Donté Greene likes to get above the rim for a dunk that might land him on all the highlight shows, so it makes sense he'd like playing with Sergio Rodríguez. Rodríguez also has a sense for on-court theatrics and loves to throw the pass that leads to the dunk that leads to cheers.

"Sergio's whole swag about the game, it's just what he does," Greene said. "Really, if you're a player with Sergio, it's nothing. Preseason we were already throwing (alley) oops. We started in Oklahoma (in October) and been rolling ever since."

Rodríguez returns to Portland tonight for his first regular-season game since the Trail Blazers dealt the point guard to the Kings in June during the NBA draft. Portland had a glut of guards ahead of Rodríguez and would eventually sign Andre Miller as a free agent.

This time around, Rodríguez returns as a key part of the Kings' bench and is often a recipient of complimentary words from coaches and teammates.

When Rodríguez faced the Blazers in two exhibition contests, his role wasn't defined. The new coaching staff was trying to figure out where he fit in the rotation.

"It feels good," Rodríguez said of his increasing role. "Every time I get on the court, I try to get better and try to bring energy to the team."

Rodríguez was happy to find a team that would give him an opportunity to play. And his role has grown in recent games. His passing is eye-catching, and he's become one of coach Paul Westphal's trusted energy players off the bench.

Rodríguez defines his role in simple terms.

"I try to push to the tempo if we're not doing well," he said. "I try to keep the same tempo if we are doing well. That's all I try to do."

But it isn't Rodríguez's style to rely on the simple pass. Some of Rodríguez's passes are the type that can bring energy to an arena. From the subtle behind-the-back pass for an assist or the lobs that Greene and other high-flyers enjoy, Rodríguez likes to make his teammates happy.

Rodríguez said his style isn't about showboating; rather, it's just how he plays. When to go flashy remains something Westphal admits he hasn't gotten a grip on yet.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Westphal said. "So much of it comes down to the player's judgment and the feel for the situation."

Sometimes that means a lob might sail out of bounds or a no-look pass might miss the mark if a teammate is not expecting the ball.

Rodríguez is coming off another solid game as he faces his former team. He had a team-high nine assists in 21 minutes in Saturday's win over Minnesota. It was his season high for assists, and showed him at his best in speeding up the game.

"First of all, (passing) gives confidence on the court when I get everybody involved and they're making shots and the team is winning," Rodríguez said. "Second of all, of course if they like to play with me they will be more comfortable on the court and do better things."

Westphal and the coaching staff continue to learn what to expect from Rodríguez in terms of high-risk passes. Westphal points out that Rodriguez, though he's in his fourth season, is still 23 years old. So as he learns when to reel Rodríguez in, Westphal is also watching the guard figure things out, too.

"Sergio's still a young player," Westphal said. "And that's his next step – how do you manage the flow of a game, when to be spectacular when it calls for that and when to be solid and conservative when it calls for that.

"The spectacular part, he's got down. The solid and conservative at the right time is still a work in progress."

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