“He actually just planted and landed the wrong way,” Smart told media. “I think he’ll be okay. We’ll see how he evaluates later on.”
Travis Outlaw had a noticeably large bandage on his forehead, right above his left eyebrow. He said he was fine and just caught the wrong side of teammate Jason Thompson‘s elbow. These are just the kinds of minor bumps and bruises players experience throughout an NBA season.
Final notes and observations: Spirits are high right now for the Kings. More players are spending extra time on the court following the conclusion of practice to work on shooting, ball-handling or other skills with coaches.
And lastly, Tyler Honeycutt shot jumpers while teammates practiced. He’s still limited in action due to the stress fracture he suffered in his right fibula.
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