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After a sloppy 107-99 loss to the Nets that led DeMarcus Cousins to call out his teammates postgame, the Kings may rewrite the Beastie Boys ‘80’s hit “No Sleep Til Brooklyn” to “No Sleep In Brooklyn.”
“We (Reggie Evans and Cousins) had to hold a huddle tell guys pick up their energy (at halftime) ... weren't ready to play,” Cousins told reporters at the Barclays Center.
“As bad as this may seem, it's also a good thing,” said Cousins, “'Cause you’re gonna know who is ready to go to battle with you every night.”
The battle of bench points went in favor of the Nets, 38-19. Even more devastating was Sacramento’s carelessness with the ball.
[RECAP: Kings burned by Nets]
“Twenty one turnovers and you give up 25 points in a tight game,” Kings interim coach Tyrone Corbin told reporters. “There were a couple of costly ones in the second half.”
However, the Kings did not commit a single turnover over the final 7:31 of the game, but couldn’t overcome their transgressions.
Blunders have been a recurring dilemma for Sacramento and a harbinger for the team’s futility. The Kings own a 7-14 record when committing 15 or more turnovers.
Coincidentally, the Kings are also 7-14 when allowing opponents to score 100 plus points.
Since Michael Malone’s dismissal as head coach, Sacramento is allowing 114.6 points per game, has not held an opponent under 100 points and is now 2-5 under Corbin.
The Kings demonstrated fight, cutting the lead to five with just over five minutes to go, but got no closer to Brooklyn.
The vibe around the Kings locker room Saturday after an overtime win was that the road would be a good place to bond.
With Cousins laying down the postgame gauntlet, the road may make or break the Kings.
THE GOOD: DeMarcus Cousins secured his 16th double-double of the season scoring 24 points to go along with 13 rebounds.
Beyond the personal numbers, Cousins’ leadership and desire to win manifested itself calling out his teammates in a constructive fashion.
THE BAD: Sacramento’s 21 turnovers leading to 25 points for the Nets do not yield a winning road recipe.
THE TAKE: Cousins’ production on the floor is unquestioned.
What’s yet to be answered?: Will his teammates rally around his leadership or implode?
