DeMarcus Cousins: Kings have a ‘bigger issue than energy and effort’

DeMarcus Cousins says the struggling Sacramento Kings have a “bigger issue than energy and effort.”

The Sacramento Kings fell to the lowly Nets in Brooklyn on Friday night, allowing 128 points to a now 13–38 team that ranks just 28th in offensive efficiency on the season.

DeMarcus Cousins finished with a triple double, posting 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but expressed very visible frustration following the Kings’ second straight loss—their sixth in Sacramento’s last seven games.

“I’m not gonna keep blaming these guys in the locker room,” Cousins told reporters postgame. “Energy and effort is a huge part of the game, but I'm not going to keep blaming it on that. We got a bigger issue, and we need to figure it out as a team.”

• MAHONEY: Cousins impacting Kings’ offense more than just scoring

A reporter asked Cousins to clarify what he meant by a “bigger issue.”

“I’d rather keep it in house, but we definitely have a bigger issue than energy and effort,” Cousins said. “That can’t be the excuse every night.”

• Kings are reportedly considering firing head coach George Karl

The Kings will have an opportunity to right the ship when they visit the Boston Celtics on Super Bowl Sunday at 1 p.m. EST.