Source: Sacramento Bee

Kings coach Keith Smart plans to experiment with his lineups in the preseason. But he went with a familiar group for Sacramento's preseason opener Wednesday night at Power Balance Pavilion against the Phoenix Suns.

The Kings started Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton at guard with a frontcourt of Tyreke Evans, Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins.

That lineup started 18 games last season and would have finished the season as the starting unit if not for an injury to Thornton that cost him eight games in the final month of the season.

Smart said not to read too much into who started Wednesday.

"I've got about 14 (starting lineups) right now," Smart said. "It's like Sudoku when I look down at that board. But I want to see certain guys play tonight. Like I told the players at shootaround, don't buy into what lineup you see out there. I'm going to put guys on the floor; next game I might start someone else."

Smart mixed lineups a lot during training camp practices last week in Colorado Springs, Colo.

That was only the beginning of the experimenting.

"I'm trying to find out which guys can play well together," Smart said.

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