Game Preview: Celtics At Kings

By JORDAN GARRETSON
STATS Writer

(AP) -- Success has followed George Karl everywhere in the NBA, and the Kings hope that trend continues in Sacramento. He'll have to change a losing culture, which has permeated yet another lost season for the franchise.

Karl will make his Kings debut Friday night against the visiting Boston Celtics, whose trade deadline acquisition was dulled by an injury to Jared Sullinger.

Karl was introduced with his sixth NBA team Tuesday, taking over for Tyrone Corbin, who replaced Michael Malone after his termination in December. He last coached Denver in 2012-13, getting fired after a first-round playoff exit despite being named Coach of the Year.

The 63-year-old ranks sixth all-time with 1,131 regular-season victories, the most among active coaches. While Karl reached the playoffs in 22 of his 25 seasons as a coach and led his last three teams to at least the conference finals, he comes to a franchise that has struggled to sniff the postseason for nearly a decade.

Sacramento (18-34) is headed for its ninth straight losing season without a playoff appearance and has dropped 13 of 15, further distancing itself from a promising 9-5 start.

"I want you to forget about the last 52 games," Karl said of what he told the Kings at his first practice Wednesday. " ... I want to think about winning now and the 30 games we have left. Let's stay away from blaming anyone about what happened. For me, it's like the chalkboard's clean."

Karl can build around DeMarcus Cousins, who seemed to be frustrated earlier this season with how the franchise handled its coaching situation. Cousins is averaging career highs of 23.8 points and 12.5 rebounds and scored 14 Sunday in his first All-Star Game. Karl has compared him to former All-Star Shawn Kemp, whom he coached in Seattle.

"To have the skills and the size that he has is going to be something that will motivate me to figure out ways to use him and motivate him and get him at a higher level than he even is now," Karl said.

Boston (20-31), 1 1/2 games out of the Eastern Conference's eighth seed, seemed to stake its claim as a playoff contender Thursday when it acquired Isaiah Thomas from Phoenix. The Celtics gave up Marcus Thornton and Cleveland's 2016 first-round pick, which they received in July.

Thomas has averaged 15.2 points while shooting a career-high 39.1 percent from 3-point range for the Suns, though it's unclear if he'll play Friday against his original team. He averaged 20.3 points in his third and final season with the Kings last year.

The Celtics' playoff hopes took a hit as well, however, as they learned Sullinger, their leading scorer and rebounder, would be out for the "foreseeable future" with a stress reaction in his left foot, according to the team's official website.

"They didn't tell me a lot," Sullinger said. "They just told me I'll be out for a little bit."

Boston also sent Tayshaun Prince to Detroit in exchange for forward Jonas Jerebko and guard Luigi Datome.

Karl will have a familiar face on his roster after the Kings received Andre Miller from Washington for Ramon Sessions. Miller played under Karl during two stints in Denver.

Sacramento point guard Darren Collison is doubtful after missing the last four games with a strained right hip flexor.

Sullinger had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Boston's 106-84 home win on Dec. 31 while Cousins scored 11 on 5-of-17 shooting.

The Celtics have lost three straight in Sacramento.

Updated February 20, 2015