The Kings players had fun and showed trust in George Karl in his first game as head coach.

There were a few moments Friday night when the opponent made its push to take control of the game. A decision had to be made collectively by the Kings players: Were they going to let the game slip away like they had been doing for the majority of the season by resorting to hero ball, or fight and close it out?

They chose the latter.

The last couple of months for the Kings has been an overall lethargic display of how not to play basketball. But something different happened against the Boston Celtics in front the raucous home crowd at Sleep Train Arena on Friday. The Kings showed resilience and consistent energy and passion. And most importantly, they executed.

Center DeMarcus Cousins said there was a correlation to George Karl being at the helm for the first time as the Kings head coach.

"We could have easily just said, ‘all right, forget it we're going to go back to our old ways,' and start trying to play one-on-one basketball, but we stuck through it and came out with a good win," Cousins told reporters after the game. "His [Karl's] resume, I don't even really have to speak on. I believe every guy in this locker room respects that and they trust his word, so I think that played a big part in us just continuing to grind it out."

Even though it was one game against an undermanned Boston Celtics team, the Kings played with a fire that we haven't seen since the beginning of the season. Less than a week and two practices in, it is premature to say that Karl has already got the train back on the rails, but he certainly began tipping it in that direction Friday.

"He's very motivational. His energy alone brings energy to the team," Cousins said of Karl. "I think everybody had fun out there tonight. I don't think guys had fun like that since probably earlier in the season. We're running, we're having fun, we're sharing the ball."

The Kings had 26 assists, but 24 turnovers (those aren't fun!). Cousins tallied 31 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals (and nine of those 24 turnovers). Karl wants to fix the sloppy turnovers, but liked what he saw in the energy department and was pleased his team made free throws when it counted. He also enjoyed Cousins' defense.

"Cuz made some good defensive plays, I actually remember his defensive plays more than I remember his offensive plays ... he actually had a fast-break breakup. That doesn't happen very often; a seven footer runs down and kind of makes a guy miss an easy shot," Karl said.

So far, Karl and Cousins appear to be clicking. They have been seen smiling and joking at practice and Karl has told Cousins that he thinks it would be good if the two of them check in with each other for 5 to 15 minutes every day. Aside from his impressive pedigree as a coach and his general basketball knowledge, Karl seems to have a knack for understanding and getting through to his players. Newly acquired point guard Andre Miller, who played his first game with the Kings on Friday, said Karl is able to connect with his squad.

"He's doing a lot more teaching and he knows how to deal with players and egos and that's why he's been so successful in this league," said Miller, who scored 8 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists off the Kings bench.

If you talk to Rudy Gay these days, he is discussing the things he needs to work on to fit into Karl's system: getting to the basket more, playing off his teammates and picking up his defensive aggressiveness. Karl has said he wants to use Gay at the power forward spot more as he is interested in a "position-less" style of play. It was something Gay noticed in Karl's first game.

"Nobody really had a position. Obviously Cuz, he's just the biggest guy out there. But other than that, nobody really had a position," said Gay, who had 28 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. "Moved the ball, everybody got open and we hit open shots."

Karl, like Cousins, doesn't seem to be shy about expressing his true feelings. The new coach humbly admitted to being nervous about addressing the team for the first time earlier this week and about playing his first game in front of the Sacramento crowd - a crowd that gave him a roaring ovation before Friday's game. Karl also wasn't shy about saying he didn't think he was as alert as he should have been, feeling like he got "punched a little bit" at the start of the game when the Celtics jumped out to a big lead. But he soon discovered how to get the most out of a bench that had been underperforming all season as the Kings took ahold of the game.

Early in his career, Karl's emotions would come out in an overly forceful manner, as Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post told us earlier this week. But so far in Sacramento, Karl speaks in a collected manner with a sense of purpose and a clear understanding of the state of mind his players have. He knows Cousins is fiery, talented, what kind of challenges he faces on a nightly basis as the team's best player and what he can get out of him.

"I'm just amazed how many hits he takes and still keeps on ticking," Karl said of Cousins. "He's got great hands, he has a big, huge body. I thought his efficiency was what I liked about his game tonight. Other than his turnovers, his shot selection was pretty good. He trusts he would get the ball rather than get frustrated when he didn't get the ball."

Cousins' mood after the game on Friday reflected a guy who was excited and a little bit relieved - he may have the man he trusts and needs on the sidelines who can help him crack the code of winning basketball games on a consistent basis after all.

"I think we're a more free team, he's not really putting any player in a box ... He's a coach that believes in every player on the team so I think that's fun for a lot of players," Cousins said.

A lot of fun for the entire roster, but most importantly, it may be fun for the team's franchise player, who has seen his fair share of instability in Sacramento up until this point.

Karl is having fun too. As long as his players "don't drive me crazy with the turnovers."

The Kings fell apart early and never threatened to close the gap.

A hallmark of George Karl's teams is that they run. They run on defense, they run on offense. We saw this in Friday's game against the Boston Celtics, and it carried over in the first quarter of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The problem with adjusting to this style midseason is that players can't be expected to adjust their conditioning so quickly. Starting the Karl era on a home-and-away back to back certainly didn't help the transition. The Kings started strong, but fatigue soon seemed to set in, as the Clippers destroyed the Kings in the second quarter. The Kings would not recover.

DeMarcus Cousins in particular seemed to be lacking his usual energy. He was missing easy shots, clanking jumpers off the front of the rim, and generally looking sluggish.  Cousins eventually let his frustration get the best of him, throwing up some ugly attempts and hoping for foul calls that would never come. Along the way he picked up a technical foul thanks to a Spencer Hawes flop. It will almost surely be rescinded by the league. Cousins led the Kings with 21 points, but really didn't have a good game. The other Kings just had bad nights as well.

Karl once again relied heavily on Andre Miller and Ray McCallum, even playing the Ray and Dre backcourt together for extended stretches. It seems to work well, as they pairing provides solid ball handling and good size on defense. We'll see if this continues when Darren Collison eventually returns. Ray had a solid night overall, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds, 5 assists, two blocks and a steal.

David Stockton, nephew of Don Stockton, made an appearance. He's with the Kings on a 10-day contract. He is adorably tiny when playing among NBA players. He managed to put himself on the stat sheet, but generally looked overmatched on the court. I wouldn't expect him to be with the Kings past this contract, barring injuries.

The Kings will get a much-needed break before resuming play on Wednesday when Sacramento hosts the Memphis Grizzlies. This is Karl's best opportunity to get significant practice time with the team before the end of the year. Karl said in his introductory press conference that there would be some ugly games. This loss gave Karl ample opportunity to tinker with lineups and play guys who normally wouldn't see game action. It was a brutal loss, but we knew Karl was unlikely to be undefeated as Kings coach.

