Figuring out how the Kings are doing entering tonight's exhibition game against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland still isn't an easy job for Kings coach Paul Westphal.
"It's a little bit hard to assess because of Samuel (Dalembert) being out, (Hassan) Whiteside being out,"
Westphal said. "We're down some bigs. We have Donté (Greene) playing out of position by necessity, but we're learning some things."
Dalembert (strained left adductor) didn't play in the first two exhibition games. He was limited in practice on Friday, but didn't improve Saturday.
"Not much,"
said Westphal, when asked what Dalembert did in practice. "He started to work out and he got stiff and he had to quit."
There's still no timetable for Whiteside's return from a strained left patellar tendon. He has missed both exhibition games, too. Guard Beno Udrih (sprained right shoulder) is also out for tonight's game.
Stepping in – Francisco García is scheduled to start at guard tonight.
García could be the team's starting small forward should Westphal choose to use him there. But for now García will stay in the backcourt, especially with Udrih out.
García said playing small forward, or the "three,"
is slightly different.
"The three is more defense and a lot of rebounding,"
García said. "You're still doing the same thing (at guard), being tough defensively. You just shoot the ball a little bit more."
García missed the first exhibition game for personal reasons. He scored six points in 21 minutes in the second game Thursday.
Being careful – Dallas coach Rick Carlisle collapsed during Friday's practice. Westphal was Dallas' executive vice president of basketball operations in 2008-09, Carlisle's first season with the team.
Carlisle reportedly is doing fine but he did not travel with the Mavericks for an exhibition game in Palm Springs.
"I try to take care of myself,"
Westphal said. "I'm sure Rick does too, though. It's a tough thing to hear about. There's no guarantees for any of us, I guess."
