SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were expected to take little time settling into the bottom portion of the Western Conference standings this season.Instead, theyve spent the campaigns first two weeks stubbornly rebuking that conventional wisdom.Not that they seem all that pleased with themselves heading into the first meeting at the new Golden 1 Center Thursday night.We can get better, Kings C DeMarcus Cousins told reporters after Sacramentos 102-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. We had some letups that you cant have.Cousins comments came on the heels of Sacramentos second straight victory. A third consecutive win would put the Kings (4-5) at .500 after 10 games, the second time in three seasons they will have had such an encouraging start. That 2014-15 campaign featured a 9-5 burst from the gate before things fell apart, a path these Kings are trying to avoid.Without more consistent intensity and defensive execution, they will struggle to do so, coaches and players said.I kept getting ticked off about all the shots they were making, Kings coach Dave Joerger said after watching the Pelicans make 49 percent of their shots from the field in the second half, including 10 of 20 in the third quarter. But I kept looking up, and the score was never getting away from us. Ninety-six possessions. Thats not a slow-paced game.Sacramentos defense has been sneaky good at times but it also has gone missing too.The Kings have held three opponents under 100 points and won all three times. But they have surrendered an average of 107.0 points in their five losses. In all, theyve allowed an average of 101.4 points in their first nine contests, down from a league-worst 109.1 per game last season and 13th among the leagues 30 teams.Its not something that you can just come out and do, Cousins said. It takes a lot of energy, but it also takes a mindset and a focus. We have to more consistent that way.Lakers coach Luke Walton has conveyed a similar message about his team. Fresh off the worst three seasons in franchise history, Los Angeles proved a surprise in the first two weeks, putting together a three-game winning streak and showing off an offense that is tied for fifth in scoring (108.6 points per game). A win against the Kings will give the Lakers four wins in a five-game stretch for the first time since November 2013.But Walton, the first-year coach who won two championships with the Lakers as a player, doesnt seem to be focused on wins and losses, so much as he is his teams growth.If we lose three in a row, all the stories will be the same, about a young team thats trying to figure it out, Walton told the Los Angeles Daily News. Ive said it from the beginning: We try not to get caught up in all that, not worry about that. Just focus on what we do as a group.So far, the group has looked to one another to score. DAngelo Russell, Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and Nick Young all are averaging at least 14 points per game. Williams, Luol Deng and Russell are also making at least 34 percent of their 3-pointers.Cousins is averaging 25.5 points and has led Sacramento in scoring in seven of its nine games. He averaged 27 points and 11.3 rebounds in four games against Los Angeles last season.Sacramento has won the last seven meetings with the Lakers. The Kings averaged 117 points in four games last season and swept the season series from Los Angeles for the first time. Wholesale College Jerseys . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Cheap NCAA Jerseys China . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. http://www.cheapcollegejerseys.us.org/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Stitched College Jerseys . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Cheap College Basketball Jerseys . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. HANOVER, N.H. -- Tyler Nelson made 10 of 14 shots and scored a career-high 28 points, Curtis Cobb had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Fairfield beat Dartmouth 79-62 on Tuesday night.Nelson, a sophomore, was 7-of-9 shooting in the second half, including consecutive 3-pointers to push Fairfields lead to 47-33 just 1:20 into the second half.Matija Milin and Jerome Segura added 10 points apiece for Fairfield (2-0), which made 54 percent of its shots but just 5 of 20 3-pointers.Evan Booudreaux had 18 points and six rebounds for Dartmouth (0-2).dddddddddddd He made all eight of his free-throw attempts. Guilien Smith made three 3-pointers in the first four minutes to knot the game at 9-all. The Big Green was held to 34 percent shooting but made 15 of 19 free throws.The Big Green lost their first home-opening loss since the 2011-12 season. ' ' '