A Royal Pain
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Game Preview: Sacramento Kings Can Get Back On Track Against Denver Nuggets

By Gabe Callahan

Jan 9, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) is called for a foul against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) is called for a foul against Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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In their first game since the All-Star break the Sacramento Kings (22-31) can take a step past their recent turmoil tonight by getting a win against Michael Malone’s Denver Nuggets (22-32).

DeMarcus Cousins might have had a good All-Star game, putting in a solid performance in limited minutes, but the Kings as an organization, on the other hand, again proved they are still the three-ring-circus the rest of the NBA thinks they are.

Head coach George Karl was going to get fired after losing eight out of their last ten games. But then he wasn’t. The team looked like they had entirely given up playing any defense. Trade rumors ran rampant, but they didn’t end up making any moves. Except for firing an assistant coach? You can say one thing for the Kings head office, they will always surprise you.

The Kings have 29 games to end this roller-coaster of a season on a high note and make a late push for the playoffs, which is what they all have been saying they want to do all year-long. Tonight at Sleep Train Arena the Kings should, should, start the second half of the season with a win against the Nuggets. But whenever the Kings should win, they find ways to lose.

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Because it’s always something with the Kings, according to the team’s injury report, Sacramento might have two players miss tonight’s game because of dental issues. Omri Casspi is questionable after a wisdom tooth extraction. Marco Belinelli sat out of practice Thursday and is also listed as questionable after his own tooth extraction.

Ben McLemore and Rajon Rondo are both probable with a sprained wrist and turf toe respectively.

One good note about tonight’s game is that a part of the Kings’ Flashback Friday promotion, where the team suit up in their throwback baby blue uniforms and are changing the court at Sleep Train Arena.

Starting tonight, as a salute to the last season in the old Arco Arena, the Kings will be playing on the old blue court with the retro Kings logo at halfcourt. They will be rolling it out for the remaining Friday games in Sacramento. Including the final game to be played in Sleep Train.

There is only one “key to the game” and that is DEFENSE. If the Kings are able to play defense just a notch better than they have been this entire season, they will get the win tonight. Denver won’t have an answer for DeMarcus, and he should have a monster of a game tonight.

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Sacramento averages 107.1 points per game, which ranks third in the NBA. Rondo will get his assists, Casspi will get his threes. Boogie will get his dunks and Rudy Gay will hit his contested shots. What they have to do, as a team, is play solid defense.

That means not letting guys like Denver’s Will Barton have a career high game, or let him drop 20 points in the fourth quarter. If the Kings don’t let anything like that happen, by playing some sort of defense, they will be off to a great start in this second half of the season.

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