Breadcrumb mode. BREADCRUMB MODE!

* With the team at 7-24 heading into the game, I'm not of the mind to give away a win. But the last three minutes … the Kings did not grab that game by the haunches. Numerous breaks for the Kings throughout the fourth, woeful offensive execution, lucky defense. But victory erases circumstance, I suppose. At least for a bad team.

* It's obvious Kevin Martin was absolutely gassed in the fourth. He's only had a couple practices with the team, and while he's a tireless worker on his own (he lives at the practice facility, no joke) there's no substitute for the speed of team practice and actual games. Martin came in four minutes into the third … and didn't exit until seven minutes passed in the fourth. And then, he got a two-minute breather before coming in to finish up. That's 18 of 24 second half minutes, just a touch under what Martin would normally play and with the breather much shorter than it'd usually be. For a guy coming back after six weeks in a suit. He made at least one questionable play late, but his lungs and legs must have been burning.

* There's a long-running joke among Kings fans about opposing unknown bigs going off against our favorite team. The providence extends prior to Jerome James, I believe, but he and Kwame Brown are the main actors. Paul Davis has joined the Mt. Rushmore.

* If you ignore Paul Davis' career night, helluva game by Brad Miller! I have no clue how he grabbed six offensive rebounds given Marcus Camby's presence, but I suppose there were a metric ton of opportunities. But hey, Miller looked great in looking for Martin. Well done, sir.

* Jason Thompson got his swagger back, at least for one night. Exciting game, and he got most of the fourth quarter minutes at the four.

* John Salmons turned out a decent boxscore, but he didn't have it this night. Francisco Garcia turned out an awful boxscore, and he definitely didn't have it this night. It's too bad Garcia thrives so much more off the bench, because it'd be cool to let Martin be the sixth man for a little while, until his legs come back.

* Bobby Brown can do just what he feels. I love that kid.

* Inspired first quarter for both Beno Udrih and Mikki Moore. Beno became utterly invisible in the third (when the team needed him most), but Moore hung around and did a decent job on the boards and on defense. Beno's inconsistency is rather concerning. It's not as if Baron Davis actually tried to defend him in the third. He just stopped trying to do anything, like he forgot there was a basketball game going on. So bizarre and disconcerting.

* Eric Gordon, right now, might be the best player on L.A.'s roster. At least he looks that way every time he plays the Kings.

The Kings are now only one game behind L.A. in the standings. 12th place in the conference can be ours!