Just a few days ago, the Sacramento Kings were rolling. They were coming off a big win over the Indiana Pacers, their fifth straight, and they were inching towards the .500 mark. But the NBA schedule has a way of bringing you back down to earth.
Call it a trap game if you want, but the double-overtime loss to a depleted Charlotte Hornets team on Monday night broke the Kings’ momentum and sent them to Portland on shaky legs.
The Blazers sensed the weakness in their opponent early and like any good team, they went for the kill. The result was a second-straight loss for the Kings, this time by a final of 112-97.
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[RECAP: Instant Replay: Kings run out of gas, pummeled in Portland]
DeMarcus Cousins has been the NBA’s best player since the January 1, but Tuesday in Portland, he couldn’t find a rhythm. With their star struggling, Sacramento needed someone to pick up the slack.
“He’s been so good, I’m not going to complain about it,” George Karl said. “He’s been our horse and we’ve ridden it to a lot of good things. He wasn’t the only one to have a down game, he was one of a few.”
Cousins came off a career-best 56 points in a grueling 46 minutes of action against Charlotte after dropping in 48 two nights earlier. Against Portland, he finished with just 17 points on 4-of-21 shooting and 9-of-17 from the line.
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"You hate to make excuses, but honestly I think that played a big part of it tonight," Cousins said of the overtime loss. "We just didn't have the usual pop the team has."
[RELATED: Cousins blasts All-Star fan voting: 'Disrespectful' to bigs]
Not to take anything away from the Blazers effort, but fatigue appeared to play a major role in Cousins’ performance.
“As a coach I don’t like that excuse,” Karl said of blaming fatigue for the loss. “As a human being, I think it’s justifiable.”
With Rudy Gay sidelined with an eye issue and Cousins having an off night, the Kings needed someone to step up and fill the offensive void.
Early in the game it was Rajon Rondo attacking the rim or setting up rookie Willie Cauley-Stein with an open dunk. Rondo once again cracked the double-digit assist number, finishing with 11 dimes to go with his 15 points and five rebounds.
Cauley-Stein continues to impress on both ends of the floor. While the Kings don’t typically run plays for the 7-footer, they have no problem finding him around the rim on the break or as a cutter. He finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks despite missing a few minutes to get stitches above his right eye.
Marco Belinelli had his best game in a while, finishing with 14 points and four assists. He has struggled to find his niche in the Kings offense and he’s never been known as a defender. But Karl continues to go to the veteran, clearly hoping he will wake from his slumber.
Belinelli finished 4-of-8 from the field and 2-for-4 from long range, but it was his creativity as a passer that really stood out. The Kings’ second unit desperately needs more from Belinelli and tonight they got it, albeit in a loss.
Karl turned to 11 different players in search of a spark and for the most part, he came up empty. Omri Casspi finished the night with 10 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes and Seth Curry added seven points in scrap time, but it wasn't enough against a young, well rested Blazers team.
With the win, Portland moved into a tie with the Kings for the eight spot in the Western Conference standings. The Kings travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Thursday in desperate need of a bounce back game.
"Tonight was a bad loss," Cousins said. "The energy wasn't there. I don't think anybody's down, I don't think anybody's taking it too hard. We know what we have to do next game. I think you'll see a different team."
[RELATED: Cousins calls out Blazers' Leonard: 'He's not even a defender']
It’s been an emotional season for the Kings. After nearly two months of major setbacks, they have finally found a groove. But have they developed the personality to withstand a slip in the standings?
“In general, I think our mental makeup has been pretty strong, it’s definitely better than it was last year and I think some of our leadership has been very first class,” Karl said.
Making the playoffs is the primary goal this season for the Kings franchise, but developing a winning culture is even more important in the long run. After a bit of success, the Kings are being tested. How they respond to their current predicament may define this team moving forward.