The Kings have entered the part of the season that’s perhaps the toughest for a team in their predicament.
The All-Star break has passed, the playoffs are out of reach and the challenge for coach Dave Joerger is to keep his team more focused on the rest of the season than April vacation plans.
Joerger had his work cut out for him from the start Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center. The Kings gave up 44 points in the first quarter, the most points they have allowed in a quarter this season, and trailed 44-21.