Random Observations

• Omri Casspi had a career-high 17 rebounds to go with 11 points.
• Dahntay Jones is still in the NBA, and plays for the Clippers. This blew me away.
• Nik Stauskas got in the game, but only once the game was pretty well out of hand. He played 14 minutes, passed up some good looks, took some bad looks, and finished with six points.
• Ben McLemore really struggled, scoring just nine points on 12 shots.
• Jason Thompson cannot make an entry pass to save his life, and should never try again.
• Austin Rivers let the ball roll up to preserve the clock. He did this while the Clippers were up 30. He also pushed to score with 10 seconds left while the Clippers were up 20. He doesn't seem too bright. Rivers did lead the Clippers with a career-high 28 points.

Behind a career-high night from Austin Rivers, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings to push their winning streak to four without Blake Griffin. Clearly, he's not needed ever again.

Since the departure of Blake Griffin to right elbow surgery, the Clippers have played five games with tonight being the latest. They’re now 4-1 after a resounding victory over the Sacramento Kings. This clearly illustrates that the Clippers need to move Griffin immediately when the offseason hits and players can be moved. Nothing else will suffice. This team is massively better without his ball-hogging nature and black hole offense that somehow results in being the only player in the NBA to average 20-7-5. The team has rallied together and pulled off four straight wins. Those four straight wins also coincide with a return to the lineup by sharpshooter J.J. Redick. The team’s offensive rhythm seems better than ever and it’s because the malcontent is rotting away on the bench with nothing to do but watch as his teammates have fun. And, while we’re at it, let’s trade away Chris Paul since he’s clearly fed up with Los Angeles and his teammates. It makes it easier to do since his replacement, Austin Rivers, is already on the bench and ready to roll.

After a poor start to the game, that saw the team fall behind by as much as ten points after the Kings pulled in front 29-19, the Clippers got a great contribution from the bench and pulled away to make this game a laugher in the fourth quarter. Powered by a 24 minute stretch that saw them outscore the Kings 73-36, the Clippers played their bench the entire fourth quarter so that the starters could rest up and get ready for the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. The team was led by Austin Rivers, who scored a career-high and game-high 28 points, and would have scored more had his teammates not frozen him out late in the game like he was Russell Westbrook in the All-Star Game, and Glen Davis. It’s quite apparent that the team’s new “dynamic duo” is already here and just needed to get more playing time. All that matters is that J.J. Redick also plays when they do and the Clippers would cease to lose a game for the rest of the season.

Despite the sluggish start, the Clippers never really lost their composure all that much. Even when DeAndre Jordan picked up his fourth foul with 9:28 to go in the third quarter, the Clippers didn’t give up any ground. And, due to that, Jordan wasn’t needed at any point after that. The team lengthened their 18-point lead quite a bit after that point and ultimately made newly-minted Kings coach George Karl’s squad look like mincemeat. Sure, there were bad things in this game. For instance, they started off by shooting 7-for-27 in the first quarter and allowing the Kings to get secondary breaks and easy run outs for dunks or layups. It happens. But then the team stopped doing that. After turning it over five times in the first quarter, they turned it over just six times the rest of the game and two of those were in the fourth quarter. You can live with that quite easily.

For More: Visit Sactown Royalty

It also helped that all-star center DeMarcus Cousins looked rattled and annoyed for most of this contest. He finished with 21 points but did so on just 6-for-19 shooting while committing five fouls, four turnovers, and only collecting four rebounds. Rudy Gay also had an especially quiet night, scoring 15 points but shooting just 4-for-13. In general, the Kings played terrible after the first quarter, which was highlighted by their 10-for-43 shooting during the second and third quarters while turning the ball over ten times. In short, they reverted back to the Tyrone Corbin Kings for that period of time. That turned out to be the nail in their coffin as Austin Rivers, Glen Davis, Jamal Crawford, and J.J. Redick buried them six feet under.

In the “holy hell, I didn’t notice that category”, Omri Casspi had 17 rebounds for the Kings in 28 minutes. It was random. He had 12 last night but 17 is crazy. He seems to fit the Karl system really well. It should also be noted that Ray McCallum didn’t play poorly tonight. The Clippers just tortured his backup, former Clipper Andre Miller. Miller couldn’t guard anyone and let everyone get by him or got shook so bad it shifted the defense. Glen Davis’ impact can’t be talked about enough. His 5-8-3-0-3 line in 19 minutes doesn’t look astounding but he was a game-changer. Just like Rivers was. Total team effort, especially from the guys off the bench who really helped turned this game around before the starters came back in to pave the way.

I was going to do a “Ten Tidbits” tonight but, frankly, I’m tired and haven’t slept much in the last week thanks to a 100-minute read article that I wrote about the State of the NBA at the All-Star Break. I need sleep. So, instead, you’re just going to get the conclusion portion and have to live with it. I can hear you cheering in the background already. Anyways, in all seriousness, this was an awesome team effort tonight and Austin Rivers did play superb basketball. I don’t know how much longer the Clippers can keep up this play without Blake Griffin but it’s fun to enjoy while it lasts.

This was the second straight strong game by Jamal Crawford since the Trade Deadline so perhaps the pressure is off his shoulders. DeAndre Jordan’s stretch of games with at least a 50 percent field goal percentage is over after going 5-for-11 tonight. But he did have 15 rebounds. And Paul only had 10 points and 9 assists tonight. Yet the team won. Because of that , the team finds themselves in the 5-seed and just one game behind both Houston and Portland in the loss column for the 3-seed. They’ll get their cracks at moving up, though, and it starts on Monday night when they welcome the Grizzlies into STAPLES Center. After that, it’s on the road. But it’s time to recognize this run for what it is; surprising and welcome. We’re surviving. It’s like March Madness. Survive and advance. Just keep fighting.

NBA.com Interactive Box Score:Click Here
NBA.com Box Score PDF:Click Here
Popcorn Machine GameFlow:Click Here

Pic O' The Night

*If you actually think I'm being serious about trading Blake Griffin and/or Chris Paul, then you need to get some sleep as well.

George Karl hasn't finished below .500 with a team since the 1987-88 season when he went just 16-48 with the Golden State Warriors.  This season with the Kings he has 28 games to try to keep that streak alive, but it won't be easy.  Still, there's some hope that it can happen.

According to NBA Strength of Schedule, the Kings actually have one of the easier remaining schedules in the league.

