With the Deadline behind us, we look at how Stan Van Gundy the executive and the coach, has affected this team. Also in this Pistons News: Quincy Miller hopes to make Detroit home and Spencer Dinwiddie survives the Deadline.

Stan Van Gundy making mark on Pistons

From bringing the best out of career journeymen to surrounding his young core with established veterans, Stan Van Gundy has done an amazing job of turning around a Detroit team that had toiled in the Association's cellar for the better part of the last six years. The Pistons' locker room is now a place where players can be heard exchanging jokes and where you can see the chemistry building up between teammates. New arrival Tayshaun Prince, who witnessed the dysfunction and buffoonery associated with past Pistons squads, noticed the difference in the team from the onset.

The Pistons'  captain, Caron Butler, credits the Pistons' new executive and head coach for the successes the organization has had on, and off the court. Per Pistons.com' Keith Langlois:

"You believe in his track record," Butler said. "Obviously, you believe in him as a person and how passionate he is about it. The disposition he shows up with on a day-to-day basis, from scouting reports to walk-through, he's the same. He's very intense and we've got to follow that. We've got to match that. It's challenging, but that's what you want. That's what you're in this for."

From leading on the floor to managing the team as an executive, Van Gundy has excelled at finding hidden talent, and during the recent NBA trade deadline, he consulted Caron Butler on a decision that has altered the club's dynamic fairly significantly: whether or not to bring in Reggie Jackson. In the same piece by Langlois, Butler opens up on why he believed trading for Reggie was a solid move, one looked in depth by DBB's Steve Hinson.

"I said he'd be a great addition. He's a guy that can get into the paint. He's definitely got, not a star mentality, but superstar potential. He can really help us. He brings a different feel to the court. I saw that with Eric Bledsoe when we were in L.A., same type of thing," he said. "Chris Paul was challenging him night in, night out. Chris Paul, one of the best guards of our generation, and Eric was holding his own, so I knew he would prosper in that Phoenix situation and I see the same thing happening here for Reggie."

SVG was happy to have an endorsement from the veteran, who played with Jackson in Oklahoma for part of the 2014 season, and Butler was likewise happy to have been of help. It is indeed a refreshing feeling to see the Head of Basketball Operations approach players and ask for their advice, even more so to see a coach who holds himself responsible for a team's failures as well as successes. Stan's approach to the team has re-invigorated their play, evident in their newfound love of the game expressed on the court. By empowering his players, Van Gundy is making his mark on the Pistons, and is putting his faith in the ability of his own players, not just himself.

Quincy Miller hoping to stick with Pistons

"Versatile defender, versatile player who can make different plays," Miller describes himself to Keith Langlois. "Here at the four, they utilize it kind of differently. The four is a playmaker. They make plays and (the Pistons) don't really have a specific stretch four who can do both. They have Anthony Tolliver, who can shoot threes, but he's not as good as me, I feel like, at getting to the basket - he's an awesome 3-point shooter, though. It's definitely a great makeup to this roster."

Originally drafted by the Denver Nuggets 38th overall in 2012, he has since bounced around the D-League and earned a call up to the Sacramento Kings earlier in the season, now with the Pistons, the 22-year-old Chicago native is looking to impress Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Bower. He knows that NBA is a business, and while he would like to make Detroit a permanent fixture for his career, Miller says if he has learned anything since his arrival in the League, it was that nothing is written in stone.

Considered a 'development' player by the Pistons, Quincy's strong play for the Reno Bighorns caught Otis Smith and the Detroit scouting team's eye, and, intrigued by his mix of length and shooting, SVG decided to give the 6-foot-10 forward a shot. Along with new Piston Shawne Williams, Miller is expected to replace Jonas Jerebko's production, but both players could see some time at small forward. Van Gundy  has gone on the record to say that Williams' arrival won't affect any decisions regarding Miller, and that the Pistons view the former Heat player as more of a short-term rental, suggesting that Quincy could find himself in Motown next season. The Pistons have almost two weeks to figure out whether or not to keep the former Baylor bigman, but Miller believes that if Detroit were to keep him, he would be a solid addition to the roster.

Spencer Dinwiddie thought he'd been traded at the deadline

Amid the flurry of trades taking place around the NBA over the deadline, rookie point guard Spencer Dinwiddie was scheduled to play two games for the Grand Rapids Drive over the upcoming weekend. Instead, he found himself starting in lieu of a recently traded D.J. Augustin, taking on Derrick Rose and the visiting Chicago Bulls. The seldom-used Dinwiddie shined in his first career start, flirting with a double-double, with 12 points and 9 assists, however, it wasn't what he thought would happen. Per Dave Pemberton of The Oakland Press:

"When the trade happened, I still wasn't sure, it was still 50/50 on whether I was going (to OKC) or not, I wasn't sure. They came in and like, Andrew (Loomis, executive director of basketball operations) looked at me and (shook his fingers in front of his throat), and I thought Stan was shipping me off too. So then they just said 'Nah, just Grand Rapids' and I was like, oh okay, cool."

Dinwiddie still looked relieved when he recounted the story to the media, but the emotions with having to deal with his first NBA trade deadline were clear to see as the rookie discussed taking in account advice D.J. Augustin had given him prior to his first career start. Spencer has showed premise in the few games he has played in, and has also proven to be quite raw, but nonetheless, he dazzled in his first game as a starter. Over the course of the season, the California native has averaged 2.7 points and 2.5 assists across 0.8 turnovers, while his shooting still remains a work in progress (28.4% from the field, 13.3% from deep), he has proven he can handle an NBA offense, and that has been enough to earn him backup minutes behind Reggie Jackson. Hopefully, Dinwiddie won't have to suffer through another stressful deadline as he settles into Detroit's point guard rotation.

Tweet of the Week

If Nets lose tonight in Denver, Detroit moves into a tie for the No. 8 playoff spot. Let’s go, @denverstiffs! pic.twitter.com/HYfn3FCV6D

— Detroit Bad Boys ☠ (@detroitbadboys) February 23, 2015

San Antonio comes into Sleep Train Arena on an uncharacteristic four-game losing streak.  It's been several years since they've had a losing streak of five or more, while Sacramento hasn't won back to back games since November.  Today's action tips off at 7:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. The Kings are hurting for depth.  Darren Collison is likely out for the remainder of the season so we'll continue to see a lot of Ray McCallum and Andre Miller.  McCallum played very well against Mike Conley on Wednesday, and he'll have another tough test tonight against Tony Parker.  Also, this is looking like it will be George Karl's first game without DeMarcus Cousins (who is dealing with an ankle sprain), so it will be interesting to see how he deals with the lack of an interior presence.

2. The Spurs are coming off one of the better championship runs in NBA history, which makes this years drop-off a little surprising.  Their offense has taken a major slide, from 7th overall last season to just 14th this year, while their defense has dropped from 3rd to 6th.  They're still a great team, but they no longer look invincible.

3. One of the biggest surprises so far in George Karl's short reign has been the rejuvenation of Sacramento's bench.  Karl has kept the rotation rather short, but he's getting the most out of guys like Andre Miller, Omri Casspi and Derrick Williams.  In both of Sacramento's wins under Karl, the bench has been a huge factor.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Tony Parker vs. Ray McCallum

Parker's the head of the snake in San Antonio and he's been pretty bad during San Antonio's losing streak.  Over the past four games he's averaging just 7.5 points on an abysmal 28.9% from the field.  For Sacramento to have a chance, they're going to have to keep Parker cold, and much of that burden will fall on Ray Mac's shoulders.

PREGAME LIMERICK

There's nobody quite like Coach Pop,
whose glares make the bravest man stop.
But Karl is here,
and he has no fear,
time to give the Spurs standings a drop.

PREDICTION

Kings 104, Spurs 83 after the chair DeMarcus Cousins kicked finally steps up its game and contributes 24 points, 12 rebounds and great lumbar support.

Quincy Miller has yet to appear in a game with the Pistons.

Here's the press release from the Pistons:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has assigned forward Quincy Miller to the team's NBA Development League (D-League) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

Miller, who signed to a 10-day contract on 2/21, has yet to appear in a game with the Pistons. In six games with the Sacramento Kings this season, he averaged 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 10.2 minutes.

The 6-foot-9 forward has also played for the Reno Big Horns of the NBA D-League, averaging 25.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 28.9 minutes in 15 games.

Miller is playing for the Drive on Friday night (he just got into the game as of publishing this). Asked whether or not Miller will receive a second 10-day contract from the Pistons, Stan Van Gundy told media that he thinks that's the way the team is headed. It's a little bit odd that he didn't stick with the team on Friday considering they're playing the worst team in the NBA and minutes for Miller would've been likely, but he should get plenty of minutes for the Drive.

Now your thoughts.

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

The shorthanded Kings fought a spirited battle but collapse in the fourth

With no DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison available, the Sacramento Kings would have needed a minor miracle to beat the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. For about three quarters they hung tough in a see-saw affair, but could not execute down the stretch as the veteran Spurs ran away with the game by a final score of 107-96.

