On expectations for the Sacramento Kings’ first preseason game

The Sacramento Kings tip off the preseason tonight with a match-up against the Phoenix Suns at Power Balance Pavilion.  The focus won’t be on winning and losing, but rather how the Kings turn concepts into action.

Head Coach Keith Smart offered the following take on expectations for this evening’s contest following the Kings’ first practice back in Sacramento on Monday.

It’s the first time playing a game.  Guys just want to play.  They’ve been training against each other and working hard against each other.  And all I want to see on Wednesday is just to play hard.  And then we’ll have film and evaluate what happened in the game.  From a win/loss perspective, you’re not looking at that.  This is still part of training camp and it’s training camp for me and for our team until our first game.

Expect some different combinations and lineups on the floor tonight.  Coach Smart has spent a lot of time in training camp tinkering with his rotation.  Kings big man Jason Thompson, who started at power forward last season, said remaining ready is always the best approach.

I think that just everyone should just be ready when their name is called.  I think that preseason is obviously is what it is.  It’s preseason, it doesn’t count.  But it’s reps, it’s just like practice.  It’s just like summer workouts and then the next step is training camp and it’s practice for what comes to the games.

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