Updated remaining West strength of schedule (more details here: http://t.co/YBNKU2h9aj). Toughest at the top. pic.twitter.com/cxOd15RcZK

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) February 23, 2015

Updated remaining East strength of schedule (more details here: http://t.co/YBNKU2h9aj). Toughest at the top. pic.twitter.com/sGuQFoN7gq

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) February 23, 2015

That makes sense given how difficult Sacramento's start was.  Unfortunately for Karl, his immediate future is going to be extremely tough as the next three teams he faces are the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, all before the team then heads on a season-long 8 game road trip.

So where might Sacramento's 14 wins come from?  Looking at the schedule, the Kings play 13 teams with a record of below .500 and 12 of those teams have 22 wins or below currently.  That means the Kings still have to sneak a win or two against good teams, and probably more since it's all but certain Sacramento won't win all 13 games against fellow bad teams.

.500 is a good goal to have in mind, but I will in no way be upset if Sacramento can't do it, as long as they're showing positive progress in both style of play and energy and effort.  These last 28 games are essentially an extended training camp for Karl to start laying down some foundation for next season when .500 will not just be a goal, but an expectation.

Former Portland forward will find a new home after clearing waivers.

The Portland Trail Blazers recently traded Thomas Robinson as to Denver as part of a package to acquire Arron Afflalo and Alonzo Gee. The Nuggets placed Robinson on waivers almost immediately. It appears he's found a new home, though. According to Adrian Wojnarwoski of Yahoo Sports, Robinson has reached and agreement with the Brooklyn Nets.

Thomas Robinson has reached agreement on a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, league source tells Yahoo Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 23, 2015

Robinson is expected to clear waivers on Tuesday at 5 PM ET, and then will be eligible to sign with the Nets.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 23, 2015

The Nets find themselves short a couple mercurial forwards after declining to re-sign free agent Andre Blatche at the beginning of the season, then trading Kevin Garnett to Minnesota at the trade deadline. Robinson would presumably fill the void.

Brooklyn will be Robinson's 4th stop in his 3-year career. After being drafted 5th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2012 he was traded to the Houston Rockets midway through his rookie season. He joined the Trail Blazers in the summer of 2013 after Portland offered Houston a clutch of second-round picks. The Blazers traded him to Denver last week.

Robinson is averaging 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game over his NBA career.

Update: It's a 10-day contract, after which Robinson would be eligible for a second 10-day. If the Nets retain him after that, he'd be with them all season, including through the playoffs.

Avery Bradley has been flat out great on the road trip and Isaiah Thomas got revenge against his former team last night, but Jae Crowder has quietly put together a good string of games that if he continues, could make the restricted free agent a Celtic next season and beyond.

The road trip infamously started in Sacramento with Jae Crowder getting posterized by DeMarcus Cousins:

WHY, Boogie? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DEVOUR THAT MAN’S SOUL ON LIVE TV. (Via @HPbasketball) http://t.co/uDvBr8Ra2shttps://t.co/bqCwc8WYAM

— SB Nation (@SBNation) February 21, 2015

So, the DeMarcus Cousins dunk on Jae Crowder made a pretty good poster: pic.twitter.com/w5a3Qve18Z

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) February 21, 2015

To his credit, he had the balls to jump in front of that train and try and take a charge and for what it's worth, Jae got his revenge a few plays later:

Jae Crowder stands in and attempts to take an insane charge then gets up and comes right back. AN ABSOLUTE WARRIOR! http://t.co/5P3zTtMYzO

— Brad Autry (@BradAutry) February 21, 2015

Those are the highlight plays from the west coast swing, but where Crowder has really shown his value is doing the underappreciated dirty work in the trenches.  His numbers don't jump off the page during the three game stretch since the All Star break (13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists).  He's hardly a key cog in the Celtics offense and he's a -16 on the trip, but when you watch him play, you can see why he's the only player that's survived the Rajon Rondo trade and why Danny Ainge has been targeting him for years.

Defensively, his strength and size have been major assets.  Brad Stevens has used him in the closing lineup in both close games against the Lakers and Suns for his ability to guard multiple positions.  Against the Suns, he covered everyone from former teammate Brandan Wright to mini-LeBron Eric Bledsoe.  With his defensive versatility, the obvious comparison is to Jeff Green.  For what it's worth, since the trade and according to Synergy Sports, Jeff Green gave up 0.949 PPP in 33 games and Crowder has allowed 0.913 PPP.  The difference seems marginal but if you look deeper into the numbers you'll find that Crowder is closing out on shooters (0.852 PPP vs. 0.964 PPP) and defending ISO's better (0.81 PPP vs. 0.949 PPP).  What Crowder lacks in athleticism, he's making up for in effort and grit.

On the offensive end, when the team announced that Jared Sullinger would be lost for the rest of the season and with Kelly Olynyk still on the mend, I was worried about how the Celtics would cope with the hit to their big man depth.  So far, it's been Crowder filling those minutes at the 4 and he's done fairly well.  He shot a respectable 5-15 from beyond the arc, getting looks as a screener in pick and pops and as a swingman on guard penetration.

What I've really liked has been his aggressiveness to drive from above the break.  Whether he's taking advantage of a slower Ed Davis as a quick 4:

Or using his bulk against smaller perimeter players like Jeremy Lin, he's become the second coming of Crash and he's already got the dreads to play the part:

But it hasn't all been good for Crowder since joining the Celtics:

The Celtics have renamed risky passes Crowders. "I'm a risk taker," Jae chuckles.

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) February 24, 2015

I remember this bonehead pass against the Kings when the Celtics were trying to finish the third quarter strong:

But then he makes up for it four nights later in Phoenix with a simpler bounce pass with James Young filling the lane:

That's the essence of good Jae Crowder: making the right play at the right time.

When Nikola Pekovic, Kevin Love, and J.J. Barea were still teammates in Minnesota, I used to think they'd make the perfect Russian stacking dolls. I'd love it if Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder, and Brandon Bass became the Celtics' version, a trio of rock solid Tommy Point go-getters that look more like NFL linebackers than NBA players.  This summer, Ainge will probably opt to extend a $1.2M QO to Crowder and let the market determine Jae's price.  He'll undoubtedly get better offers from contenders looking to fill out their bench with players that can make an impact on defense and not be a liability on offense.  Hopefully, he'll get a good run over the next 28 games and not only prove his worth in the league, but his value to the Celtics going forward.

Patrick Patterson has been traded twice in his young NBA career. The Raptors' forward gives us a first-hand look on what it's like to change teams as a professional athlete.

