The Kings, who won an NBA-low 17 games last year, began this season with nowhere to go but up. They've begun that process by improving their competitiveness and athleticism.

It started with draft picks Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi and trading for Jon Brockman. Each has played at a higher level than could have been anticipated.

However, the Kings' 15-28 (.357) record is tied with Philadelphia and Detroit as the NBA's fourth-worst.

There have been numerous losses in which  the team was positioned to win. However, pro sports is a bottom-line business - you win or lose.The Kings have lost seven straight - 12 of 14 and 14 of their past 16 following Saturday night's 115-84 loss in Miami that ended a six-game road swing. 

 Sacramento's early-season success had the team hovering around the .500 mark, but it was based on strong perimeter shooting.

The Kings' primary weaknesses at the season's start, poor interior defense and offense, continue. Sacramento cannot throw the ball into the post and manufacture points.

Clearly, the Kings have to become tougher inside and not allow teams to waltz, polka and stinky-leg their way to the hoop.

The NBA is about what you do nightly, not once a week or two times every three weeks. Teams cannot be successful playing with toughness and intelligence during two quarters.

Midway through this season, Sacramento has failed to show the consistent toughness required of a winner. They are a young team, but it's time to grow up.

It's time for Coach Paul Westphal needs to recognize his team's strengths and stick with them. Changing the starting lineups was fine early in the season, but it's time to decide which players will best get it done. Granted, Westphal has been hampered by Kevin Martin's and Francisco Garcia's injuries. However, Martin has returned and Garcia likely is within 10 days of a comeback. Westphal has to proceed with those who are the toughest. The Kings must ride or die with Spencer Hawes, who often plays timidly. They have to let Hawes show what he has so they can decide what to do with him. That Westphal has made the desperate move to start the 6-foot-7 Brockman s center shows displeasure with Hawes' performance. However, Brockman is not an NBA starting center. Ideally, he's a sparkplug off the bench. Yet Hawes has been so soft, it's  understandable that Westphal and his coaching staff get sick of watching him some nights. However, Westphal is to blame for not making Hawes his post man and restricting those three-point attempts. Hawes really doesn't take that many -- 1.3 per game. However, he's the team's seventh most accurate three-point shooter. Put him in the post and make him use his low-post talents as well as passing skills. The report card cannot be pretty and wouldn't be one you would want to bring home to the folks. Centers Since we're dogging Hawes, we might as well stay with the centers, or those who are used as centers. The organization was displeased that Hawes didn't attend summer league. The Kid should have been in the weight room. He's weak and plays weaker, if that's possible. Brockman is not a center, but if his heart could be put inside Hawes, the Kings truly would have a center. Brockman, though, has no offense. Hawes has to become the factor defensively he's rarely been and he could start by consistently getting into a defensive stance and stop retreating on the pregame layup line.Newly-acquired Hilton Armstrong is a center, but we've not seen enough to grade. Grades Hawes - D.Brockman - B.Armstrong - Incomplete. Power forwards Jason Thompson needs to relax. He virtually forces every part of his game. He hurries offensively and plays defense with his hands instead of his big body and feet, size 20.  Thompson was one of Sacramento's most consistent performers until  about a month ago. Since then, he's hurt the cause more than helped. Thompson needs to forget about the referees. He needs to get in the post when Hawes isn't there, which is most of the time. Thompson needs to get a go-to move and go to it. Brockman, Andres Nocioni, Kenny Thomas, Donte Greene and Sean May also see time at power forward with only Brockman and Thomas functioning at their natural positions. Thomas has not played much recently and seemingly has forgotten how to score after being ignored for the past two seasons. Brockman is a solid guy off the bench, with Nocioni and Greene making perimeter shots and stretching the floor. Thomas is the best defender and at least will battle. May, in minimal time, has not shown much. Thompson - C.Nocioni - C.Thomas - Inc.Greene - C.May - Inc. Small forwards Greene and Omri Casspi have received the most minutes, along with Nocioni and Ime Udoka, at this position. Casspi, despite recent struggles, has been the most consistent at both ends. His energy and aggressiveness  were a major factor when the team played well, but he's a rookie, so peaks and valleys are to be expected. Greene shows the potential of becoming a solid NBA producer, but has to figure out how and where to  use his talents. Greene will be 22 next month, while Casspi turns 22 in June. Nocioni has been more scorer than anything else this season and his shot has been uncustomarily erratic. Udoka is the most solid and fundamental defender, but has to make open shots to stay on the floor. Francisco likely would have been the starter, but suffered a broken wrist and has yet to play.  Casspi - B-plus.Greene - C.Udoka - C.Garcia - Inc. Shooting guards Martin has played in just 11 games this season because of injury, not enough to merit a grade. Clearly, he's still searching for a flow after rejoining the action January 15. The Kings need to figure out a way to get Martin started. At this point, he appears too tentative to do it himself. Casspi, Greene, Udoka and point guard Beno Udrih have garnered minutes here, with each having positive moments. However, none have shown consistency.  Martin's ability to return to form to the Kings is key halting their abysmal play of late.  Martin - Inc. Point guards Evans is utilized at this position, but truly is a combination guard.  Evans is only 20 years old with huge upside.  He clearly is not a point guard because he looks for his shot far more naturally than he does to get shots for others. That's not to say he doesn't look to get teammates shots, but his first inclination is to go for his. Evans has shown an ability to penetrate almost at will and when he learns to get one more dribble deeper into the lane, he'll be even more effective.His jumper needs more consistency, but that likely will come with work. Evans certainly pounds the ball too long on possessions, but he's been the team's best player at barely 20 years old. He plays hard, defends and competes nightly. He's a scorer who will get better with experience.Udrih has been one of the team's best and most consistent performers this season. He's made shots at nearly a 50 percent rate all season and fills the role as a playmaker when provided the opportunity. Sergio Rodriguez has been caught in a numbers game. Often, he appears to be the most natural point guard of the three. However, too many times he tries to make plays that aren't there. Sergio should get a little more playing time than he receives. Evans - A.Rodriguez - C. Coaching Westphal has done a sound job of challenging his players to play hard. He has to figure out what he has and get the most out of the team.  Westphal's job is made tough because he has a number of players with similar production levels, so doling out minutes is a nightly dilemma. So he searches for combination and nightly production with what have been constantly changing starting lineups until this past week. Westphal has done a solid job despite  14 losses in the past 16 games.Now, he has to show the ability get his team to play as it has before. The Kings had the advantage of sneaking up on teams earlier in the season, but not anymore. Westphal - C.