The Kings got big performances from their sophomore guard duo. Ben McLemore was about as aggressive as we've seen him all season, using his improved ballhandling ability to attack off the dribble. McLemore got to the free throw line a career-high 12 times, hitting 10, and barely missed from the field to score 21 points on only 8 shots. Ray McCallum was quiet at halftime but exploded in the third and fourth quarters, using his quickness and strong frame to attack the rim both in transition and in the halfcourt. McCallum scored 20 points on 8 shots and added 3 assists.

With the Spurs nursing a two point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Kings collapsed. The biggest culprit was Rudy Gay, who only scored 2 points in the quarter to go along with 4 turnovers. Kawhi Leonard was in his jersey all game, and in the fourth clamped down on Gay and shut down the Kings offense. Gay ended the game with 16 points on 15 shots and an atrocious 8 turnovers. McCallum kept the Kings in the game with his 8 fourth quarter points, but the Kings failed to get McLemore involved enough, at times forcing the ball far too much into an ineffective Gay. The Kings only scored 18 points in the period and coughed up the ball 8 times.

The Spurs were able to beat the Kings in several key categories. The Kings did a decent job taking care of the ball up until the fourth, but that last flurry propelled the final tally to 17, while the Spurs only turned it over 5 times. In George Karl's offense, the Kings need to force more turnovers in order to get out on the fast break. The defense was fine overall, holding the Spurs to only 39.8% shooting, but the Spurs simply did not give the ball up. The Kings also hit only one three pointer on the night, a last second heave by McLemore, but only took four total attempts. They did a good job getting to the rim, scoring 50 points in the paint, but too often they would force tough shots near the basket against the likes of Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter and failed to kick the ball out to shooters while the defense was collapsed.

Ultimately, it was a good step forward for the team while trying to learn George Karl's philosophy. Without Cousins, the team this year has basically been a lifeless corpse, and tonight was a step forward in attempting to find a way to win without the All-Star big man. There is still much work to do of course, but baby steps.

Random Observations

• Sleep Train Arena was rocking tonight. Its good to see the fanbase re-energized after two months of a soul-sucking quagmire.
• Jason Thompson played his heart out. Filled in at the center position about as well as anyone could have. Boogie leaves huge shoes to fill, and Jason did everything within his talent level he could.
• Reggie Evans was comedy gold at times this game. Between taking midrange jumpers with plenty of time left on the shot clock and dribbling the ball up the court, there were laughs and there were tears.
• Carl Landry looks sloooooow. There was a play where he just let the ball roll right past him which the Spurs happily took the other way for an open dunk. He got it going in the third a bit, but he's clearly lost a step.
• #FingersCrossedKid was adorable
• Scot Pollard is a great color commentator. Seriously awesome.
• Things got hot and sweaty between Manu and a ref. I think I've seen this soap opera.

San Antonio snaps their four-game losing streak in Sacramento as they best the Boogie-less Kings.

The Spurs' looked to avoid a five-game losing streak tonight in Sacramento as we approach the end of the annual Rodeo Road Trip. As strange as this season has been for the Spurs, we need to count our blessings when realizing how chaotic it's been for the Kings. With the firing of coaches, the obvious incompetence of an owner and untimely injuries, it's been a difficult season for Sacramento. Luckily for Kings fans though, it looks like they finally have a stable coach in George Karl.

Speaking of injuries, the Kings' all-star and debatably the best center in the league, Demarcus Cousins, sat out tonight with both a sprained left ankle and a bruised left hip. While injuries are always disappointing no matter what team you root for, it was especially rough for the Kings as they were coming off of an impressive win against Memphis Wednesday night, while the Spurs were coming off of another disappointing road loss against Portland.

The game started off with the Kings quickly doubling up the Spurs and leading 20-10 halfway through the first quarter. Sacramento really wanted to push the pace, while the Spurs were looking to move the ball and still struggled to knock down open shots. San Antonio started off a measly 5/13, while Sacramento hit nine of their first 13. Strangely enough though, I'm beginning to find five-point first quarter deficits an "ok start" for the Spurs.

At the half, the Spurs had shot 33.3% from the field (15/45), only dished out six assists, and were out-rebounded 29 to 20. The Kings played aggressive basketball, but San Antonio led the Cousins-less Kings 49-46 at halftime thanks to a late 2nd quarter surge. Kawhi Leonard led all Spurs with at the break with 13, two of them coming from this wild, Jordan-like flip:

Then came the dreaded third quarter.... (cue dramatic music)

Oh... Wait... This third quarter wasn't a complete disaster. It wasn't the prettiest quarter of Spurs basketball I've ever seen, but San Antonio started with the lead and were actually able to hold onto it. That's a really good thing and something that we haven't seen in some time. Kawhi Leonard stayed aggressive on offense, the Spurs knocked down some shots and did their best to lock down defensively.

A high scoring third quarter (63 combined points) for both teams gave the Spurs an 80-78 lead going into the fourth. The Kings were able to keep the game close for the first half of the fourth quarter, with strong play from Ray McCallum, Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore preventing the Spurs from running away with the game, and Sacramento trailed by just three after a Ray McCallum bucket brought the score to 89-86. The Spurs found the switch and turned it on with Boris Diaw knocking down a jumper, Manu being Manu and the real Tony Parker making an appearance.

An 18-6 run, with TP finding some of the fourth quarter excellence we've come to expect from him on his way to nine of those 18 points, put the game away for the Spurs.

The Spurs put an end to that terrible four-game losing streak by taking care of business in the Sleep Train Arena. This should be a reassuring win for Spurs fans everywhere. Although it's all relative to how poorly San Antonio has been playing, the Spurs consistently looked like they were present and gave a reasonable effort throughout the whole game. The best part is that they ended the game with a solid surge where they've struggled recently.

Tony Parker looked like a completely different Tony Parker than the impostor we've seen lately and while it's just one game, it's a step in the right direction as we approach the last quarter of the regular season. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself, but let's hope that something has indeed begun to click for San Antonio.

Your Spurs improve to 35-23 for the season and 3-5 on the RRT. Let's hope the team can build off of their victory.

Notes:

• The Spurs committed just six turnovers tonight. It was a much cleaner game than what we've witnessed lately. Let's hope the team can keep the give-aways down consistently.
• The Spurs are now 32-4 when leading at the end of the third quarter. The Spurs lost this third quarter, but it was just by one. Here's to more solid third quarter efforts.
• San Antonio held the Kings to 1-of-4 shooting from three for the entire game and forced 17 turnovers. It seems unlikely that the Spurs have lost a game over the past four years where they held their opponent to just one three and won the turnover battle by 11
• Tony Parker finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists and he showed aggressiveness in the fourth quarter that I haven't seen from him in a long time. Pop has been quoted saying that Parker's issues have been due to a lack of confidence, so I'm hoping it was a huge confidence booster for him.

Up Next:

Spurs travel to Phoenix to finish out the Rodeo Road Trip on a SEGABABA.

The battle of great point guards was everything you could hope for on Friday night. Russell Westbrook scored 40 but the last laugh belonged to Damian Lillard.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder played a whale of a game tonight in Portland's Moda Center. The contest featured two point guards going supernova, key supporting cast members freezing up like an ancient ice age, and a thrilling ending that defied belief. When the smoke cleared the Trail Blazers had earned a 115-112 victory and a clear path to supremacy in the Northwest Division, but it wasn't easy.

Game Flow

Both the Blazers and Thunder pride themselves on offensive potential. They can hit an opponent from multiple positions on the floor, breaking the defense down in the process. All of that went out in the window in the first half of this game, though. Tonight's offense would not be a display of infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Instead it was a two-hour long melodrama featuring 3 above-the-title stars: Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Westbrook began the night peppering the Blazers with blasts amidships. Lillard tried gamely to stay in front of him but Westbrook was having none of it.  If Russ wasn't scoring in the paint he was setting up teammates for ridiculously easy shots. Like a hidden second eyelid Portland's interior defenders desperately attempted to close off the rim but they turned out mostly superfluous. Westbrook's light was shining too brightly for anything to stop it.

Fortunately Lillard didn't wilt in the face of Westbrook's assault, though he had a closer view than anyone. Instead Dame pinned his ears back and tallied his own points. Lillard turned OKC's usually-firm defense into so much soup, plowing through the lane again and again, tossing in sweet conversions.

Between Westbrook shining like the sun and Lillard spewing points like a busted radioactive reactor, the first half of this game was supremely entertaining. As it turned out, the team that generated momentum through defense, offensive rebounding, and tempo managed to break the deadlock between the two stars. Unfortunately for the Blazers, that team was Oklahoma City. The Thunder shot 51% in the half, beat Portland on the boards, and spaced the floor better around their main man. Thus OKC led 59-47 at the half.

Both teams started the second half with more of a commitment to team ball. The Blazers cranked up defensive pressure, hawking the ball like frantic, green-blooded hobgoblins, forcing OKC into tough misses and turnovers. The Blazers also used Lillard's threat to set up wings for clear three-pointers. Tempo, rebounding, and spacing all went Portland's way and they cut the Thunder lead to 5 midway through the period.