When Toronto Raptors forward Patrick Patterson isn't draining three-pointers or hustling back to make a play on defence, he is piecing together eloquent prose for Derek Jeter's website The Player's Tribune.

In Patterson's latest article, he takes readers inside what it's like to be involved in a trade as a professional athlete. Using his move from Houston to Sacramento to illustrate, the 25-year-old compares the experience to a bad breakup.

"I was furious," Patterson writes. "A trade feels like a breakup. But like a tough breakup, my bitterness towards the Rockets faded over time. I understand now that it was strictly a business decision. And I respect the guys in the front office for doing their jobs. But how can you not take it personally?

Patterson played his college basketball at the University of Kentucky, debuted with the Houston Rockets, and then landed with the Sacramento Kings prior to his trade to Toronto. What do all of those places have in common? A warm climate. The forward was certainly not keen on playing in the Canadian weather upon his trade north of the border.

"I remember as the pilot told us that we were about to descend, I pulled up the window shade and all I saw was … white," Patterson writes. "Just white everywhere. I’d been traded to the North Pole."

Patterson immediately wanted out of the situation, calling his agent as soon as he was dropped off at his hotel. As time passed, something remarkable happened. The Raptors started winning games. For the first portion of the 2013-14 season, talk amongst fans was about tanking for local phenom Andrew Wiggins to kickstart a major rebuild. But after Patterson's arrival, the club started stringing together victories, and would go on to capture the Atlantic Division title.

With the newfound success, the Kentucky product developed a newfound, positive attitude regarding Ontario's capital.

"When I started getting to know Toronto, I fell in love with the city," Patterson writes. "If you come here, you will too. When free agency rolled around, I explored my options, but ultimately it wasn’t a hard call to remain in a Raptors uniform. I knew I was a part of something special here."

For a franchise long-ridiculed for not being able to retain key free agents, Patterson and all-star point guard Kyle Lowry have begun to change that mindset. As the Raptors continue to establish themselves as one of the NBA's elite, they are no longer a team that can be laughed at and overlooked. Winning changes everything.

Again, you can find Patterson's full article here.

It took almost no time for the Grizzlies to shed any rust from the All-Star break, as they defeated two of the best teams in the West on back-to-back nights. They look to continue their run of strong play as they head to Sacramento to face George Karl's Kings.

Recently for the Kings

George Karl is now at the helm in Sacramento, giving the Kings their third coach this season. Since the All-Star break, the Kings are 1-1. They won against the Celtics before falling in a landslide to the Clippers. One of the few bright spots in the game against the Clippers was DeMarcus Cousins, who continues to dominate the league on a nightly basis. He had thirty-one points and fifteen rebounds. Those aren't even shocking numbers, which speaks to how crazy talented he is. The important thing for Sacramento heading into the home stretch is to begin to build a solid foundation for next season. Stability is greatly needed and will surely be appreciated by the players.

Recently for the Grizzlies

In two games since the All-Star break ended, the Grizzlies have only confirmed themselves as a serious contender. There were bumps along the road in both contests, but they handled two of the best teams in the West on back-to-back nights in the Trailblazers and the Clippers. The defense has rounded back into top form since Jeff Green was acquired, Nick Calathes' role increased, and Marc Gasol decided to step up his game. With the defense playing at this level, the Grizzlies' ceiling is crazy high. Everyone knows it, too.

Three Things to Watch

1) Backup Point Guard Minutes - Against the Blazers, Beno Udrih played a couple more minutes than Nick Calathes. Against the Clippers, Calathes' minutes doubled over Udrih's. Their minutes are likely going to fluctuate the rest of the season based on opponent and different situations, but it's worth noting that Calathes' role is expanding.

Other than Tony Allen, one could argue Calathes is the team's most versatile defender. He can feasibly defend three positions, and his knack for jumping into passing lanes is incredible. His passing ability is also underrated. He's excellent at drawing the defense out of its shape before dishing to a wide-open teammate. A master puppeteer with the ball in his hands, Calathes is able to pull strings with ease. Udrih's scoring off the bench is incredibly important to the team's success in its own right. It's tough to say which guy is more valuable to the team, but things are undoubtedly trending in Calathes' favor at the moment.

2) Changes Under George Karl - Now on their third coach this season, Sacramento is looking for stability. Karl could be a long-term solution for the Kings, but he hasn't been there long enough to put his fingerprint on the team. It'll be fun to see what has changed, if anything, since Karl took over.

3) Marc Gasol vs. DeMarcus Cousins: Yay for Fun - It's always fun to watch this matchup. Both guys are elite at their position and jockeying for the title of "best center in the NBA". A case can easily be made for both guys. The Grizzlies haven't played the Kings since Gasol hit peak WENDIGO status defensively, and I suspect he will come out eager to shut Cousins down.

2014/15 NBA Season
	vs
2014/15: 41-14 (18-9 road)		2014/15: 19-35 (12-17 home)
February 25, 2015
Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, CA
9:00 PM CDT
Fox SportSouth / 92.9 FM ESPN
Possible Starters
Mike Conley	PG	Ray McCallum
Courtney Lee	SG	Ben McLemore
Jeff Green	SF	Rudy Gay
Zach Randolph	PF	Carl Landry
Marc Gasol	C	DeMarcus Cousins
2014/15 Advanced Stats
94.2 (26th)	Pace	97.5 (9th)
104.4 (10th)	OEff	101.4 (20th)
100.0 (5th)	DEff	106.1 (27th)
50.2 (13th)	RebR	52.6 (1st)

SB Nation Blog:Sactown Royalty

Injury Report

Memphis: Vince Carter - Out (Foot)

Sacramento: Darren Collison - Out (Hip); Reggie Evans - Questionable (Knee); Eric Moreland - Out (Shoulder)

Sacramento has been off for what feels like forever but are back in action today to start a three game homestand.  Normally, those are cause for celebration, but this homestand is going to be very tough, starting tonight with the Memphis Grizzlies.  Today's action tips off at 7:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Darren Collison is still out with a hip flexor strain which is a bit concerning given how much time off the team has had these last couple weeks.  Collison flew to LA to see a specialist earlier this week but the diagnosis appears to be the same.  If you'll recall, a hip flexor tear knocked Carl Landry out for most of the season last year and even when he did come back he wasn't the same.  I hope that's not the case for Darren, as I'd really like to see what he could do in Karl's system.  In his absence however, the Kings will continue to rely on the young Ray McCallum and the veteran Andre Miller.  Coach Karl said after practice the other day that he'll likely continue using McCallum as the starter for now.

