Mikki Moore wouldn't quite say he got Bowen-ed, but he got Bowen-ed.
At least as he remembers it.
"I was the last guy trailing (on a Kings possession Nov. 16 against San Antonio)," the Kings forward with a sprained right ankle said Saturday. "We shot a jump shot and (the Spurs' Bruce Bowen) saw me coming, so he stepped up under me and put his foot out – as usual. I jumped to the side to avoid, but I ended up landing on my tippy toes and (his foot) bowed out."
After missing the last three games, Moore said he will attempt to play tonight at the Lakers despite not being fully healthy. It is, he said, a necessity at the moment in light of the team's latest defensive struggles. After allowing an average of 98.1 points and 43.5 percent shooting in the seven games before Moore's injury, the Kings have allowed 107.3 points and 53.9 percent shooting with him out.
"I'm going to go out there and try to be more of a defensive presence," he said. "I can't watch any more games where there are no guys out there taking charges, no guys out there talking, and guys aren't out there busting for one another.
"I feel like even if I'm not out there and I'm on the sideline with a uniform on, I can at least talk to guys and help them out during the game."
Kings coach Reggie Theus said he did not intend to start Moore, as he was leaning toward sticking with the starting lineup that includes rookies Donté Greene and Jason Thompson.
"The sooner he gets back, the better," Theus said. "I would not put him in the starting lineup for sure if he's not 100 percent. But if he gets back and playing well, then we'll work it out some way. We'll see what happens, at least. … I think him and Brad (Miller) play well together defensively."
Perimeter woes continue – Theus admits his team's inability to defend from three-point range is a "major problem," but said the attention paid to it has been "blown out of proportion."
Still, the fact remains the Kings rank 29th in opponents' three-point percentage (42.5). What's more, Portland's 14-of-26 outing from beyond the arc Friday marked the second time in the last three games the Kings have been torched from the perimeter (Memphis hit 10 of 16 Tuesday).
Moore's return could help. With so many young players logging heavy minutes down low, Theus has been quick to have defenders help and minimize the damage in the paint. That, Theus said, may have to change.
"Our problem is more of trying to help our bigs," he said. "(Threes are) going to happen. (Not helping) is the fix. But we took care of the points in the paint and now this is a problem. Somewhere in the middle may be the answer. We know how to fix it. It's just, at what cost?"
Assistant GM still on course – Several sources said agent and attorney Jason Levien is expected to sign his contract this week to become the Kings' assistant general manager.
Levien, who was the agent for Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin but who will leave that industry, is being added to the front office that includes basketball president Geoff Petrie and basketball vice president Wayne Cooper.
Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.
