Power Rankings, Week of 12/1

[Spike]

Well, we'll definitely drop. How far? I guess that depends on how Power Rankings are viewed. Are we still a top 10 team? Will the writers recognize Cousins's absence?

Sports Illustrated
#14 (-6)
A virus has shelved DeMarcus Cousins for the last two games, leading to two of the Kings' last three losses. Sacramento didn't have much of a chance against the frontcourts of San Antonio and Memphis without Boogie in the middle.

USA Today
#14 (-1)
Omri Casspi is fulfilling what he showed as a rookie with the Kings after three years away.

NBA.COM
#13 (-2)
The Kings played the Spurs and Grizzlies tough over the weekend, outrebounding both teams. But they've now lost their last 15 games (going back to March of 2013) that DeMarcus Cousins (out with a virus) has missed. In only two of this season's 17 games have they outscored their opponent in the minutes that Cousins has been off the floor.

CBSSports.com (This ranking was clearly personal, as Matt Moore doesn't have a sense of humor regarding his obsession with Ken Burns.)
#18 (-9)!
You can say the schedule has caught up with them, but their three best players -- Rudy Gay (injury), Darren Collison (injury) and DeMarcus Cousins (illness) -- have missed games lately. We're not ready to bury them yet, despite a bit of a slide.

Yahoo! Sports
#13 (-5)
Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has missed the past two games – both losses – because of a virus. Cousins is expected to play Tuesday against the visiting Raptors.

ESPN
#16 (-3)
The Kings continue to show real fight. They showed it Sunday night against Memphis even without an ailing Boogie Cousins. Yet as great as 9-8 sounds for a team that didn't win its ninth game until after Christmas last season, Sacramento is 29th in assist rate and can certainly move the ball better.

Hollinger Daily Rankings
#8
Rating 105.12

Mean Ranking: 13.7
Again, I blame CBSSports. Bring it, Matt Moore. I rock the dome look way better than you do!

 

[Bricklayer]

Yep, bloom is off our rose. We need to put it back on with a big (and healthy) December.

 

[King Baller]

Boogie will come back with a vengeance against Toronto. Remember this: http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014...the-living-daylights-out-of-jonas-valanciunas

Rudy, JT, Ben and Darren just need to keep doing what they have been doing. Omri and the Bench need to bring it for every second. I hope we see more of Ray and that Nik finds the bottom of the net more often.

 

[Gary]

Our schedule has been brutal. We will be fine and then after a month or so back in the top 10.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Our schedule has been brutal.

toughest in the league in fact
http://espn.go.com/nba/stats/rpi/_/sort/SOS

 

[Tetsujin]

Boogie will come back with a vengeance against Toronto. Remember this: http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014...the-living-daylights-out-of-jonas-valanciunas

Rudy, JT, Ben and Darren just need to keep doing what they have been doing. Omri and the Bench need to bring it for every second. I hope we see more of Ray and that Nik finds the bottom of the net more often.

We should probably clarify what you mean by find the bottom of the net. Not just brushing it as the ball sails by badly undershot but through the hoop and in for the points.

 

[Sac.1989]

home crowd, raptors without derozen, rudy against his old team and boogie back should equate to back to winning ways but dont underestimate the raptors who have been playing great team ball

 

[Gilles]

Kings have very low assist numbers, but they don't really play selfish basketball, and here's the explanation: http://stats.nba.com/tracking/#!/team/catchshoot/?sort=FGA&dir=1. Kings are last in both C&S shots(just 16.7 per game with second worst Cavs at 18.9 and best Portland at 30.2) and eFG% (just .417 per game with second worst Thunder at .446 and best Heat at .566).

 

[Entity]

Yep, bloom is off our rose. We need to put it back on with a big (and healthy) December.

Knocking off Toronto would help. Considering they are best team in east at the moment

 

[Bricklayer]

Knocking off Toronto would help. Considering they are best team in east at the moment

It would, although the whole losing to the Lakers without Demar thing will take some of the sparkle off it.

But really, Toronto is just one game. What we have this month isn't one game, its a monthlong opportunity. A lot of these teams coming in that looked weak a few weeks ago are playing better, but if we are going to be a power team, playing at home virtually an entire month, we need to completely clean up here. And if we do run off 8 of 10 or some such the power rankngs will take care of themselves. In any case this is this season's window. last year it was the first month of the season, and when we missed it, we were basically finished by the end of November. This year its right here. We want in the playoffs? Cool. You gotta win and keep on winning right into 2015.