2. Memphis is a bit different than the last time the Kings faced them.  They added some depth by acquiring Jeff Green for Tayshaun Prince.  Green has won a starting role for Memphis, but hasn't exactly set the world on fire since coming over.  He's scoring 12.5 points a game but on just 40.7% from the field and 31.7% from three.

3. The Grizzlies really like to slow it down and mix it up, which will be an interesting change of pace from the first two teams the Kings have faced in the George Karl era.  It will be interesting to see how Karl's defensive strategy of switching works with a physical team like the Grizzlies, and also if the Kings will get the opportunities to get out and run.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

DeMarcus Cousins vs. Marc Gasol

Cousins and Gasol are probably the two best centers in the entire NBA right now and as such, this has to be the most important matchup.  Both are incredibly important to their team.  Gasol has gotten the better of Cousins for the most part in recent history, but Cousins has still had some good games against Gasol.  Sacramento will need him to be at his best if they hope to win.

PREGAME LIMERICK

The Grizzlies like to "Grit and Grind"
Kings fans do that to their teeth in kind.
Still haven't forgotten,
that no good, rotten
0.3 seconds that was so maligned.

PREDICTION

Kings 98, Grizzlies 95 after Tyreke Evans comes out of nowhere to hit a halfcourt buzzer-beating three before promptly disappearing.

Have a question for Jason Thompson? Leave it in this thread and it may get answered tonight after the Kings take on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Today's Question of the Game is for Kings power forward Jason Thompson.

Thompson is the longest-tenured King on the roster and is five games away from passing Peja Stojakovic for most games played in the Sacramento era. He's seen a multitude of coaches and teammates over his tenure with the Kings and he just survived another trade deadline. Thompson's scoring has decreased this season (5.5 points per game), but he has played well defensively and gives it his all on most nights.

The Question of the Game thread allows Str readers to pose a question for a particular player during a home game. Based on which question gets the highest number of recs (and the reasonableness of the question), I will track the player down and ask them that question during the postgame. The answer will then be posted right here in the thread.

So what do you want to ask JT? Leave your question in this thread and start pressing those rec buttons!

The Kings stepped up against a tough opponent and beat them at their own game.

Great teams make you match their style and hope you can't beat them at their own game. That's exactly what the Memphis Grizzlies did at Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday, but the Sacramento Kings ruined the plan. The Kings adapted and persevered, and beat the Grizzlies in a grit-and-grind style game, winning 102-90.

The game was marred by inconsistent officiating. The refs would call a ticky-tack foul one possession, and then allow a body shot on the next. And while it certainly may have felt like the Kings got the short end of the stick, the refs called 21 fouls on Memphis and 18 on Sacramento. DeMarcus Cousins was the biggest victim, with multiple questionable foul calls limiting him to just 16 minutes through the first three quarters. Cousins played most of the fourth, and was instrumental in the Kings win. Despite being limited to just 24 minutes, Boogie still put up 16 points and 9 rebounds. he was also huge on the defensive end, frustrating Zach Randolph to the point of a fight nearly breaking out, with Z-Bo as the instigator.

Rudy Gay led the Kings with 28 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Jason Thompson notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and had several key defensive plays along the way. Overall, it was a team win. All five starters scored in double figures, and the Kings held Memphis to 40.5% shooting on the night.

For the opponent's perspective, visit Grizzly Bear Blues.

Random Observations

• The Kings are now 2-1 in the George Karl era
• DeMarcus Cousins demonstrated incredible self control against Randolph, Marc Gasol, and the refs
• RIP Chair, we hardly knew ye
• I like the way Karl uses Andre Miller to close games. Ray McCallum had a good game, but still tries to do too much sometimes. Miller is a good calming influence at the end of games. Should be interesting to see how this plays out once Darren Collison returns
• Nik Stauskas has yet to play a non-garbage time minute under Karl
• Carl Landry played 3 minutes. I expect to hear Landry mentioned as a very available player in trade rumors this summer.
• Ben McLemore had 16 points, including an awesome windmill dunk that was one of the better in-game dunks I've seen this season

Hot shooting, an All-Star's disappearing act, and Z-Bo and Boogie nearly playing Rock-em-Sock-em Robots

First Half

The Grizzlies were...umm...how do you say....

That's it.

Really wasn't expecting the Darren Collison-less Kings to dissect the Grizzlies defense. Sports are dumb.

— Peter Fleischer (@Peter_Fleischer) February 26, 2015

The team played like it was the last night of a three game west coast trip (which it is).  The -efense was just what it was...no D.  The Kings - young guys and bums - were making shots all over the place...and Reggie Evans even showed up.  Our offense was sluuuuuugish.  Truly the best play of the first half for our Grizz came in the last moment.

A 62 ft shot to end the half.  Grizz were down 10 after this shot.   Seemed like the Grizzlies would be in trouble unless they got some kind of spark or something....(FORESHADOWING!!!!!)

Second Half

I looked and behold, a pale horse was before me.  And his name was death and Hell followed him.  - Revelation 6:8

So I have an unpopular opinion to express.  My two favorite non-Grizzlies are James Harden and Boogie Cousins.  And wow did Boogie show out tonight.

Early in the first half, after getting frustrated and nearly getting a technical foul, George Karl got one instead

(drops the mic and walks off the stage) #SwaggyG#NBATonightpic.twitter.com/MKcTuCvvbW

— George Karl (@CoachKarl22) November 7, 2014

And Boogie heads to the bench...

Boogie follows this up by getting into it with literally the last person you should ever get into anything with: Zach Randolph.

As we learned in today's piece by our own Joe Mullinax, Zach Randolph can kick your ass in a variety of ways.  ZBo then tried to put Boogie out.

So we very nearly had an apocalyptic event that would have started in Sacramento between ZBo and Boogie and would have only ended in a Mad Max/The Warriors-like barren wasteland.  This one nearly got apocalyptic.  If this is what watching Boogie play every night is like...I gotta watch more Kings games.

These shenanigans got the Grizzlies back into the game, but Boogie would settle and some guy from the Kings wearing #8 who I don't think I have heard of before made some big shots late.

The offense slows back down, Marc Gasol goes missing in most of the 4th quarter,  the Grizzlies just look tired, and they lose 102-90.

Things We Learned Tonight

1) Nick Calathes will drink your milkshake

On a night when most of the Grizzlies really struggled (Courtney Lee scored only nine points and Tony Allen had a staggering -23 +/-), Nicky Buckets showed up to play again.  Seven points, two assists, and three steals in thirteen minutes kept the Grizzlies hanging around, including  a steal and layup that kept them close until the ZBo 62 ft bomb.  There has been a lot of good stuff written about Nick this week and his impact on offense (like this from our very own Andrew Millen), and every night he shows up and drinks your team's milkshakes.

