I'm downtown, enjoying the nightlife before the game. I'll probably post the power rankings tomorrow. For now, a return of beer of the week!
On to the rankings!
NBA.com
#26 (-7)
After their initial post-break, "They're better without Boogie!" win over Denver, the Kings went 0-4 on the rest of their homestand, scoring less than a point per possession and losing to a couple of teams -- Charlotte (losers of 12 of 13) and Brooklyn (losers of 16 straight) -- that were really struggling before their visits to the Golden 1 Center. Dave Joerger has used five different starting lineups in the five games since the break, with Darren Collison and Kosta Koufos the only guys who have started all five and Buddy Hield the only guy who has come off the bench in all five.
ESPN
#28 (-4)
The best part about Sacramento's abrupt decision to trade DeMarcus Cousins and start all the way over is the fact that the first Stein in NBA history -- Willie Cauley-Stein -- has been thrust into a role of prominence that makes it easy to write about him here. If you haven't seen the dunk Cousin Willie tried to pull off Sunday night over Utah's Rudy Gobert, you better click to it immediately. As explained further in the Nets' comment, Sacramento is perfectly fine with stacking up losses for the rest of the season in hopes of retaining its lottery pick in June. So last week's most interesting Kings development involved Turkey-based shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, whom Kings GM Vlade Divac is eager to bring over next season.
Sports Illustrated
#25 (NC)
Blowing a late lead to lose in overtime to the Jazz on a Rudy Gobert tip-in off a George Hill airball (that was initially ruled no basket) was…quite a Kings way to lose.
NBC Sports
#27 (-5)
They have dropped four in a row — including losing to the Nets. The Kings have no offensive flow now with Cousins gone, and management is all good with that (their pick this year is only top 10 protected, right now they would draft 8/9 (coin flip with Minnesota). Mathematically they are still in striking distance of the eight seed in the West, but in practice that’s not happening.
CBS Sports
#26 (-3)
The Kings are kind of fun, outside of the awe-inspiring level of hide-your-eyes-with-your-hands horror their roster and draft pick situation inspires.
Mean Ranking: 26.4
How many weeks are left?
This is an imperial malt liquor from Tivoli brewing, just down the street from the Pepsi Center. It helped to make the game a little more palatable.
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