Why is a guy who has shot 4-11 in the game and 38 percent on the season on the bench in the fourth quarter?

I mean the guy is shooting 30 percent from three, and the Sonics were in a zone: You need that shooter on the floor. Especially since John Salmons had three big turnovers – why settle for that when you can bring in a guy who has four turnovers in fewer minutes? Not to mention the fact that he allows the opposing point guard to get open looks for himself and others, allowing the Kings to get the ball back quicker and cut into that lead.

He's your co-captain, for crissakes. He's your highest-paid player. He's got to be in that game at the end of the fourth. No matter that with him on the bench, you made up 12 points in 12 minutes and you are now within four after being down by 22. Nevermind that noise. You just have to get your guy back in the game.

You know who you should take out? That kid, Francisco Garcia. He's not shooting the ball much, you know. Not firing off threes every time he touches the ball. He's just running around out there, filling his role by defending Ray F*cking Allen to a near stand-still, going after rebounds, getting putbacks among centers and power forwards. He's just hustling his ass off every play. We needed something more, we needed a guy who's going to walk around, wait for the ball to come to him, fire a three or two, or try to split a double-team by dribbling off one of the defender's knees. Yeah, that's what we need when the game is on the line, after 91 percent of a comeback is complete. We need to f*ck up that last nine percent, and there's only one guy to do it.

(In fairness, actually, there are usually plenty of guys to do it. In this particular game, there was only one, though. Behold!, it was he.)