2) The Grizzlies had 99 problems, and 28 of them were Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay (grumble) came to play tonight, with a game high 28 points, including two daggers that put the game out of reach towards the end of the 4th quarter.  Rudy is good at basketball and seems to have found a home in Sacramento where he is not the focus of the offense (he is at least the second or third banana), but on nights when he can get buckets, he does.

3) Memphis fans still really hate Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans' beard has the longest pubes I've ever seen in my life.

— The real Carol Brady (@CBradyMem) February 26, 2015

LOLOLOL Reggie Evans tried to basketball. We all know he can’t basketball.

— Jonah Jordan (@jmj1757) February 26, 2015

At least Reggie Evans aimed a little higher this time. https://t.co/ThyIw9qmNU

— Ben Brown (@BenTBrown) February 26, 2015

Reggie Evans just threw a cheap shot? I, for one, am SHOCKED

— Austin Reynolds (@ReynoldsRant) February 26, 2015

Collison's hip flexor strain might keep him out for the rest of the season.

Sacramento Kings point guard Darren Collison might not return to action this season, reports Marc J. Spears.

Collison has been out since Feb. 5 due to a hip flexor strain he suffered against the Mavericks. The initial injury report listed him doubtful to play the next game and reported he would be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, suggesting the injury wasn't very serious. Now, there's not much optimism about his return this season, according to Spears.

The decision isn't final but it's hard to imagine the Kings pushing an ailing Collison to play considering they are out of the playoffs. At the trade deadline the Kings traded for Andre Miller, who's been backing up second-year guard Ray McCallum. Collison would represent an upgrade over both, but the Kings have the depth at the position to ride out the season without him and it presents new coach George Karl with the opportunity to evaluate McCallum.

Collison has been surprisingly good this season, his first as a King. He's averaging 16.1 points, 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in a physical game Wednesday night. Head coach George Karl and the players discuss the positives and negatives of the game.

The Sacramento Kings defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-90 on Wednesday. Following the game, head coach George Karl and his players shared their thoughts with the media on what went right. They also stressed the need to maintain 48 minutes of energy and limiting turnovers as they welcome the San Antonio Spurs into Sleep Train Arena on Friday.

What Went Right

Karl: "The first half had some good stuff … I thought we looked like we got some things done with practice and it was good. And then the wrestling match began and they knocked us around and they got the lead, but I thought we played their game in the fourth quarter and played it better than they did. We got second possessions, we got offensive rebounds. Rudy Gay was very good with his shots and our offense was flowing. But when you hold a team to 14 points in the fourth quarter, it's a sign that you can play both sides of the court."

DeMarcus Cousins: "Memphis is a physical team. They try to get into other teams' head with their physicality, but I think we did a great job of playing through it, keeping our composure and like I said, we pulled out a tough one ... I think it was a full team effort. Everybody played together and we got a good one."

Rudy Gay: "Before, this is a game that probably would have got away from us because we would have put our heads down as soon as they tied the score and went up one - we would have felt like we were out of the game, but basketball is a game of runs. And I think the style of play that we're doing right now helped us because we see a couple of shots go in, couple of easy baskets go in and now we're back in the game and we're up again. So I think we just stuck with what we know."

Jason Thompson: "They're a real gritty team that tries to out-physical you. I think for the most part, we handled that and tried to be the physical team too and finish plays."

Ben McLemore: "I think we shared the ball tonight. We had a lot of assists tonight, we moved the ball, played together. Turnovers kind of killed us too but still we tried to stay with it. We tried to stay with it out there and keep competing because we knew they were going to be aggressive, so we just had to continue to be aggressive with them."

What Went Wrong

Karl: "I'd like to see the game get more flow and more fast in the second half. It seems like all the games that we've played, we kind of run out of gas somewhere end of the second quarter. And sustaining the energy in this building especially, to play 48 minutes of pace and energy, I think we can be very good."

Cousins: "Turnovers, for one. There's still a lot of things we could have did better in the system tonight. Continuing to run throughout the game, trying to run for 48 minutes, executing better. I mean, there's a lot of things we can take from it - a lot of small mistakes and a lot of major mistakes, but we'll continue to work. We'll get better at it."

Gay: "They really beat us up on the boards today, you know, offensive boards. We have to figure out a way, especially when we go small, we have to still get rebounds."

McLemore: "Definitely, just limit the turnovers."

What's Next: The San Antonio Spurs

Karl: "We've got to play a tough San Antonio team that is kind of on a losing streak a little bit and it won't be easy. I don't think Pop [Gregg Popovich] will be resting any of his guys. I think he'll have a full crew out there for Friday night."

Gay: "They're 0-4 after the All Star Break so they're going to come in trying to get this win so we definitely have to be ready for them."

Thompson: "They're always a tough team, obviously the defending champs, so just got to try to continue to play to the level that we did tonight."

McLemore: "They're the Spurs, so they'll find a way. So right now, getting this win tonight will help us get ready for San Antonio. So we just watch film, get ready and prepare ourselves."

A daily glimpse of Arizona Wildcat performances in the NBA

Seven former Wildcats were in action in the NBA on Wednesday night, here's how they did:

Aaron Gordon: Gordon played just 9 minutes as he was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury. It is not known yet how long he will be out. He played well in the minutes he played though as he scored 6 points while making all 3 of his shot attempts. However, Gordon was on the wrong end of a SportsCenter Not Top 10 play when he had his shoe inexplicably fly off his foot which that led him being called for an offensive foul. Tie your shoes next time, Aaron!

Channing Frye: Frye got the start but didn't do much. He had 5 points and 2 rebounds.

Richard Jefferson: Jefferson got his third straight start for Dallas and had his third double-digit scoring game in a row. Although, he didn't have a good shooting night as he went just 3-10 from the field. He managed to grab 3 rebounds as well.

Jason Terry: The JET got his second straight start, and while he didn't have a great shooting night (he went 3-10 from the field), he made contributions in other ways. He had 2 assists, 4 rebounds, and caused some havoc on defense as he had 4 steals too.

Jerryd Bayless: Bayless was supplanted in the starting lineup by Michael Carter-Williams, but still had a nice game off the bench nonetheless. In 30 minutes, he scored 13 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, had 2 assists, and a steal. He also showed his athleticism when he caught this backdoor alley-oop lob.