But even as they crawled back to respectability, the Blazers still faced issues. Containing Westbrook momentarily, they utterly failed at sealing off the lane versus OKC's ensigns and redshirts, including Serge Ibaka, Mitch McGary, and Dion Waiters. The Thunder would convert 10 shots within 4 feet of the bucket in the period. Portland's hree-pointers and balanced scoring couldn't keep up with that kind of production for long and the Blazers found themselves down 11 at the end of three, 89-78 despite their amazing performance.

As the fourth period opened Gary Mitchell ...errrr...Mitch McGary's deity-like lane scoring threatened to spiral out of control. The Thunder stretched their lead to 13 with 9:40 remaining in the game. At that point the Portland faithful were preparing the bagpipes and empty torpedo cases for their fallen heroes. No need, as it turned out. Somehow, in an improbable plot twist, their team would rise from the ashes.

It started with new recruit Arron Afflalo hailing from distance, scoring the first 3 of his 11 points in the final period. Then Lillard checkmated OKC's defense time and again from the high pick and roll position. As the game drifted into critical possessions, Lillard gave way to Aldridge in the post. The Blazers' captain delivered again and again, kissing home an array of shots or heading to the line for free passes which he took full advantage of.

On the other end the Blazers finally decided that they'd seen enough of Westbrook running amok time and again. Nicolas Batum tapped Lillard on the shoulder and took his place on defense, putting the nerve pinch on OKC's point guard. Westbrook still scored but he had to work twice as hard just when he was twice as tired. His final quarter wasn't nearly as pretty as his first half. Plus, in true Westbrook style, Russell forgot that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few...or the one. In this case the "one" was him, as shot attempts in the period would prove. The contrast between his approach and Portland's was stark...though we should hasten to point out that with Kevin Durant in street clothes, Westbrook didn't have his captain to turn to like Lillard did.

After 48 minutes of literally anything you could imagine coming to life before your eyes (for good or ill) the game came down to the final. climactic moments. Portland's defense and rebounding had given them better possessions in the fourth period than Oklahoma City had. Their three-dimensional, chess-like attack prevailed over Westbrook trying to restart his team through controlled implosion. Plus the Blazers hit their free throws.

All of this set the stage as Portland led 113-110 with 6 seconds remaining. Oklahoma City had the ball for the last possession in regulation. A three would tie the game, sending it into overtime. In this situation the Blazers took a logical approach, electing to foul Westbrook, allowing the potential for 2 points at the foul line but not 3 from the arc.

Unfortunately Wesley Matthews picked that exact moment to bring out his drunken Gorn impression, fouling late, while Westbrook was in the shooting motion. Half of the Moda Center crowd responded with, "Highly Illogical." The rest of them screamed, "KHAAAAAAAAAAAN-FOUND IT! THAT"S GOING TO GIVE HIM THREE FREE THROWS! You Klingon bastard, you've killed our division lead!!!"

(Either way...poor Wes! I'm sure the human half of all of us felt for him in that moment.)

But then, in a final dramatic turn of fortune, Westbrook missed the first free throw, causing everyone in the arena to raise an eyebrow and exclaim, "Fascinating..."

(Or maybe, "YESSSSSSSSSS OHMYGOSH WE'RE GONNA WIN THIS THING CUZ EVEN IF HE SPITS AT US FROM HELL'S HEART IT"S ONLY WORTH 2 POINTS NOW! WARP US OUT OF HERE, SULU!)

Westbrook made the final 2 foul shots. It looked like he was trying to miss the last one but couldn't manage it. Adding injury to insult, he took a vicious knee in the temple from his own teammate in the lane scrum following. With a little over a tick left the Thunder fouled Lillard for possession. Dame sank the shots with his customary cool demeanor and OKC never got off the last-second heave. Portland walked out of the arena with an emotional, dramatic 115-112 victory.

Epilogue:

Some speculation Westbrook's dent could be a fracture of the zygomatic arch. JR Smith had one last year and played through it wearing a mask

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) February 28, 2015

Ouch.

Analysis

The Blazers now stand 8 games over their division rivals in the loss column with tiebreaker in hand, making it 9 for practical purposes. That's a pretty nice lead with only 25 games remaining on Portland's schedule. That's the most important thing to come out of tonight's game by far.

Russell Westbrook scored 40 with 13 rebounds and 11 assists. The only thing that stopped him tonight was his fatigue, with maybe a side-splash of Batum-Matthews defense. But it seemed pretty clear that not only were the Blazers incapable of stopping the opposing point guard, they were barely capable of stopping the ripple effects on other players. OKC shot 48% tonight but they were above 50% most of the game, courtesy of Westbrook in the lane early, then everybody else in the lane after. Portland's bigger defenders had no way to rotate quickly enough against penetration when OKC was running free and easy. At a certain point it almost looked like they gave up., with near disastrous results. Nor were the Blazers good in transition tonight. No matter how secure the defense seems--and it's certainly more secure this year than last--these bugaboos haven't disappeared entirely.

The matchup and rotation crisis gave Terry Stotts a chance to tinker with lineups in the second half. Portland matched Oklahoma City by running smaller formations, making liberal use of Afflalo to good effect. Last week's trade paid off big tonight, and not just because of Afflalo's 18 points. He gives the Blazers flexibility and security they didn't have when Will Barton and CJ McCollum were the main choices off the bench.

This was a playoff atmosphere, becoming more so as the game progressed. Yes, the Thunder were short-handed but they tested the Blazers every bit as much despite that. Portland once again proved their resiliency. That's like an ace in the hole...one that you can't draw every hand, but that feels good in your pocket nevertheless. If there were any lingering doubts after the recent mediocre stretch, the Blazers proved tonight that they belong in the playoffs every bit as much as any other contender in the crowded and talented Western Conference. Then again, making the playoffs isn't the goal this year. The Blazers are going to secure a seed and will almost certainly gain an upper-bracket slot in the process. They'll still need to work on some of those weaknesses if they want to take the next step, moving beyond the "scrappy team, happy to be there" stage to live long and prosper in the post-season.

Individual Notes

LaMarcus Aldridge continues to vacillate between looking hesitant and looking excellent. We saw more of the former early, more of the latter as the team needed him. It seems to me that the less he thinks, the easier his shots flow. The game got pretty intense in the second half and Aldridge exchanged serious words with Serge Ibaka. Perhaps adrenaline worked for him. Either way, it was nice to see clockwork-LaMarcus back for a while. He scored 29 on 10-23 shooting, including 9 critical points as the fourth quarter closed. Add in 5 assists against a single turnover plus a mighty 7 offensive rebounds and this was a pretty good night for Aldridge.

Damian Lillard  scored 29 himself, largely due to his "Kiki Vandeweghe guards Kiki Vandeweghe" matchup with Westbrook. If these two point guards matched up every night they'd be co-MVP's. 10-22 shooting, 5 assists.

Wesley Matthews had 3 steals and hit 2-6 threes (33%) but otherwise went pure Ensign Leibowitz on offense, finishing the game 2-13 overall for 8 points. Nicolas Batum wasn't that much better at 2-6 for 9 points and three steals. To their credit, both took their turn on the bucket brigade trying to put out Westbrook's fire. Both did comparatively well.

Robin Lopez shot 4-8 for 8 points but otherwise wasn't a factor, getting lost in the whirling rotations, sometimes looking incredulously at teammates as if to say, "How the BLEEDING HECK could you let a guy get down the lane that quickly and what the SMOKING HELLBLAZES do you expect me to do about it?"

If Lopez didn't have a chance on defense, you know Chris Kaman didn't either. Fortunately Kaman produced 8 points and 7 rebounds in 14 minutes to help make up for it.

Arron Afflalo don't have to make up for nothing. Arron Afflalo just took the navigator's seat that's been a rotating mess since this series began. Arron Afflalo just started quoting Russian proverbs and all the girls think he's super-cute. Arron Afflalo will be staying for a while. If you doubt that, check out the 18 points on 5-6 shooting and the fourth-quarter Denebian Bacon-saving.

You know who barely played tonight? Steve Blake got 11 minutes while  Dorell Wright and Meyers Leonard got the Doug E Fresh 6 minutes treatment. None of them did much with their time. Poor Meyers also has to suffer the indignity of being the second-most-alluded-to Leonard in this recap. Bad night.

The Blazers travel to Sacramento to face the Kings on Sunday.

Your Boxscore

The Instant Recap with tweets, videos, and more!

Welcome to Loud City manages to celebrate Westbrook while simultaneously being bummed about the outcome.

Still to come: our In-Arena Report from a wild and crazy Moda Center.

Call and leave questions, comments, or short rants for our podcast at 234-738-3394.

The deadline for sending underprivileged kids to the March 30th Phoenix-Portland game is fast approaching. Click here to see how you can sponsor 1 or 2 young people!

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge

The Spurs finally won a game after the all-star break. Let's look at some of the plays that helped the Silver and Black pick up a much-needed win in Sacramento against the Boogie-less Kings.

