I fear we forget too soon.

I found the effort level to wane during two stretches: the first three minutes of the game, and the first six minutes of the third. Those stretches had something in common, of course: starters. And in those two stretches, Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes did not play well. When Miller's shots are not falling, he typically gets frustrated and less effective. Hawes is (of course) most effective when he receives a pass in a good position to score. His rebounding (poor Friday) has been consistent enough — it doesn't oscillate based on his offense. (Further, Mikki Moore is a consistently poor rebounder and Jason Thompson is a consistently awesome rebounder.) Miller's the wild card.

Remember last winter? Remember Brad's nutty double-double animal style spin? That's the rub: he's not getting 20 rebounds unless his offense is clicking. If his offense isn't clicking, he's not as good of a rebounder as he needs to be (and can be).

That's a problem for a team (again) without a dynamic rebounder next to him (Hawes is good, not great) and no plus rebounder in the backcourt. (John Salmons has been boarding far lower than usual this season … and his usual is poor for a three.) Because of all these factors, the team depends too heavily on Miller's offense — it affects the team's shooting (because Brad opens up so much when it's hitting), the ball movement from the high post, and the team's defensive rebounding. And there's really no cure — you need Miller out there because when he's on, the Kings are at their best.

It's about motivating Miller to play smart even when the shot isn't going. There were a few key opportunities for Miller to seal a rebound … and he just didn't get it. (Salmons had some bounce near him as well, but I'm willing to give him a pass since he defended Kobe well until the late fourth.)

All that said, the Kings trailed by 3 in the final minutes. In L.A. Against the pissed-off, 18-3 Lakers. I'm good with the effort overall. We forget too soon the status of this team: a rebuilding, in-flux young squad missing its best weapon. I want the Kings to win every night — doubly so against the Lakers. But let's be realistic. Just because the team didn't translate a soon-to-be mythical dominating win at home to the road three days later doesn't mean the soon-to-be mythical dominating win meant nothing.

It meant a lot, and I hope the players remember it and cherish it for the rest of the season. Remember it, cherish it … and replicate it. Fifty-nine games left, you know? Plenty of time to keep it rockin'.