Derrick Williams: D-Will had another solid game for the Kings off the bench. In 15 minutes, he had 8 points on 3-5 shooting, including 2 of 3 from behind the arc. Williams has become a lot more consistent for Sacramento since the Kings hired George Karl. Williams athleticism, offensive versatility, and finishing ability is very useful in Karl's run-and-gun system. Hopefully Derrick can keep it up.

Jordan Hill: Hill had his best game since returning from a hip injury just a few games ago. In 27 minutes, he scored 16 points while making 7 of his 12 field goal attempts and grabbed 5 rebounds. He showed his speed here when he outran the entire Jazz defense to get an easy dunk in transition to tie the game late in the 4th quarter.

The complete report card of the Grizzlies loss to the Kings.

Grizzlies Report Card

Grizzlies 90 - Kings 102

Coach Dave Joerger: 1 TECH

Grade: B

I don't think anyone knows what Coach Joerger was doing in the fourth quarter. His rotations pointed to Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph getting rest, but he inserted them into the game when it was all but over. I like that he is willing to get technicals to get everyone motivated. Unfortunately, it didn't work against the Kings.

Starters

Mike Conley: 36 MINS | 12 PTS | 4-14 FGS | 7 ASTS | -5

Grade: B-

This game seemed like one in which Mike Conley would assert himself and take over. He was being guarded by Ray McCallum and Andre Miller. Instead, Mike struggled from the field and on defense, where Ray McCallum repeatedly took him to the rack. Conley had 7 assists so he did a good job of distributing the ball. He just struggled everywhere else. He may have been tired, as this was the Grizzlies' 3rd game/city in 4 nights. It would explain a good amount of things.

Courtney Lee: 32 MINS | 9 PTS| 4-11 FGS | 4 REBS | -11

Grade: C

It just wasn't the Grizzlies night. Every time CLee put up a three it was like "this one has to go in" and it wouldn't go in. Or be close to going in. Then CLee kept having to cheat off his man in the corner to help Jeff Green in the paint, which led to one or two open threes.

Jeff Green: 30 MINS | 11 PTS | 4-9 FGS | 3 REBS | +12

Grade: C

For all of those who think Jeff Green can guard Kevin Durant:

Rudy Gay 35 MIN | 28 PTS | 12-20 FGS

THAT'S A RUDY GAY REVENGE GAME IF I'VE EVER SEEN ONE. It felt like he didn't miss a shot in the fourth quarter. Jeff let him get to his spots and wasn't being physical with him at any point in the game. It was so bad that Tony Allen had to come in and guard him after Green allowed him to get hot. He was doing good things on offense, then actually morphed into Rudy Gay and started taking bad shots. It was weird.

Zach Randolph: 30 MINS | 20 PTS | 7-10 FGS | 5 REBS | -2 | 1 TECH

Grade: B+

It was a scrappy game from Randolph. We all knew it was going to be because Reggie Evans was involved, but he was only half of the source of ZBo's ire. Boogie Cousins wanted to throw down and ZBO HAS NO PROBLEM THROWING DOWN THEN ELBOWING YOU IN THE FACE. It was a good bounce back game from Randolph after struggling against the Clippers and Trail Blazers.

Marc Gasol: 36 MINS | 14 PTS | 4-10 FGS | 7 REBS | -1

Grade: B

I wish Marc had taken about 10 more shots in this game. I think he knew he didn't have it so he started distributing the ball. I think it would be fair to say Cousins and Gasol flummox/beat each other during the game. Marc was getting away with fouling Cousins while Cousins racked up the fouls on the other end. YOU CAN'T BE SO OBVIOUS WITH IT, YOUNG FELLA. Gasol played well, just not well enough to win the game.

Bench

Tony Allen: 27 MINS | 9 PTS | 4-9 FGS | 5 REBS | -24

Grade: B

Peak Grindfather game: Blow layups, play good defense, and take about three more shots than he should.

Nick Calathes: 13 MINS | 7 PTS| 3-7 FGS | 3 STLS | -3

Grade: B

Is Nick Calathes the new backup point guard? I think Nick Calathes may be the new backup point guard. His defensive advantage and reemerging offensive game make it a somewhat sensible move. It may not be for long so let us all enjoy Nicky Slicks while we can. I thought he should have played more against the Kings, especially with Conley struggling, but Coach Joerger wasn't seeing it that way. Calathes has an advantage over Andre Miller in just about every way. There's no way he doesn't wreak havoc in more time.

Jon Leuer: 12 MINS | 6 PTS | 3-5 FGS| -11

Grade: B-

JONNY ALMOST MADE THE COMEBACK HAPPEN. ALL HE NEEDED WAS MORE TIME. HE COULD HAVE DONE IT WITH HIS DUNKING AND MIDRANGE JUMPERS. ALL HE NEEDED WAS MORE TIME. JONNY COULD HAVE BROUGHT MEMPHIS A VICTORY BUT ZBO HAD TO PLAY. ALL HE NEEDED WAS MORE TIME

Kosta Koufos: 17 MINS | 0 PTS | 0-5 FGS | 9 REBS| -9

Grade: D+

Kosta oh Kosta...you were not good in this game. The 9 rebounds were nice, but his defense was poor and he couldn't have hit the ocean from a pier.

Beno Udrih: 6 MIN | 0 PTS | 1-4 FGS | -6

Grade: Not Eligible

DNPs

Jordan Adams: DNP Coach's Decision

JaMychal Green: DNP Coach's Decision

It's always subject to change, based on the circumstances of the day. But as of right now, George Karl is scheduled to take a group photo with Sactown Royalty members after this Sunday's game.

Last week we gave you the details on StR III(.0): Here We Karl (or if you prefer, Buy George). Here is the link that provides all of the details regarding the 3/1 afternoon game, and here is the link to buy tickets.

We have now been informed that Kings Head Coach George Karl intends on joining StR members on the floor after the game for a group photo. Of course, this is subject to change, as game-day circumstances can change even the best-laid plans. But as of right now, you could get in on getting your picture taken with King George. And lest we forget, the discounts on the tickets (and there are still some available in both upstairs and downstairs price ranges) are up to 45% after you factor in the absence of taxes and fees. What are you waiting for? Do it. Do it now!

Now!!!

UPDATE 2/26/15, 2:50 PM: From Kings Senior Ticket Executive Michael Peyton:

If someone already has tickets and they want to get in on the photo I can add them to the wristbands list. I need their name and # of tickets/participants

You may email your information to mpeyton@kings.com.

Darren Collison's season is probably over.  Following Marc Spears' report that there wasn't much optimism on Collison returning this season, the Kings made it all but official by announcing that Collison would be having hip surgery on Tuesday.