Let's start this edition of GIF Breakdown with a ridiculous bucket by Kawhi Leonard where he challenges Omri Casspi from the top of the arc with a strong, two-dribble drive down the middle of the lane. There's some contact as the two get closer to the basket and Whi gets turned around as Jason Thompson brings help. Leonard gets just enough english on the ball before Thompson makes slight contact with his forearm to get the ball to drop through the hoop after a soft bounce off the backboard.

Here's another angle. Check out the concentration Whi shows as he finishes. Beautiful stuff right there.

The future of the Spurs gave us one of his patented, strangely absent as of late, coast-to-coast highlights in this one. Rudy Gay decides to go one-on-one at Leonard off of a screen from the left wing but Kawhi plays him perfectly and picks up a block and recovers the loose one. Both teams are off as Whi takes a second to gather himself and the ball before he races down the floor with purpose. Aron Baynes holds off the smaller Carl Landry, Leonard sees the opening Baynes creates and makes the most of the opportunity with an easy slam.

Before there were Kevin Love outlet passes, there were Tim Duncan outlet passes and Andrew McNeil paid tribute to Big Fun's mastery of the skill in in a video that will forever bring a smile to my face. Here's the latest masterpiece from the veteran: a 2/3 court, overhead chuck that found a streaking Baynes for a no-dribble flush just before the first half came to a close.

Tony Parker has been pretty absent from GIF Breakdowns this season, so let's finish up with three scores from The Wee Frenchman after his solid outing on Friday night.

Here's TP working off a Splitter screen, seeing a clogged lane, hesitating while Tiago comes to set a second pick and Duncan spots up at the top of the key. Jason Thompson honors the threat of Tim's jumper, which opens up enough room for Tony to slip deep into the paint. Carl Landry does a nice job of fighting through the Splitter pick, but the Brazilian bought Tony the split second he needed to weave through the defense and finish. This looks a lot like Tony Parker.

Here's Tony again working off a screen, driving, hesitating, waiting for a big (Baynes here) to clear out the lane and then squeezing through the hole created for the layup. Again, this looks like Tony, which is a welcome sight for fans.

It wasn't Tony's jumper that Spurs fans were/are worried about, though it was an issue, as much as his inability to finish at the rim this season. This came in the fourth as the Spurs put the Kings away with a 18-6 run and it's not that Tony hit this jumper off a screen that makes this second-view worthy as much as it was great to see him take it so confidently.

Okay Pounders, this game was a step in the right direction for our boys and let's hope that this is the start of a resurgence for Tony Parker and the good guys. It's probably been the roughest month in the regular season for the Spurs and Spurs fans in the Tim Duncan era, but let's not forget that there is still more than a quarter of the season left to be played which leaves plenty of time for the champs to find their groove.

The losing streak is over, and the seeds of a Spurs resurgence were sown in Sacramento.

Go ahead and be giddy. For being the defending champions, the past few months haven't left all that much for Spurs fans to be overtly joyous about. But don't be thrilled with the fact that the Spurs simply won, or that they won in California, or that they won by double digits (this was, after all, a win over a 20-36 team without their best player). Be thrilled because the Spurs looked engaged, played really solid defense for most of the game, showed passion, showed progress, and most of all...because they can be MUCH better. Any win where you shoot below 40% from the field and 35% from deep is a treat.

The Kings started out a little bit ridiculously. It was déjà vu as opposing players were hitting shots against the Spurs that they had no business to, but with the added incredulity that the shooters were guys like Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum instead of Steph Curry or Wesley Matthews.

The first quarter looked ominous, as the Spurs were outscored 25-20 with a potential 5-game losing streak on the line. But the Kings scored 20 points in the first 6 minutes of the quarter and only 5 in the last 6 minutes in some combination of the Spurs realizing they can be a very good defensive team when they want, Cory Joseph, and a statistical regression to the mean.

The 2nd quarter was a pretty even battle until the final 4 minutes when the Spurs went on a 18-5 run (18-7 with McElmore's buzzer beater) that saw them retake the lead for the first time since the score was 8-7. This was an exciting sign, but as we saw against the Blazers: a great second quarter is only as good as the daunting third will allow.

By this season's meager standards, the Spurs only being outscored by 1 in the third was an outright success. They allowed 32 points (again, to a Cousins-less Kings) but scored 31, ultimately leading by two. After hitting their first two shots from deep, the Spurs went 1-for-7. This very well may've been related to Danny Green having 4 fouls in 5 minutes like he was the only one running the hack-a-someone defense.

The fourth quarter didn’t start perfectly, the Spurs’ first 8 possessions were: DG3 turnover, DG3 miss, Boris miss, DG3 miss, DG3 turnover, TP miss, Banger miss, Kawhi miss. Then at the around the 8:30 mark, something magical happened. After the Kings made two free throws to tie the game at 80, the Spurs went on a 27-12 run led by two slumping Frenchmen and an over-the-hill Argentine (with a bit of promising future franchise player thrown in for good measure). At the conclusion of this seven-minute run, the cleanup crew was sent in by Popovich with the recently unfamiliar role of seeing out a substantial lead.

More importantly, Tony and Manu got to head to the bench with smiles and a knowledge of a job well done. That is the type of emotion that can be planted, watered, harvested, and turned into something substantial. We'll see if the recently slumping Spurs can build off the end of game momentum into the team we all know they can be.

Quote of the Night

"That was huge for us. That was huge for him."

- Duncan on Tony Parker's game and confidence going forward

Odds and Ends

In the second half, Parker scored 17 of his 19 and Ginobili scored 11 of his 16. It's really reassuring to see guys with a combined age of 69 who played a combined 50 minutes finishing strong.

The Spurs only shot 35-88, but got a few difficult-to-circus shots to fall. You have to shake off paradoxical shooting nights, the same way you do when the opponent hits 6 well-contested shots in succession. The shots will eventually start falling.

Seven players scored at least 8 points for the Spurs, with all of the Big-4 (yes, it's beyond time to expand) in double digits.

Game MVP

Tiago Splitter.

Most people will leave talking about Tony Parker, and what a 2nd half it was, but Tiago Splitter had been just as M.I.A. in 2015. Popovich but him in the starting lineup to deal with the force that is Boogie Cousins, but didn't change when Cousins was ruled out. That vote of confidence sparked something in the Brazilian who, despite the box score, was a huge presence in this game and controlled the paint/rim better than he has all season. (6 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks is incredibly misleading).

Game LVP

Cancer.

Screw cancer. It was his fourth game back, but seeing Geroge Karl coaching again and remembering his bouts with prostate, throat, and neck cancer was an inspiration. He is getting to do the thing that he loves, hopefully serving as an inspiration for the life that is on the other side of the awful, painful, difficult disease.

Numbers Game

26. The Spurs bench outscored the Kings 45-19.

2. Two points in 14 first half minutes for Parker.

• 1Q: 2 points, 1/2 FG
• 2Q: 0 points, 0/3 FG

17. 17 points in 16 2nd half minutes.

• 3Q: 6 points, 2/4 FG
• 4Q: 11 points, 4/7 FG

0. No turnovers for Parker in 30 minutes. Only 5 for the entire game. (Which make Danny Green's 3-in-12 minutes all the more impressive)

Internet Watercooler

Before we get to the Spurs, let's take a second to appreciate the crazy genius of:

Russell Westbrook

— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) April 7, 2014

When Pop and George finally retire, somebody would pay them millions to do a "Coaches In Cars Getting Coffee" series together. I'd watch.

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) February 28, 2015

Tiago Robinson! The Brazilian Admiral! (Brazil presumably has a Navy, right)

— Kyle Carpenter (@KyleCarpenter) February 28, 2015

Crazy stat: Tiago Spltter averages the third highest points per possessions on post ups (50 possessions or more) http://t.co/mB3qQibqxe

— Jesus Gomez (@JejeGomez_PtR) February 28, 2015

Andre Miller was born 37-years old and hasn't aged a day since.

— Jesse Blanchard (@blanchardJRB) February 28, 2015

Half Jack, half Benjamin Button.

Tony's season is like Superman 2, when he relinquished his powers to live a mortal life with Lois Lane, and got savagely beaten by truckers.

— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneySAEN) February 28, 2015

(This was pre-4th quarter)

Kawhi with a Manu-esque, Jordan-esque over-the-head circus shot and one. #Spurshttps://t.co/IdKvANEXSm

— J.R. Wilco (@jollyrogerwilco) February 28, 2015

what sucks about being the 7th seed is that every time a team ahead of us loses, it's usually to another team ahead of us.

— Pounding the Rock (@poundingtherock) February 28, 2015

Scot Pollard saying that Tim Duncan hated him because Pollard dominated Duncan one time in college and Duncan never forgot about it.

— Alex Dewey (@DewNO) February 28, 2015

...And then almost got drafted over him (even if almost was only a 60-second slice of time. It exists)

Our favorite play of the first half? The Big Fundamental to the Big Banger for the fast break flush! https://t.co/dab1VchhuL

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 28, 2015

Baynes flying thru the air with his loin cloth flapping in the wind.

