LOS ANGELES - First, sorry about not posting an update from the fourth quarter from the Clipper game. Deadlines are really tight for games that start at 7:30 p.m. and my priority was getting something in for the paper.
Plus, I doubt there were many Kings fans that watched beyond the third quarter. Things only got worse in the fourth so you didn't miss much.
Now on to some notes and observations from the game:
*Something is not right with Tyreke Evans. He doesn't resemble the player from last season. He's missing way too many layups and the offense is looking out of sync with him running it.
Kings coach Paul Westphal and pulled Evans during the third quarter to try to shake him out of the malaise he's been in lately.
I think Evans isn't healthy. After the game, Evans said he's bothered by plantar fasciitis, but that's no excuse for how he played against the Clippers. Evans missed 11 of 13 from the floor. He was four of seven on free throws and totaled eight points.
Evans' ankle has been the injury noted this season. Plantar fasciitis is a more severe worry (don't quote me, I'm not a doctor) than a sprained ankle. But Evans is right, it can't be an excuse if he's on the floor.
Evans recent slump could be affecting him mentally. Evans is shooting 35.6 percent in his last six games.
"Tyreke Evans is not used to this prolonged lack of production," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "I'm sure that it bothers him. He's too good of a player to shoot 2-for-13 from the field. We know that he's had ankle problems but he seemed to feel pretty good at practice (Wednesday) and he moved very well. He says he's OK but he's not finishing plays. He's not making the decisions that he needs to make. He's struggling."
So it's no coincidence that with Evans counted on to do so much for the offense that the Kings looked so bad on offense again.
Westphal decried the ball movement that disappeared by the second half. Carl Landry was hot in the first half (7-of-9, 15 points) but got only two shots in the second half as the Kings fell behind by as many as 20 points.
Evans had no answer as to why the Kings offense became stagnant again.
Here's how bad it got:
*The Kings made 29 shots, tying the season low, which they've set two other times. The most recent had been Monday in Utah.
*The Kings had their worst scoring quarter of the season with 13 in the fourth against the Clippers.
*This didn't come against a juggernaut. Keep in mind, the Clippers started three rookies against the Kings and were just 2-13.
"We run the play sometimes and then we break the play sometimes," Evans said. "I don't know. I couldn't even tell you. It's frustrating now."
--Jason Jones
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