Quincy Douby picked off a pass and sprinted with the ball toward the basket Saturday during the Kings' scrimmage at their practice facility. While there was a hiccup in his handling, Douby laid the ball in and continued on his way.
"It felt good," said Douby, who practiced with the team for the first time since aggravating his sprained right foot Oct. 12. The guard missed all but one exhibition game after initially suffering the injury Oct. 3, when he landed on a teammate's foot following a jump shot in a scrimmage.
"I wasn't supposed to go today, but I wanted to do a couple things," Douby said. "I wasn't supposed to do contact, but it felt so good, so (trainer) Pete (Youngman) said just give it a go."
Douby said he's not concerned about finding his footing with the Kings after so much missed time. And he said he has come to terms with the fact the Kings will not pick up his team option for 2009-10.
"I was a little not motivated and a little down," Douby said. "But I have good people around me. I kept doing my rehab and studying (plays). I feel like I'm back where I am supposed to be."
Point guard Beno Udrih, who has been hindered by a left hip flexor since Oct. 7, also practiced. Shooting guard Kevin Martin sat out Saturday with knee soreness but is expected to practice today.
Closer look – Coach Reggie Theus remained vigilant in monitoring the Kings' energy and concentration levels during Saturday's practice, yelling at his players to focus and blowing into a whistle when they strayed.
"I thought (practice) was good," Theus said. "I thought the concentration level was solid."
Theus abruptly ended the team's shootaround Thursday morning before the Kings faced the Houston Rockets. Theus said he thought the players were "lackadaisical." He told Martin and Francisco García, who is out with a strained right calf, to get players in line.
Center Spencer Hawes, who is coming off an impressive 25-point, 16-rebound outing against the Rockets, said the Kings worked hard.
"It was intense, and guys were into it," Hawes said. "That's what you like to see. I think we responded well, and it carried over to today. That's a positive sign for us."
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521. To get breaking news alerts and game scores sent to your phone, text KINGS to 72737.
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