One complaint from Wednesday's preseason game was the kind you would have never heard last season - the Kings passed the ball too much.
With the emphasis on ball movement in training camp the Kings were more than willing to share the ball. The Kings had 24 assists on 35 made shots.
"We had a few a open looks but I think we decided to be unselfish the whole game," said Tyreke Evans.
Here's some more from the game:
Evans made one of his two three pointers. He'll be encouraged to take jump shots.
"We've got to get him into that rhythm," said coach Keith Smart. "In practice what I did was whenever I saw him with an open jump shot and he didn't take it I would whistle a turnover because I want to encourage him to shoot the ball.
Here's more from Smart on Evans' shooting:
"Everyone's got this thing about what position is Tyreke going to play. Well if he doesn't make a jump shot I can play him at the five because it's going to be the same thing. His jump shot has to improve and he has to take that shot regardless of what position he plays."
*James Johnson and Thomas Robinson showed off their defensive "DNA" as Smart calls it.
With Robinson and Johnson on the floor, the Kings were talking on defense more than I can recall last season.
"We helped each other," Robinson said. "It was a whole collective thing with the team. Everybody helped each other...we did everything we've been working on."
*Smart said Jimmer Fredette is making strides on defense:
"He's getting up the floor pressuring guys and that's something we didn't think he could do. But obviously that's something he can do ... just buy us four or five seconds off the shot clock."
*DeMarcus Cousins said his shooting performance (5-of-15) was "terrible."
No arguing that and Smart believes Cousins is on track to not have as many games like that in the regular season if he can be patient on offense:
"He had a lot of shots around the basket and he didn't finish them. If he can finish those plays around the basket that's gong to bring those (bad shooting) numbers down. He's obviously going to have a lot of touches over the course of a game because he can force teams to double team him as well. But he needs to understand if you invite the double team you don't have to force it. He forced a lot of shots tonight. But overall I think he's in the frame of mind that he wants to understand the plan for him and how he needs to start playing. I think he's buying into that."
*Finally, Cousins on his three attempts from three-point range:
"Coach wanted me to extend my range. So if y'all complaining I don't care because that's what coach wants."
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