— I'm Ruben Martinez? (@The_Real_Ruben) February 28, 2015

"If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?" RT @JejeGomez_PtR: Boogie is thinking some deep thoughts. pic.twitter.com/VW1Dnys1t7

— Ian Dougherty (@IanDougherty) February 28, 2015

This is a meme I'd like to see happen.

Manu with an amazing move, even for a man five years young than him. Seriously. That move would have been impressive from a 45 year old

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) February 28, 2015

This Manu is making me feel 12 again. I'm about to go bleach the tips of my hair. Where'd I put those puka shell necklace?

— Kyle Carpenter (@KyleCarpenter) February 28, 2015

The Spurs are kickstarting the Spursing like it’s that old lawn mower your neighbor gave you for free

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) February 28, 2015

"What was the turning point this season, Pop?" "Skip Bayless said we were done"

— Cameron Adamczyk (@CameronAdamczyk) February 28, 2015

Did not know this pic.twitter.com/J8gVtBBuBt

— Matthew R Tynan (@Matthew_Tynan) February 28, 2015

Tony Parker and the Spurs look to build momentum in tonight's game versus the Phoenix Suns.

San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns

US Airways Center, Phonix, Arizona
February 28, 2015, 8:00 PM Spurs Time
TV: KENS5, NBATV - RADIO: 1200 AM WOAI

Tonight the San Antonio Spurs will play in the final game of their annual Rodeo Road Trip. This trip has been a bit of a disappointment; this is the first Rodeo Road Trip ever where San Antonio is guaranteed to finish below .500 for it. Yet, things are still somewhat positive. Following four straight losses, the silver and black finally gained some momentum last night in a sloppy win over the Sacramento Kings. Now, in the second half of a back-to-back, they'll try to keep that good fortune going versus the Phoenix Suns.

This is not the same Suns team that the Spurs have faced twice already this year. At the deadline, Phoenix made some major changes at the trade deadline, dealing away two parts of their three-headed point guard attack in Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas. The only one of the original three that remains is Eric Bledsoe, who has been solid since the deadline. He's improved from one game to the next in the five matchups since the deals, and looked truly spectacular in the team's last game, a win versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bledsoe had 28 points on 11-16 from the field, 13 boards, 9 assists, and even recorded 4 blocks. Bledsoe is an incredibly athletic, very dynamic guard. He thrives in Phoenix's pick-and-roll attack, and with more freedom on the floor now that there is no more logjam at point guard, he'll be sure to be more aggressive and sure of himself on the floor.

For the Spurs, the player to watch is Tony Parker. By now you know that Parker has struggled in what time he's been able to stay on the floor this year. He's admitted to being banged up over the course of the road trip, and has had a shooting slump that seems to be more of a mental issue. Whether his troubles lie in his body or his mind, it is clear that he's having his worse year in the league since he was 21 years old, and just hasn't looked like the Tony Parker that San Antonio needs to be a legitimate contender in the West.

Last night, however, Parker showed flashes of his former self. In the fourth quarter against the Kings, with the game waiting to be taken by either team, it was the 32 year old point guard that snatched it away. In that final period, Parker scored 11 of his 19 points on the night. Parker was able to get himself going on a couple hard drives to the basket. From there, he was able to dictate the rest off the game, knocking down jumpers, getting to the line, and getting the ball to teammates when the defense collapsed down on him. You could see the frustration and urgency on Parker's face the entire time. He was aching for a good performance, and dug one out of his heart. Maybe that gritty showing is what he needed to jump-start his season.

	@
Phoenix Suns (22-16)		San Antonio Spurs (21-15)
February 28, 2015
US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
8:00 PM CDT
TV: KENS 5, NBATV Radio: WOAI 1200AM
Starters
Eric Bledsoe	PG	Tony Parker
Brandon Knight	SG	Danny Green
P.J. Tucker	SF	Kawhi Leonard
Markieff Morris	PF	Tim Duncan
Alex Len	C	Tiago Splitter

For the Suns' perspective, please visit Bright Side of the Sun.

Game prediction: Spurs by 4.

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

The Spurs shot pretty poorly, at 34.8% 3pt and 41.5% 2pt, but dominated the ball control battle and earned a hard-fought win over the Kings.

Spurs 107, Kings 96 - Feb 27, '15

The Spurs started ice cold on Friday, falling behind by double digits in the first quarter, but spent the rest of the game improving their percentages and taking impeccable care of the ball, finally establishing a comfortable lead mid-way through the 4th quarter and holding the Kings off until the buzzer.  

The Spurs wound up shooting 5 percentage points lower in effective Field Goal percentage than the 3 point-eschewing Kings, but rebounding slightly better, shot free throws at an excellent clip and percentage, and completely dominated the ball control battle, earning themselves over a dozen more scoring opportunities than their opponent, which was more than enough to overcome the shooting percentage disadvantage over the course of the game.

The Spurs couldn't hit the broadside of a red barn anywhere outside the restricted area and inside the 3 point line, but were effective enough from point blank and deep to match the Kings, once you factor in all the extra looks.

The Spurs played active pressure defense and forced the Kings into 17 turnovers while committing an incredibly 5 of their own.  The good guys finished with almost 5x the Kings' BCI: a dizzying 5.20 to the Kings' meagre 1.06.  That's the largest margin I've ever seen in this metric.  Most of that margin is due to the remarkably low turnover mark, as the Spurs actually assisted on relatively few possessions (by Spurs standards), only netting 18 assists, well below their 24.2 season average.  

The ballhandling advantage was really the only advantage of any significance the Spurs enjoyed, and it shows just how key ball control can be - the Kings outshot the Spurs and fought to a draw in everything other metric, but their inability to control the ball or garner, like any steals sealed their fate in this one.

Four Factors (def.)

Team Stats (Definitions at bottom of post)

[Content]

Spurs Shot Chart

Kings Shot Chart

Players (Definitions at bottom of post, columns sortable)

On an individual level, the most notable performance of the night was definitely Tony Parker's.  Kawhi may have slightly outperformed TP over the course of the night, but Tony started this game looking very much like the Parker we've seen lately, hitting his first shot before missing the next 4 en route to a pretty poor but typical of late 1st half performance.  Parker hit the first shot of the 3rd though, and quickly added 2 free throws en route to a 17 point 2nd half in which he looked very much like the old Tony we know and love.

And it wasn't just that his jumper was falling - Tony showed some of the quickness he'd been missing, hitting a number of shots in the paint and creating shots for teammates off of suddenly-effective-again drives to the basket.  He also went a whole game avoiding not only stepping out of bounds, but any turnovers at all, posting an ∞ assist to turnover ratio! (5 to 0, math joke...)  Just an excellent game all around from Tony, and all the more remarkable considering almost all of his positive contributions came after halftime.  

Kawhi played an excellent game once again, and seems to be finding his offensive rhythm a bit once more.  A lot of Kawhi's misses, particularly when posting up, were of the just-rimmed-out variety, ones we hope would start to fall on a greater basis as Leonard takes more shots like those. 

Manu Ginobili was fantastic as Scoring Manu, pouring in 16 points on just 10 shots with no assists, and netted a team high 36.6 Net Rating.  Baynes made up for a 1-3 shooting from the field and a single rebound by getting the line 3 times and sinking all 6 free throws, as well as 3 assists.  

Two guys whose box scores belied their contributions in this one were Patty Mills and Tiago Splitter.  Mills once again provided a huge energy boost off the bench despite (once again) missing both of his looks from deep.  His defense was pestering and the shots he hit came when they were much needed.

Splitter was the victim of numerous "how did that not go in?" kind of shots, finishing 2-8 from the field, but contributed 9 boards, 3 blocks and a steal.  In a 3 minute stretch late in the first quarter, Splitter blocked 2 straight shots and grabbed four rebounds to effectively shut the Kings down while the Spurs gained back some ground after an ice cold start.  You can actually see it in the game chart at the top of the page - see that 3 1/2 minute stretch where the red line is flat?  Tiago Splitter was the main reason for that.  If this kind of defensive effort continues and his shots start to fall, the Spurs will once again enjoy a lot of depth in their frontcourt.

Spurs Index: 96.2 (def.)

Kings Spurs Index: 85.7 Show Breakdown

Not a very Spursy game due to low assist rate and poor shooting.  At this point I don't care how the wins come or whom they come against, so long as they keep coming.  Go Spurs Go!

Special thanks to:

• Bill Connelly over at our sister blog Rock M Nation, for the idea for Study Hall (and many of the stats and definitions)
• Nick Bottomley, whose nba stats API project made it possible to automate the statistical breakdowns for every game

Former Warriors owner Vivek Ranadive has made some curious decisions since buying the Sacramento Kings.

NOTE: Starting today, I am going to be writing a weekly Sunday column profiling various people around the NBA. It'll be called Sunday Reads: NBA Profiles.

What is PASSION? What is it to find something that fulfills you? Something that entangles your brain in such a way that you are pleasured by the act of untangling the problem. For each day can be a problem. The act of waking and dressing and walking out your door, unsure of what the world holds for you. Unsure of the day's unfolding events.

