HOUSTON - Starting power forward Jason Thompson participated in practice Sunday evening and is expected to play in Monday's game at Houston.
Thompson sat out Saturday night's loss at Golden State with a sprained left ankle.
"He'll be ready (Monday)," said Kings coach Keith Smart. "It was tender (Saturday) and trying to get him in that game where it was sore and not strong enough if he rolls it again maybe we miss him now for three or four games."
Thompson said after icing his ankle following practice that he is optimistic he will be able to contribute against the Rockets.
His left ankle has bothered him more than once this season.
"It's still not 100 percent," Thompson said. "I'll get some treatment (Monday) morning but it feels better than it felt (Saturday)."
Stick to the script
The Kings loss to Golden State, and even last Thursday to Utah, had a lot to do with slip ups in the details late in games.
Smart said a few minor changes could help the Kings cut down on turnovers late, in addition to less freelancing:
"I told the guys today sometimes from an offensive standpoint if a guy is open you might have to call his name. You don't like to do that but you might have to."
"We were creeping in on the weakside. Sometimes we get away with it but often times not late, what happens late in the game. Chuck (Hayes) rolls to the hole and thought he had a guy in the corner, the guy cut, wasn't there and we lost the ball. So late in games you have to stay true to your spacing, stay true to what you know you're supposed to do."
Breaking away from the plan cost the Kings on the inbounds play against the Warriors that led to a breakaway dunk for Richard Jefferson.
Smart said one player tried to do his own thing and that was enough for Jefferson to break loose.
"When you try to break away on your own, it causes problems and the whole play shuts down. So let the offense work for you, let the defense work for you, especially late in games. You can't go on your own late because that will cause a major problem."
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