Something has gotten into the water supply (or lack thereof) in Northern California.
Just check out the Pacific Division Standings through one and a half weeks.
| Pacific Division | Record | PPG | Opp. PPG | Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warriors | 5-1 | 105.2 | 94.8 | 10.4 |
| Kings | 5-2 | 103.7 | 101.1 | 2.6 |
| Clippers | 4-2 | 103.2 | 103.8 | -0.6 |
| Suns | 4-3 | 103.7 | 103.3 | 0.4 |
| Lakers | 1-5 | 102.8 | 112.7 | -9.9 |
What's going on here? How are the Kings ahead of both the Suns and the Clippers? Did the Kings and Clippers switch rosters?
Let's take a look at how we got here.
Last Wednesday: Coach Mike Malone's regal bunch was outscored 48-28 in the second half at home against the one-loss Warriors.
Last Friday: The Kings rode a monster 40 point performance from He may be weird off the court, but he's lightning quick with the rock and can defend tall point guards better than the 5'9" Thomas. If his production holds, the Kings could challenge the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Bulls with a stellar trio of offensive stars.
| Player | PPG | RPG | APG | nERD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demarcus Cousins | 23 | 11.1 | 1.4 | 16.3 |
| Rudy Gay | 22.3 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 11 |
| Darren Collison | 14.7 | 4 | 6.3 | 6.9 |
Gay and Cousins were one of just two sets of teammates to suit up for Team USA this summer. There's finally a healthy mix of veteran leadership and young talent in the state capital, and Head Coach Mike Malone has established and identity for this team. Every night, the Kings are going to pound the glass, beat their opponent up in the post, and win the free throw battle.
The days of the clumsy Maloof brothers' ownership are long gone. Owner Vivek Ranadive wants to win now, he's willing to take risks, and he has a deep talented group in California's capital. If Boogie can stay healthy and not let his head get in the way, he'll be an All-Star, and the Kings will challenge for a playoff birth in the deep Western Conference.
Sacramento is back.