The Kings did not take good shots, make good passes, make good decisions or plays off the dribble or make good defensive rotations. The Kings failed to put any pressure on the Lakers' offense — if L.A. wanted to shoot from any particular spot on the floor, they could have, because the Kings were either powerless or unwilling to stop it.

Cousins had trouble around the rim again; he tends to get a bunch of offensive rebounds in heavy traffic, and it's difficult to convert those putbacks, so he doesn't. Sometimes he eventually gets fouled, sometimes the defense ends up with a rebound and runs away. But that's a big part of his 3-9 night. He is attempting putbacks with three bodies draped over him.

It's no surprise the Kings' confidence is completely shot. But that — a lack of belief in what they are supposed to do on any given play — is killing the team. They make good plays every once in a while, and don't replicate them. When the opponent shifts its strategy to cover a weakness, the Kings don't shift their strategy. They fall right into the trap. That's not on coaches or players — it's both. These players are smart about basketball, and it's not showing.