Kings make some bad/weird mistakes.
Mid 2Q they start playing zone which has worked vs. NYK for some opponents.
They do a fine job two possessions. Then the Knix next trip around 4:20 left sees 2 and maybe 3 Kings guarding no one. Everyone looks confused. Randle unguarded dribbles to the FT line, Bagley comes towards him and Mitch is completely open under the rim. Knix didn't have to do anything to just walk into a dunk.
I realize many teams don't practice zone much, but that was abysmal.
With 1:36 left in the half, Elf tosses Mitch an alleyoop. Fox goes to inbound but not one King is in the backcourt. Uh ... Barnes sprints back but Elf sees him coming from a long way off and leaves Fox to guard him. So Holmes has to sprint backcourt to get the inbounds.
End of the game, twice in the last 2 minutes, up by around 10, the Kings foul a Knick Big as he's ramming in a O-board. Just let the NYK get the 2, but dumb to give up 3-pt ops (as it was Randle and then Mitch missed the FT's).
I'm not sure of that coaching or players mentality or both, but seems Kings have been prone to spacing out for the past few years. I think Bags and Hield are often culprits, but Barnes could play with more fire. And Fox needs to take over and up the energy when things are slipping. Some issues concerning leadership, energy, focus and smarts.