What's wrong with Kings? Just take a look at the stats

OKLAHOMA CITY – Kings coach Keith Smart loves backing up his coaching points with statistics.

The numbers he rattled off regarding the Kings and ball movement were telling.

When discussing the Kings' loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday, Smart referred to his data from Monday's loss at Dallas.

"When we moved the basketball, two passes or more, it was 47 possessions that we had and we scored 40 points," Smart said of the team's halfcourt offense. "When we didn't and (went) with one pass or no pass, we (shot) 0 for 14."

As the Kings end their four-game trip tonight against the Thunder in Oklahoma City, the Kings are trying to get back to how they started the trip – by sharing and taking care of the ball.

The trip began with a 99-80 win at Portland. It was the Kings' first road win of the season as they piled up 22 assists with only 10 turnovers.

The Kings fell well off that track beginning Monday in Dallas. They had 22 assists against the Mavericks but also had 20 turnovers.

On Wednesday against the Bucks, Sacramento had 14 assists – its second-lowest total of the season – and 17 turnovers.

Overdribbling, one-on-one play and lack of ball movement have been the downfall of the Kings' offense and usually results in turnovers and poor shot selection.

"Guys take it on their own to make a play for themselves, and that's not conducive to our basketball team," Smart said.

Entering Thursday, the Kings ranked last in the NBA at 18.6 assists per game.

Because the Kings lack a dominant player to bail them out in tough spots in the halfcourt offense, they have to move the ball more than once to find the best possible shot.

"(The ball) stuck a little bit," forward Jason Thompson said of Wednesday's loss. "We turned the ball over and we didn't make the extra pass, and that's not good basketball."

Neither is taking contested shots against a set defense.

"The thing that you've got to go back to is when a guy runs out at you hard, you pump-fake him and then move," Smart said. "That's elementary, but for some reason a lot of NBA players think they can make contested shots."

How did that work for the Kings on Wednesday?

"We took a lot of bad shots that led to a lot of frustrating possessions," Smart said.

Tonight, the Kings should benefit by having center DeMarcus Cousins back from a one-game suspension. The league banished him from Wednesday's game for hitting Dallas guard O.J. Mayo in the groin during Monday's game.

Marcus Thornton also didn't play against the Bucks; he went to Louisiana to be with his ailing mother. Smart said Thornton might be back tonight, but that's not certain. Tyreke Evans should be better after returning Wednesday after being out because of a sore left knee.

Regardless of who plays, the Kings have to play team ball to contend against the Thunder, which is 12-2 at home.

"Obviously, we're going into a hostile environment against a really good team," Thompson said. "So we've just got to adjust and play the way we've got to play. For the most part, we play at a high level against the top-notch teams. We've got to bring our 'A' game."

• Read more articles by Jason Jones

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