There is intrigue again, which is more than I would've guessed a few weeks ago. Anybody remember that Memphis game, when the Kings were pushing for the Worst of the West title after losing to the Grizzlies in what was their 11th loss in 14 games? Every Kings player I've asked agrees that their last loss was the low point of the season. Part of that deduction, though, comes from the fact that this team finally stopped digging its own hole long enough to look back on a lowpoint.
They are moving the ball, playing much better defense and the personal agendas have been set aside - or at least minimized - for some time. Even coach Eric Musselman has come through his two-game suspension in decent standing. While the team played well under Scott Brooks, they had put together a quality win at Minnesota under Musselman just before that served as a buffer before he let go of the team temporarily. And they've kept it going in his two games back.
If they can maintain the momentum through the All-Star break - say, winning two out of three while playing Seattle, Houston and New Orleans - it will go a long ways toward quelling what was fast becoming a bad situation. Then again, it seemed like Kings fans were already getting excited about being lottery-bound, eager for the organization to, as they say, blow it up and start the rebuilding process. The way the team's playing, though, it's looking like Greg Oden won't be wearing purple.
-- Sam Amick
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