Kings Blog and Q&A

Last night's game: The Sacramento Kings defeated the Toronto Raptors 98-91 on Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre. View the box score.

Game coverage:

• "This is a new DeMarcus Cousins. That's what Tyreke Evans believes," Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) writes in today's newspaper recap.
• Evans has improved at the free-throw line, Jones writes in today's newspaper.
• Jones, in a blog post this morning, writes about Smith's use of different lineups.
• "The Kings' victory over the Toronto Raptors earlier tonight is just another reminder that basketball, more than either of the other big two sports (baseball and football), is a game of adrenaline," writes Ailene Voisin (@ailene_voisin) in a post-game blog post.
• "Making an impact when the shot isn't falling is right in Evans' wheelhouse," writes Tom Ziller (@teamziller) in a blog post for SB Nation affiliate Sactown Royalty.
• "Keith Smart has been tinkering with his rotation, but it was great to see him ride the Kings fourth quarter lineup basically to the end," writes Scott Levin (@KingsSLev) writes in a blog post for FanSided affiliate A Royal Pain.
• James Ham (@James_Ham) breaks down last night's game in a blog post for TrueHoop Network affiliate Cowbell Kingdom.
• The Kings "pulled away after the game was tied entering the fourth quarter and iced it at the free-throw line down the stretch," writes Doug Smith (@SmithRaps) in today's Toronto Star.
• "DeMarcus Cousins is a beast and I know he has some maturity issues and maybe some anger management issues but if that kid ever figures it out, he's going to be a good one," writes Smith in a blog post for the Toronto Star.
• "If there is a team with more 'iso' players than the Kings it is news to us," writes Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) in today's Toronto Sun.
• "Isaiah Thomas was ridiculous off the bench, adding a change-of-pace scoring punch for the Kings," writes Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) in a blog post for TrueHoop Network affiliate Raptors Republic.
• "The Raptors hung with the Kings through three quarters but couldn't get any buckets when it mattered," writes Scott Campsall (@TheScottCamps) in a blog post for SB Nation affiliate Raptors HQ.
• View the video highlights at NBA.com.

More news and analysis:

• "Why is it that Think Big settled on privatizing public parking, of all things?" asks Cosmo Garvin (@cosmog) in a story for the Sacramento News & Review.
• "If you want to see whether the Kings would be better with a true point guard in the starting lineup, you need to make a roster move," writes Ziller in a blog post for SB Nation affiliate Sactown Royalty.
• "Given Thomas' recent performances Keith Smart will be forced to get the young guard more time," writes Bryan Rosa writes in a blog post on FanSided affiliate A Royal Pain.
• "If the (Thomas) can continue to play with even half the court vision, confidence and overall poise he showed against Toronto on Wednesday night, there is absolutely no reason he shouldn't be the team's starting point," writes Ron Wenig (@RonWenig), in blog post on Sacramento Connect partner Kings Talking Points.
• Hassan Whiteside tallied eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and four blocks and Tyler Honeycutt scored nine points to go along with six rebounds, one assist and one steal for the Reno Bighorns in Wednesday's 107-72 win over the Iowa Energy. View the box score at NBA.com.

Tweets of the day:

Serious question: Could DeMarcus Cousins make the All-Star game this year as a Center if he keeps playing like he has been?

— Akis Yerocostas (@Aykis16) January 12, 2012

The basketball fan in me wants to marry Keith Smart when I watch his Postgame comments. Always says the right things. #WeAreFamily

— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) January 12, 2012

Finally...big sigh of relief as Kings get road win in Toronto to break seven year losing streak in Canada. On to Houston tonight.

— Gary Gerould (@ggerould) January 12, 2012

Online coverage from The Bee this season:

• LIVE CHATS: Join The Bee's Matt Kawahara for in-game chats during every Kings home game, just before tipoff right through the final buzzer.

• VIDEOS: Find out what some Kings players and coach Paul Westphal have to say about the upcoming season - and much more.

• BLOG: Stay up to date on the team's happenings with Jason Jones, Ailene Voisin and Matt Kawahara on The Bee's Kings blog.

• FACEBOOK: "Like" the Sacramento Kings Corner page and join Bee staffers and fans in discussions about the team and players.

• TWITTER: Follow The Bee's Jason Jones for up-to-the-minute developments, in-game updates and much more about the Kings.

If you see a Sacramento Kings-related story or blog post that we should feature, e-mail me at nmiller@sacbee.com or send me reply on Twitter at @journalistnate.