Source: Sacramento Bee

The actions on the court looked eerily similar. But apparently, the reaction to the result wasn't.

The Kings lost for the first time this preseason, falling to the Warriors 98-88 Wednesday night at Sleep Train Arena.

At the game's outset, the Kings looked a lot like the team they don't want to imitate from past seasons. The ball movement and offensive execution of the first two exhibition games gave way to careless play and rushed shots.

"We just went back to the old ways," said guard Isaiah Thomas.

But the Kings didn't go back to their old ways in dealing with a sloppy first half.

Finger pointing gave way to self-examination at halftime and after the game.

The players started talking "about how we didn't move the ball," said Kings coach Keith Smart. "It wasn't an issue to where this guy was shooting too much ... we've got to play better defense. That was the conversation."

Forward Jason Thompson said the team's mood has improved and it showed with how they handled the outcome..

"Now we're a family, and we know we didn't play well," Thompson said. "But I think before we would have our heads down, but we know it's preseason. But we also know by opening night we want to have a certain type of rhythm. For the most part, we didn't have it for 48 minutes, but we've just got to go back to the film and get stuff done."

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