--Kings fifth-year swingman Francisco Garcia was the victim of a freak accident Oct. 9 while lifting weights on top of an exercise ball. According to The Sacramento Bee, Garcia was lying on his back on the ball and lifting two 90-pound dumbbells when the ball exploded beneath him. When one of the weights fell on top of his wrist, it fractured bone in his forearm and did extensive ligament damage. Garcia underwent a three-hour surgery Oct. 10 and is expected to miss at least four months. He will wear a cast on his right arm for eight weeks before beginning rehabilitation. The Kings are reportedly considering litigation against the maker of the ball, which the newspaper indicated was an Italian-based company called Gymnic. --There was a time when the Kings could sell out Arco Arena without even trying. That time, however, has long since passed.
After selling out just three home games last season and finishing last in the league in attendance, the team on Oct. 13 launched a program dubbed "Sellout 2009" intended to sell out the first two regular season home games (Nov. 2 versus Memphis and Nov. 4 versus Atlanta). The effort is being led by Sacramento mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson, who formed a committee of supporters from the most influential businessmen in the region. Businesses will be implored to buy blocks of tickets from 50 on up, and businesses will promote the games to individuals on a lower level as well.
MAIN REASON THE KINGS CAN WIN: If Tyreke Evans can be the player the Kings believe he is sooner rather than later, then the Kings just become significantly more formidable than they were last season. The rookie out of the University of Memphis will draw defensive attention that was solely focused on Kevin Martin (when he was healthy) before, and his defensive effectiveness can only help a group that was widely considered the league's worst on that end in 2008-09.
MAIN REASON THE KINGS CAN LOSE: After rolling over like a dog in the Sacramento heat so often last season on the defensive end, the Kings hired a coach in Paul Westphal who has never been known as a defensive teacher. In both Phoenix and Seattle, Westphal was known as an offensive-guru a la former Kings coach Rick Adelman. But if the Kings don't find a way to not be humbled every time out on the defensive end, they'll be in for another long season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Now I'm going to be a shooter with my right and my left. I'm going to come back and shoot it like Francisco used to shoot it." -- F/G Francisco Garcia, discussing his recovery from a broken right arm with the Kings' official website.
