Yay! The 20-game mark! After tonight's match in Seattle, we can openly criticize the team's performance because the season is effectively a quarter the way through.

Wait, what?

For all griping we've been doing (I'm as guilty as the next fan), the season is only just about 25 percent over. I mean, that's not a huge mega big deal is it?

For example, if the Kings were a football team, they'd essentially be 1-3 right now. (Also, they would lack a solid option at quarterback.) It's not a good start, and home field advantage is probably out of the question. But a 1-3 NFL team is not dead, right? It wouldn't even be that newsworthy if a 1-3 team ended up making the playoffs or even winning the Super Bowl.

That's the equivilent – do what you want with it. Me? I'm going to hope for a huge change, like the sacking of a good and honest man I've never met. Sorry, Rick.

Until then, hope for the best. Here's the Saturday night task:

SEATTLE
PG – Mateen Cleaves. Oh, um. Nevermind.
SG – Jesus Shuttlesworth
SF – All-Star Rashard Lewis
PF – Nick Collison? Reggie Evans? I really can't be bothered to look up game logs.
C  – Not Jerome James, thankfully.

SACRAMENTO
PG – Tyus Edney
SG – Mitch Richmond
SF – Reggie Theus
PF – Wayman Tisdale
C  – Duane Causwell

(Might as well, since we're losing. Would anyone else be opposed to this lineup in the old road blacks tonight?)

The line: +4. The Kings are 0-6 against the spread on the road this season.

Fun bet o' the night: Total rebounds for Pine-Sol Evans. I say he gets 22 if he starts, 16 if he comes in off the bench. I mean, other than Collison or maybe The Danny Fortson Experience, who's going to stop him?

Sideshow most likely to be entertaining: Mateen F. Cleaves. What a hoot.

Best matchup: Shareef vs. the Seattle PFs. Their interior defense isn't bad. Reef might need to drive instead of just posting. Of course, this means Reef will probably have a number of turnovers. Crap.

Pregame haiku:

I'll begin accepting pre-orders on my forthcoming book of NBA haiku shortly. Until then, let's go Mike Buden-, err Kings!