--- = ---

Vivek is a popular name in South Asia, particularly in India and Nepal.

The most basic meaning means "wisdom" or "knowledge."

The popular narrative for Vivek Ranadive goes something like this: A young Indian child from Bombay, now Mumbai, sees a documentary about the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and decides that it is the place for him. He applies and is accepted, age sixteen. He badgers the Indian government, setting up camp outside the Reserve Bank of India until somehow, through sheer force of will, is granted the required tuition money upon which time he sets sail for Boston with no more than $100 in his pocket. Once there, he tears through his classwork, earning both his undergraduate and Masters degree from MIT, as well as his MBA from Harvard. In 1986, age 30, he founds Teknekron Software Systems, and creates "real-time" computational software that revolutionizes Wall Street--leading to the eventual digitization of all trading. Eleven years later, he crosses over into the sports world, teaming with CBS Sportline to apply his software to such firms as the NFL and the NBA. When he finally sells his company, in 2014 to, I assume, fully concentrate on his ownership interests in the NBA, the company he has built is worth $4.3 Billion.

There is a new trend in NBA owners. No longer are you seeing old-school Real Estate Barons, Slumlords, Cruise Line Operators, or even Rich Kids whose parents Gifted Them Everything. No, the NBA's newest owners for the most part share a common thread: They are all brilliant, forward thinking entrepreneurs. They are investment bankers and technological pioneers. They are men who have conquered business foes. Men for whom failure is not an option. If tearing down a team and building from scratch makes the most financial sense--seems to provide the greatest likelihood of success--well, then, these men have the gumption to tear the damn team apart.

Joe Lacob is such a man. And so is his former partner, Vivek Ranadive.

--- = ---

Vivek famously coached his daughter's youth basketball team. The whole episode was chronicled by Malcolm Gladwell in the beautiful piece How David Beats Goliath. Their team had neither the tallest girls, nor the most skilled basketball players, so Vivek implemented critcial, outside the box type entrepreneurial thinking to the situation and came across a simple answer. His team would live and die with the full-court press. They would OUTWORK the other team. Get under their skin. His daughter's team went all the way to the state championship.

When Ranadive bought the Sacramento Kings, staving off a push from Seattle-based investors who wanted to relocate the team to the Northwest, he brought with him a young, bright, upwardly-mobile coach named Michael Malone, giving him his very first head coaching job. Malone had been part of Mark Jackson's staff here in Golden State, and in many ways is the father of our currently top-ranked defensive unit. Second, he hired Pete D'Alessandro, former Assistant GM of the Warriors. Chris Mullin is a senior adviser. In many ways, Vivek created a sort of Warriors 2.0 in Sacramento, poaching not only many of the ideas and strengths of our organization, but many of our actual employees as well.

There is a joke and a thought that new owners want to make a splash. They want to win right away, sure, but more importantly they want to announce to the world and to their fan base that TIMES HAVE CHANGED. Joe Lacob did this by trading Monta Ellis. And boy were we unhappy.

Vivek decided to make a splash by floating never-before considered things like crowd sourcing their draft and only playing four people on defense. Naturally, the establishment scoffed. Who was this upstart, new owner? Sure, his wacky ideas might work in a youth basketball league. But here?! In the NBA?! No no no. We don't do things like that. No sir.

Again, this was Vivek just being Vivek--thinking outside the box, reevaluating the meaning and existence of the box. Does it have wooden sides? Acrylic paint? Can I hang a poster of Shania Twain? No? Damn. What about Mark Twain?

Joe Lacob fired Mark Jackson in a move that many saw as foolhardy and downright cowboyish. Mark Jackson was successful! He turned the franchise around! And yet men like Lacob, and many of the other new owners, have made their living and their fortunes by making difficult choices. You don't get to be a multi-multi-kajillionaire by sitting pat. And you definitely don't accrue that type of $krilla while doubting yourself.

While Lacob's gamble has obviously paid off, Vivek's gambles have so far fallen flat. He hired Malone to install a defensive identity, but then hired a GM who valued motion and speed. His crowdsourced draft famously produced Nik Stauskus. Stauskus? STAUSKUS! even though the Kings already had a young (very young!), talented two-guard in Ben McLemore, who will most likely end up being a far, far superior player to Nik Stauskus.

Demarcus Cousins is their cornerstone, their franchise beast. When he got viral meningitis earlier this year and missed 10 games, the Kings went 2-8 and promptly used the skid as an excuse to fire Malone. Now they bring in George Karl, a hall of fame coach who himself is no stranger to the Warriors. (Thanks Andre! Love you forever cuz of that!)

And yet Lacob fired Jackson DURING THE OFF SEASON. He didn't make a quick gut call mid-season. He valued his options, weighed all sides, and then ultimately pulled the trigger. Vivek, for all his genius, seems to have perhaps out-smarted himself. Karl may very well turn the team around and create a contender, but it's never a good idea to have your most talented player, who you just signed to a huge contract, involved in trade talk before the new coach has even arrived, and attributing all the internal turmoil to "God's Plan."

Life is hard. Nothing comes easy. We all try our best to keep a straight face--excel in the little things and hope that someday it'll all make sense. Men like Vivek Ranadive intrigue me. Men and women who have built their castles one brick at a time, inventing new construction techniques--constantly improving their vision of the future. Making their own inner vision come to life, and thereby changing the world around them.

It is yet to be seen if Vivek's vision is sustainable. I guess we'll find out in the coming years. But from an outsider's perspective looking in, for the first time, there are some major cracks in the armor.

And that, I suppose, brings us back around to my initial question and the reason I wrote this whole article: What is PASSION? Is it enough to sustain you? Is having a strong vision ever enough? Or does life get in the way no matter how hard you try? No matter how much effort you exert.

P.S.: Important Reading (in his own words).

Playoff hopes may be a distant memory for some of the NBA's bottom-scraping teams, but there are still some interesting storylines.

These are the longest current win streaks in the NBA: the Rockets with four straight wins, the Pelicans with four, the Hawks with four, the Lakers with three, the Cel -- waitjustasecond.

Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers are doing a surprisingly terrible job of tanking this month, beating the Bucks, Jazz and Celtics in their last three, but it's not just them! The Knicks have won two straight. The 76ers beat the Wizards Friday. The Timberwolves actually have a losing streak, but they've won five out of their last 10 games.

C'mon guys. These four are supposed to be the gold standard of tanking. This is the chance for one of them to "gain some ground" and let another team pass you, increasing the odds of a lower seed and better pick.

In fairness, they're trying. The Knicks played Lou Amundson 24 minutes in their last win. The 76ers shot 35 percent as a team and still won because their opponent only shot 32 percent. The Lakers have rested Nick Young in consecutive games because of swelling in his knee, perhaps knowing he can afford to take a few extra days to make sure he's totally healthy before returning. Regardless of its bad rap, tanking doesn't stop teams from winning games here and there. The bottom tier is showing that right now.

With that in mind, let's look at the teams currently scraping the bottom of the standings and what important scenarios could occur because of it.

Western Conference

The big picture of the West is fascinating, involving two high-value draft picks potentially changing hands depending on how things shake out.

Philadelphia own the rights to Los Angeles' first-round pick if they finish outside the top five after the lottery. The Lakers, hoping to retool around Kobe Bryant one more time this summer, desperately need to keep their pick to assist that quest next summer. Meanwhile, should they fall out of the top five, the Sixers could potentially have two picks in the top six of next summer's draft.

The Lakers are currently the fourth-worst team in the league, with a three and a half game lead on Philadelphia and a two game deficit to Orlando. Ideally, Los Angeles needs to stay bottom four. Last year, the Celtics had the fifth-worst record and ended up with the No. 6 pick. The Lakers don't want to be facing a similar situation.

The other pick scenario worth mentioning involves Sacramento, who owes a pick to Chicago if they finish outside of the top 10. The Kings are currently the seventh-worst team in the league and are two games back of ninth-worst Utah. Despite a promising start to the year, at this point, it would be best for Sacramento to stay on their current trajectory.

As for the Timberwolves, they're the tank team with the best chance of rising a bit in the standings. Ricky Rubio is back, Kevin Martin was not bought out, Andrew Wiggins is playing some of his best basketball and Kevin Garnett has returned for a reunion tour of sorts. Of course, they also have the toughest schedule of any of the teams we talked about -- eight West playoff hopefuls in March and four more to round out the season in April.

Eastern Conference

The current worst team in the NBA is the Knicks, and they show no signs of giving that title up despite a couple recent wins. Their schedule in March is tough -- a five-game road trip to the West Coast, a handful of Western Conference playoff teams and some tough back-to-backs. April does get a little easier, and if there's any chance to pull themselves out of dead last (not a desired outcome at this point), it'll happen then, with eight games all against the East.

