Rondo takes shot at teammates for skipping optional shootaround
It doesn't look like everyone on the Sacramento Kings is on board with turning the team's fortunes around during their ugliest stretch of the season.
A 120-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday was Sacramento's fourth defeat in a row and eighth in the last nine games. Their defense has been non-existent, giving up 118.1 points (30th) on 48.5 percent shooting (30th) to opponents during this ongoing stretch.
Following the game, point guard Rajon Rondo called out his teammates for failing to appear at that morning's shootaround before an outing against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
"With optional shootarounds it's tough," Rondo said, according to the Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones. "When three or four guys show up for shootaround this morning, how can you expect to win?"
Rondo, Seth Curry, and Omri Casspi were the only Kings players who showed up, sources told Sports Illustrated's Jake Fischer.
It's commonplace for teams to hold optional shootarounds on the second night of a back-to-back stint. Sacramento fell to the Boston Celtics on the road Sunday, losing 128-119.
Then again, the players' lack of urgency to right the ship may have something to do with head coach George Karl, who the roster has reportedly tuned out.
Related: Kings to fire George Karl in coming days
DeMarcus Cousins, who scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Cleveland, isn't worried about his teammates turning on one another with victories being hard to come by.
"One thing I can commend this team on is we've always stuck together, there hasn't been any separation," Cousins said Monday.