This defeat isn't a total loss

The actions on the court looked eerily similar. But apparently, the reaction to the result wasn't.

The Kings lost for the first time this preseason, falling to the Warriors 98-88 Wednesday night at Sleep Train Arena.

At the game's outset, the Kings looked a lot like the team they don't want to imitate from past seasons. The ball movement and offensive execution of the first two exhibition games gave way to careless play and rushed shots.

"We just went back to the old ways," said guard Isaiah Thomas.

But the Kings didn't go back to their old ways in dealing with a sloppy first half.

Finger pointing gave way to self-examination at halftime and after the game.

The players started talking "about how we didn't move the ball," said Kings coach Keith Smart. "It wasn't an issue to where this guy was shooting too much … we've got to play better defense. That was the conversation."

Forward Jason Thompson said the team's mood has improved and it showed with how they handled the outcome..

"Now we're a family, and we know we didn't play well," Thompson said. "But I think before we would have our heads down, but we know it's preseason. But we also know by opening night we want to have a certain type of rhythm. For the most part, we didn't have it for 48 minutes, but we've just got to go back to the film and get stuff done."

The Kings missed their first seven shots and trailed the entire game. Much of the game, they struggled to have more baskets than turnovers. They wound up making 25 of 75 shots (33.3 percent) and committing 23 turnovers.

In the first half, the Kings made 13 turnovers and fell behind by 15 points.

"We did revert back a little bit," said center DeMarcus Cousins. "We played some selfish ball in the first half."

Smart didn't attribute the sloppy play to the fact it was a preseason game because "careless" play will cost a team in the regular season, too.

"We tried some passes that shouldn't have been there," Smart said. "That we shouldn't have even tried. But guys are trying to make the extra pass, some are trying to thread the needle, and some are just careless passes."

After two exhibition games in which the vibe was positive, the Kings were reminded they still have work to do to improve.

"When you have some success early on when you're a club that's trying to grow, it's good to get beaten down a little bit," Smart said. "You can start to get their attention again."

The Kings looked better in the second half but could not overcome their slow start.

"We came out with a lot of energy," Thompson said. "We talked on defense and were just thinking about defense more and swinging the ball (on offense), making the extra pass and not everyone just taking it one-on-one."

The Warriors shot 45.6 percent, the best of the Kings' three preseason opponents.

Stephen Curry led Golden State (4-1) with 19 points in 23 minutes before fouling out. David Lee had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Thomas came off the bench to lead the Kings with 13 points, and Marcus Thornton added 12. The only Kings starter in double figures was Thompson with 11 points.

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