From Sacramento's press release:

SACRAMENTO, CA ---- Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison is scheduled to have a consultation with Dr. William Meyers on Monday at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia before undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury.

Collison suffered the injury in the first half of Sacramento's contest against the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 5 and has not played since.

He is expected to be re-evaluated in three to six weeks.

This is unfortunate, as Collison has been one of Sacramento's best players this season.  He's averaging 16.1 points on 47.3% from the field along with a team-high 5.6 assists and 1.5 steals.  In Collison's absence, sophomore Ray McCallum will likely remain the starting PG with the newly acquired Andre Miller playing the bulk of the backup minutes.

I would have really liked to see Darren in George Karl's system, but it looks like that might not be the case until next season.  Get well soon Darren.

Larry Sanders is leaving the NBA because of the stress and anxiety he experienced as a player in the league, and two of the Sacramento Kings' marquee players are supportive of his decision.

Former Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanderspublished a first-person article/narrated video Wednesday in which he explained why he was leaving the NBA behind at the age of 26.

Anxiety and depression can be crippling and Sanders admitted to entering into Rogers Memorial Hospital for this reason recently. Sanders went on to say that "I love basketball. I'll always be playing basketball. But for it to be consuming so much of my life and time right now, that's - it's not there for me. It's not that worth it." The 6'11'' center had grown wary of the people who "change around you" and the way in which "you give up your freedom of speech" because "you really can't say how you feel." All of this and the stress piled up and he decided to walk away from the game for now.

On Wednesday, the two most prominent players on the Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, voiced their support for Sanders.

Cousins said he hasn't reached out to him yet, but plans to. Cousins shared an agent with Sanders and they participated in Team USA together. He said the two of them have a "pretty good relationship."

"Support is exactly what he needs. I mean, I don't think a lot of people understand like the mental abuse - like of this whole sport. It's not diamonds and gold every day. So I mean, that's his personal issue. I respect him for being a man about it and admitting to whatever his issue is and, I mean, he has my full support. So I hope he overcomes it and gets back to playing basketball," Cousins told reporters after the Kings defeated the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday.

Although Gay said it isn't something he would do because he loves his work as an NBA player, he expressed his support of Sanders' decision.

"I applaud him for doing something. I think that is very brave of him to give up all that stuff. I mean obviously, we live a very different lifestyle and it's not for everybody, so maybe it was too much for him and if he notices that he needs to step back and do some things for his life, I applaud him," Gay told Sactown Royalty. "I'd rather him be healthy than try to do something and it become locked into something that he doesn't want to be a part of."

Sanders had signed a $44 million contract extension for four years in August 2013. The Bucks reportedly reached a buyout agreement on that contract in the range of $13 to $15 million. He had a little over three years left on the original deal.

If you haven't checked out Sanders' piece in The Players' Tribune, I highly encourage you to do so. It is enlightening, heartfelt and a stark reminder of how delicate an individuals' state of mind can be, even in the most luxurious types of lifestyles. Basketball and sports in general are an escape for many, but fans and the media alike should always remember that the person on the other side of the microphone is in fact a person before they are an athlete or a source of entertainment.

The Drive for Five takes on new meaning as the Spurs look to right the ship and avoid a fifth-straight road loss. Tonight they head to Sac-Town, where new head coach George Karl is trying to get his team playing at a higher level as well.

San Antonio Spurs @ Sacramento Kings

Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, CA
February 27, 2015, 9:00 PM Spurs Time
TV: FSSW - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI

Losses piling up. Jaded fans. A season in complete chaos.

I speak of course not about the Spurs, but the Sacramento Kings, who started the year out 9-5 before nose-diving into turmoil, firing head coach Mike Malone, and having Vivek Ranadive look like the most unpredictable sports team owner since Jackie Moon.

Talk to Kings fans about four losses in a row and they'll respond with a sardonic scoff and a 'First-world Problems' meme. Of course, they didn't exactly have the same hopes San Antonio fans did this year and, with 25 games left in the NBA season, they're already blessed with the prescience of knowing where they'll be come June. And things are at least looking slightly better with the mid-season hiring of George Karl.

Karl's influence on the team was felt immediately, with the bringing in of one of his favorite players, NBA fossil Andre Miller, who traded places with previous backup PG Ramon Sessions. The new coach, who's known for his up-tempo style of play (most recently seen with the Ty Lawson-powered Nuggets) has another point guard capable of pushing the pace in Darren Collison. Against an older Spurs squad, I think we can expect to see a good bit of that tonight. San Antonio's transition D will have to be solid at all positions, as even guys like Cousins love running up and down the floor.

Even with Karl there, DeMarcus Cousins remains this team's spirit animal; its 600hp engine, and its exposed nerve ending. They are as mercurial as their franchise player can be on any given night, and capable of showing up or tuning out just as capriciously. That alone makes this game worth watching.

The Rodeo Road Trip has underlined a trend that's marred the entire Spurs season: poor road play. San Antonio's now 14-16 away from the T, which is uncharacteristic to say the least. Aside from Tim Duncan, who has been the most consistent player in terms of both effort and execution, the Spurs have looked very flawed as of late. In years past they could rally around the singularly stellar play of Tony Parker, but not anymore it seems -- at least not consistently. Now it's all-around play, as well as the stalwart presence of Old Man Riverwalk, that must power this team.

There's no science, of course, behind saying a squad is 'due' for a return to form; with the good ones, it's bound to happen eventually. This is still a good team -- a better team than the Sacramento Kings -- and I can't help but pick them again.

Matchup to watch: Kawhi vs. Rudy. The streaky Gay helped power the Kings to a big win against the Grizzlies on Wednesday, with a game-high 28 points. He'll play plenty of minutes and have all the chances in the world to produce. It's another chance for Kawhi to show his lock-down ability against a physically-gifted foe, and limiting one of Sacramento's few offensive creators will put more pressure on Cousins to carry his team.

	vs.
Sacramento Kings (20-35)		San Antonio Spurs (34-23)
February 27, 2015
Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, California
9:00 PM CDT
TV: FSSW Radio: WOAI 1200AM
Starters
Darren Collison	PG	Tony Parker
Ben McLemore	SG	Danny Green
Rudy Gay	SF	Kawhi Leonard
Jason Thompson	PF	Tim Duncan
DeMarcus Cousins	C	Aron Baynes

For the Kings perspective, please visit Sac Town Royalty.

Game prediction: Spurs by 7.

As always Tony must dominate Fisher, and you can get your San Antonio Spurs tickets from Daniel Farias with Spurs Sports & Entertainment: Tel: 210-444-5607 | dfarias@attcenter.com