Meanwhile, the Sixers only play 12 of their final 25 games against playoff teams, and several of those are struggling Eastern Conference squads. They downgraded at the trade deadline by trading away Michael Carter-Williams and K.J. McDaniels, but adding Isaiah Canaan and finally seeing Jason Richardson return from a long injury sabbatical helps provide some additional talent to make up for those losses. After an embarrassing 0-17 start, the Sixers could win five or six more games before the season is up and finish with a surprisingly respectable 18 or 19 wins.

Don't expect the Magic to keep bottoming out. Although they currently boast the NBA's fifth-worst record, they've won four of eight since former head coach Jacque Vaughn was fired Feb. 5. The dismissal appears to have put some life into a young Magic team down the stretch.

The playoff picture deserves, like, 98 percent of your attention through the remainder of the NBA season, but glance over and see what the lottery is up to a few times. The way things play out could have a huge impact on the future

Sacramento's got one more home game on the block before heading off on the longest road trip of the season.  Unfortunately, it's yet another game against a top Western Conference team and another game without DeMarcus Cousins.  Today's action tips off at 3:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Man, the West just keeps getting tougher and tougher.  Portland landing Arron Afflalo for what essentially amounts to spare parts was a major coup.  Afflalo would start on many teams but for Portland he's providing quality bench play and a potential insurance policy next season should Wesley Matthews leave in Free Agency.

2. The Kings actually competed rather well against the Spurs even without Cousins.  However, the execution down the stretch was not good, especially by Rudy Gay who had several turnovers from dribbling too much.  Sacramento needs to do a better job of trusting each other and moving the ball instead of being predictable.

3. Meyers Leonard took a little while to develop but he's turned into a pretty good shooter for a big guy.  He's shooting 45.1% from three point range and also rebounding at a very high rate.  That adds an interesting option for Portland off the bench.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Jason Thompson

Remember back in 2008 when LaMarcus Aldridge was considered the third wheel behind Greg Oden and Brandon Roy?  Aldridge has turned into the face of the franchise in Portland and deservedly so.  He can score from almost every area on the floor and Jason Thompson has had a lot of trouble guarding him this year.  The Kings can't afford to have Aldridge have a dominant game if they hope to have a chance to win.

PREGAME LIMERICK

The Blazers landed Afflalo?
the trade deadline was hard to follow.
So many trades,
and bloggers posting grades,
But Portland getting Arron was hard to swallow.

PREDICTION

Kings 109, Blazers 104 after Ryan Hollins defects to the Portland Trail Blazers only to reveal at the last second that he's a double agent.  Why Portland chose to put Ryan Hollins in the game during crunch time was anyone's guess though.

Damian Lillard had 31 points to help Portland go coast-to-coast against the Sacramento Kings.

Damian Lillard had 31 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers held off several charges to defeat the Sacramento Kings, 110-99 Sunday afternoon at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento.

Wesley Matthews may have been bothered by his injured shooting hand during pre-game warm ups, but he did not show it at game time.  Matthews scored nine in the first in leading Portland on an early 17-2 run to take advantage of poor shooting by the Kings.  Sacramento missed seven shots at one point.  Aldridge had ten points of his own, and Robin Lopez added five as the Blazers took an 11 point lead after one.

The level of play for Portland in the second quarter went up and down like a yo-yo.  Sacramento cut the lead to as little as four as the Blazers struggled with turnovers and shots that would not stay in the basket.  Strong defense by Nicolas Batum and Aaron Afflalo got the road team back into the game, as well as the return of hard-nosed center Joel Freeland after a 23 game absence with a shoulder injury.  Batum's aggressive defense did get him in foul trouble, so Alonzo Gee played his first meaningful minutes for the Blazers and responded by scoring four points in the quarter.  Lillard led the Blazers with eight, and Portland re-extended their lead to 14 at halftime.

Portland and Sacramento traded baskets for most of the third quarter, with Portland getting ahead by as many as 17 and the Kings trying to keep the game near single digits.  Lillard had ten in the period to lead Portland, and the Blazers led by ten after three.

Chris Kaman went to work in the fourth quarter, scoring two baskets with a combination of quick dribbling and a circus shot where he rolled under the hoop and flipped it behind his head without looking [See video!].  The Kings began their counter attack on the back of Derrick Williams.  Williams scored twelve quick points and Portland was seemingly unable to stop him from finishing alley-oops.  Lillard and Aldridge fought to keep Portland ahead, with an Aldridge put-back keeping the Blazers in the lead by seven with three minutes to play.  The Blazers expanded their lead, and the Kings last gasp was snuffed out when Matthews swatted away a Ray McCallum drive with under a minute to play.

Lopez finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds.  Matthews had 17 points.  Kaman led the bench scoring with six.  Freeland played just two minutes and did not record a shot.  Three Kings were whistled for technical fouls: Andre Miller, Ryan Hollins, and coach George Karl, and Robin Lopez was called for a flagrant foul after pushing Reggie Evans [See Video].

Box Score

Gameday Thread Comment of the Night

The Blazers are trying to win with style, when they should be like the guy playing Street Fighter who just hammers on the same cheesy combo over and over again until he wins.
by Roy Wonder

Post-Game Reaction

Damian Lillard passes Klay Thompson for most three ever in first three NBA seasons. Thompson's record didn't last a year.

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) March 2, 2015

Ball game: Blazers beat Kings 110-99. Lillard 31pts and 7ast, Aldridge 26pts, 15rebs; Lopez 15pts, 8rebs. Gay 24pts, Williams 18pts for SAC

— Mike Richman (@mikegrich) March 2, 2015

Blazers with the traditional Sacramento post game meal: In and Out Burger

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) March 2, 2015

Lopez on scrap with Evans: "A couple of really good basketball players making some non-basketball plays." #Kings#Blazers

— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) March 2, 2015

Lopez keep it brief when talking about Evans. Told this, he responded: "Yeah. I like to keep it nice and succinct" #Blazers ... Funny guy.

— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) March 2, 2015

Always great to see the fam and get back to cali. Great win tonight! #YeaItsALittleBlurry#NeverSayDie#RIPCITYpic.twitter.com/aGY44RDLaW

— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) March 2, 2015

Also glad I got to show @SlamsonTheLion and @PistonsHooper what's what #HappyBirthdayYouFilthyAnimal

— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) March 2, 2015

Miller played two games for the Drive.

Here's the press release from the Pistons:

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has recalled forward Quincy Miller from the team's NBA Development League (D-League) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

In two games with the Drive, Miller averaged 11.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game. He recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes vs. the Delaware 87ers (2/27).

Miller, who signed to a 10-day contract on 2/21, has yet to appear in a game with the Pistons. In six games with the Sacramento Kings this season, he averaged 2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 10.2 minutes.

The 6-foot-9 forward has also played for the Reno Big Horns of the NBA D-League where he averaged 25.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 28.9 minutes in 15 games before signing with Detroit.

This gives Miller a couple days with the team before Wednesday's game in New Orleans.

Now your thoughts.

A look at how former Wildcats performed in the NBA this weekend

The current Wildcats clinched at least a share of the Pac-12 title this weekend, and the former Wildcats had some great performances of their own. Here's how they did:

Andre Iguodala: The Warriors were down by as many as 26 points on Sunday against to Celtics, but ended up coming all the way back to win 106-101. Iggy helped lead the comeback with 4 fourth quarter points including a dunk to tie the game at 94, and a layup on a broken play to extend Golden State's lead to 102-99 with 26 seconds left. Iggy finished with 6 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block.

Jordan Hill: Hill recorded his 5th consecutive double-digit scoring game in the Lakers' game on Sunday night. Jordan finished with 14 points on 5-10 shooting and 12 rebounds. Oddly enough, Hill made his first ever NBA three pointer in this game. On a not so bright side, Hill was the victim of this vicious block by Serge Ibaka: 

Jason Terry: The JET had a quiet game on Sunday afternoon, as he played just 13 minutes and hit one of his 3 three point attempts.

Derrick Williams: Williams arguably had his best game of the season as he matched his season-high with 18 points on 7-12 shooting. Williams had a ton of success in transition and was the beneficiary of a few alley oops including this one: 

This Kings beat writer sums up the type of game Williams had perfectly:

Kings' best play this quarter: throw it near the rim so Derrick Williams can dunk it.

— Jason  Jones (@mr_jasonjones) March 2, 2015

Solomon Hill: Solo played 20 minutes on Sunday and had 4 points and 2 rebounds. From a team standpoint, the Pacers have played well enough lately that they're now a playoff team in the Eastern Conference as they currently hold the 8th seed.

Channing Frye: Frye had a decent game on Sunday as he scored 8 points in 18 minutes, including hitting 2 of 4 of his three point attempts. He had 2 rebounds and an assist as well.

Richard Jefferson: He got another start on Friday night, but didn't make a huge impact. He played 30 minutes, scored 5 points on 2-7 shooting, had 5 rebounds, and a steal.

Jerryd Bayless: After struggling in his previous two games, Bayless was limited to just 15 minutes of playing time on Friday night. He failed to score, and only had 1 rebound and an assist. Hopefully Bayless' reduction in minutes is only a temporary thing.

