by Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings are going to face one of the best teams in the NBA the Memphis Grizzlies and their a team that’s loaded with talent. There will be no hand outs from the three teams that are coming in for the Kings next three home games. The Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trailblazers. It’s going to be a tough home series but the Kings have a new head coach coaching his third game with the team George Karl.

The Kings have used him for a couple of games so far one at home when they beat the Boston Celtics and the next night which they lost in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Their in a transition state right now and the team is trying to learn how to play basketball for Karl. It’s a different style of basketball.

That first win was very exciting for Karl and the crowd at Sleep Train Arena just went nuts when they announced Karl to the fans and it was fascinating the way the crowd reacted to him. So he’s welcomed to Sacramento, there not too many expectations because nobody knows what’s going on with this team.

There’s hopes that Karl will be able to turn this team around, is he going to turn the team around quickly? Probably not it’s going to take him a season in a half and that’s the reason why the Kings wanted to bring him aboard. Before the transition of Karl the Kings were getting offers from other NBA teams about DeMarcus Cousins but the Kings didn’t panic and held onto him.’

The Kings can’t be losing Cousins he’s the best player they have on the team and you hate to lose a guy like that. The Kings have seen the importance of having him on the team. When Cousins have the viral meningitis it’s not the same. It’s obvious when he was out he was not the same Cousins is an important part of this team. Cousins has a lot of respect for Karl which is good and that’s what you have to see how the players are going to react to the new coach.

The Kings lost a tough game under Karl in L.A. against the Clippers and you have to remember that the Kings are trying to plan their new strategy now. Cousins after that game felt the team was fatigued because their running a fast break that they’ve never run before. It’s starting to wear the team down and he thinks that had an impact on them against the Clippers.

Jeff Hall is a beat writer covering Kings basketball for http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the rest of Jeff’s podcast below