The Sacramento Kings have had one of the worst benches in the entire NBA this season.  While it's been well documented that Sacramento's starters have been very good (top 5 in the league good), the bench has been abysmal and it has cost the team multiple games over the course of the season.

Neither Tyrone Corbin or Mike Malone was able to figure out Sacramento's bench, but early signs appear to be good for George Karl.  While the Kings rank as the 6th worst bench overall for the season per hoopsstats.com, over the last 5 games, all under Karl, Sacramento's bench has actually been the 4th best in the entire league in terms of net differential.  Why and how have there been such a drastic difference?

For one, it would be unfair to give Karl total credit, as the acquisition of Andre Miller for Ramon Sessions has played a big part.  Backup Point Guard was a complete mess before Miller's acquisition and Miller has been very good since coming to Sacramento, averaging 7.6 points, 5.4 assists and 3.6 rebounds in just 22.8 minutes a game.  Having a PG like Miller run Sacramento's bench makes everyone better.  Miller currently has an Assist Percentage of 39.7%, which would be the highest for a Sacramento Kings player since *looks it up*ever.   Of course, small sample sizes apply here but still; Miller's passing and leadership on the floor has been a huge boon for everyone involved.

Perhaps the biggest change Karl has implemented to the bench is to keep a tight rotation, with the primary players off the bench being Omri Casspi, Andre Miller and Derrick Williams.  Rookie Nik Stauskas hasn't seen the floor aside from garbage time against the Clippers, and even Carl Landry, one of Sacramento's better bench players, hasn't played much.  Casspi was having a career year under Malone before knee injuries hampered him and the All-Star break did a good job of rejuvenating him, as did Karl's playing style, which emphasizes getting up and down the court quickly and getting to the rim.  Williams has benefited from this as well.

***

Sacramento's bench still needs some work, but Karl's reputation for getting the most out of his players has definitely lived up to the hype so far.  I can't wait to see what he's able to do with this team next year with some more depth and a full training camp.

The oldest and newest member of the Kings is making a big difference, and would like to return to Sacramento for one more season.

Andre Miller was selected eighth overall in the 1999 NBA Draft. Kings rookie Nik Stauskas was 5 years old at the time.

Every player selected before Miller that year, except Elton Brand, is out of the league now. Miller is well traveled (7 teams) and is still going strong for a reason: he has completely grasped the art of the point guard position. It isn't flashy, but he has mastered the consistency and the fundamental aspects of the position. He's precise, doesn't rush and makes the right decisions at the right time. Without much of a jump to his game, he will get a defender to bite on a pump fake or post his man up, which usually leads to a made bucket. In terms of decision-making, Miller personifies John Wooden's "Be quick but don't hurry" phrase.

Miller can adapt to the pace of an offense and use his court vision to lead a fast break with his eyes rather than his foot speed. And as his career is coming to a close, his goal is to wrap things up in Sacramento under George Karl (his former coach with the Denver Nuggets) as a member of the Kings, a team that has needed some leadership on the floor, particularly in the second unit.

"I'm not satisfied with my career. I just know that I still got something left. So for me, being close to home, just having I guess what you would call it - comfortable with this city - and just a transition at this point in my career it's best that I just stay where I'm at," Miller told Sactown Royalty. "I didn't want to leave Washington, it happened, and I don't want to leave here."

Miller is a native of Los Angeles but has relatives in Sacramento. He said he has been visiting the city since he was six or seven years old and thinks of it as a second home. The 38-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of this season, wants to play one more year he said, and at this point, he aims to simply have a positive impact in some shape or form.

He's certainly made an impact in his first five games with the Kings this season (averaging 7.6 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and shooting 60 percent from the field). On Sunday, he recorded a double-double (12 points and 10 assists in 26 minutes of action) at 38 years old.

With Darren Collison likely out for the season, Miller finds himself thrust into 23 minutes per game and playing in crunch-time minutes. And he is doing something Ramon Sessions could not do while he was in Sacramento: lead the second unit. His assist percentage has been great as Akis pointed out, and head coach George Karl has used him as an anchor for the bench players. He said he wants to make passing contagious and "let it filter out to everybody else."

"I just try to keep the game simple, make simple plays, put guys in the right spot to be effective and give guys confidence as the game goes along," Miller told reporters Sunday.

One of those reserve players is Omri Casspi. Casspi, who is still troubled by a lingering left knee bone contusion, tries to run like a gazelle any time he gets the opportunity, which leaves fast break options open for Miller.

"Stability at the backup point guard. He runs the offense and kind of gets stuff going," Casspi said about Miller. "He defends, he rebounds, he runs and he pushes the ball every opportunity that we get."

Miller also has served as a mentor for current starter Ray McCallum and second-year man Ben McLemore. McCallum, who has averaged 12 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds in the last five games as a starter, is soaking up what he can from Miller.

"I ask Andre a lot of questions. He's always in my ear telling me what he sees. So having him here is real helpful. He's an extended coach on the floor," McCallum said. "Some of these games we've got to be out there together playing two point guards together … he finds me and let's me attack and I try to do the same thing for him."

McLemore has been impressed with what the veteran can do.

"With his age and stuff like that, to be able to do all that different stuff and his skill set is amazing," McLemore said.

The oldest player on the roster may be the player Karl is most comfortable with. Having coached him in Denver already, Karl and Miller have a sort of "I know what you want to do" with this team attitude about one another.

"Andre never exceeds my expectations. I just think he knows the game, he makes guys better and he's a winner and he's old school. All of those things as a coach, it's fun to have on your side," Karl said. "It'll be interesting to see how his minutes and his age and all that stuff, but he'll teach a lot of guys how to the play the game just by being a part of this team."

Rudy Gay, who joked that Miller is like having a second coach on the floor because he's the same age as Karl (63), said he isn't surprised by what the veteran has brought to the team since coming over from Washington Wizards. The 6'2'' point guard has been solid for years, averaging double digits in scoring through the 2010-11 season (in 2001-02 he averaged a double-double in points and assists). And he's been able to adjust to his age creeping up on him by relying on fundamental principles.

Many refer to Miller as having an "old man game," but don't tell him that.

"I think I've got just as much game as all the rest of these point guards in the league, it's just that, you know, you throw the age factor in everybody got something to talk about," Miller said. "They don't say that about Kevin Garnett. They don't say that about Ray Allen and all those guys. I do the same thing those guys do."

Sometimes he uses that label in his favor to keep the defense honest.

"I put a little burst in my step every now and then just to keep the defense off balance," Miller said.

Miller is the type of guy this Sacramento franchise always needs on the floor and in the locker room. Like Karl, he has been doing this for years and has garnered the respect of the younger players in the league. He isn't going to put the team on his back and lead them to the playoffs, but he is going to do a lot more good than bad.

Let's face it, at this point in his career, he would probably be happy to play for any team in the league going into next season, but he seems to have a comfort level in his Sacramento role and that is something that should be and is being utilized. He's only been with the Kings for five games, but he has already proven to be a valuable contributor and at this point he looks like he is more than capable of doing it again next season.

Sacramento has embarked on their season long 8 game road trip, made even longer by today's game against the New York Knicks.  Originally, this was scheduled to take place in January but a snowstorm caused it to be postponed until today.  New York is on a rare win streak but Sacramento is probably getting DeMarcus Cousins back and should be the favorites heading into the game. Today's action tips off at 4:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1.  The Knicks are pretty beat up with Carmelo Anthony done for the season and Jose Calderon unlikely to play.  New York's roster is a medley of roleplayers, young guys and D-League callups and as such they're possessors of the NBA's worst record.  The Knicks are among the league's worst in almost every single major statistical category.  As such, the Kings couldn't ask for a better opponent to start their road trip against.  Should DeMarcus Cousins be available (he was listed as probable), this game should be a breeze.

2. Andrea Bargnani is actually back in action for New York.  The Knicks got Bargnani back shortly before the All-Star break and he's rejoined the starting lineup recently.  Bargnani isn't a huge threat, and he's still working his way back into game shape, but he can create problems for Sacramento if they allow him to get going from distance.

3. This has the potential to be a trap game for Sacramento.  The quality of their opponents since Karl has taken over has been pretty good (aside from a depleted Boston squad), and with a rematch against the Spurs tomorrow night, the team runs the risk of overlooking New York.  This is a Knicks squad that has won two in a row including their last win against the very good Toronto Raptors.  Sacramento can't go into this game expecting to win.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Tim Hardaway Jr. vs. Ben McLemore

With Carmelo Anthony out, the Knicks don't have a whole bunch of scoring options, but Hardaway Jr. has shown that he has the ability to fill it up at times.  McLemore will need to attack him on both ends of the court.  McLemore has shown some nice aggression under Karl, but he still tends to disappear at times.  He needs to do a better job of harnessing that aggression for 48 minutes.

PREGAME LIMERICK

Eight games in 12 days,
all on the road, far aways.
First the Knicks,
who shoot bricks
so lets see if these Kings can amaze.

PREDICTION

Kings 124, Knicks 101 as DeMarcus Cousins reenacts Miley Cyrus' song "Wrecking Ball" for the Madison Square Garden crowd.