National Basketball Association

Golden State Warriors no match for Sacramento Kings on glass, fall 116-97

Published Oct. 13, 2010 10:12 a.m. ET

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SACRAMENTO -- The Warriors have designs on being a better rebounding team this season.

The offseason additions of power forward David Lee and sizable small forward Dorell Wright and the return of center Andris Biedrins from injury are supposed to equal a better showing on the boards.

The first two games combined, the Warriors were plus-13 on the glass. But in Tuesday's 116-97 preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, the Warriors showed they still have a ways to go in that area.

The Warriors had a difficult time boxing out the Kings' active big men, who looked a step quicker and a tad hungrier. Rookie center DeMarcus Cousins had 20 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes. Forward Omri Casspi had nine rebounds off the bench.

The Kings' 21 second-chance points helped them overcome the 21 turnovers that the Warriors forced.

Lee did register 10 rebounds, to go with 17 points. But the next highest rebounders for the Warriors were forward Vladimir Radmanovic and point guard Stephen Curry with five each. Golden State was out-rebounded 46-33.

Biedrins had three in 27 minutes, the same rebounding total that guard Aaron Miles had in 24 minutes off the bench. Wright had two rebounds in 34 minutes.

Even rookie forward Jeff Adrien, who had 15 rebounds against Sacramento on Sunday, grabbed just one in 10 minutes.

Coach Keith Smart was asked if swingman Reggie Williams would be the Warriors' version of Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson from the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons. Smart said that wasn't exactly up to him. "Even if you haven't given him that role," Smart said with a smile, "that's what he's going to do. And I'm not going to fight that because he's good at it." Although Williams said he wouldn't mind being instant offense off the bench like Johnson, he added he'd do whatever Smart asked, even if that meant playing a point-forward role and focusing more on setting others up than his own offense. Williams did get a kick out of Smart's comments. "Basically," a laughing Williams said, "he called me a ball hog."

The Warriors are supposed to pull back from the 3-pointer buffet this season, according to Smart, thanks to a more structured offense. But over the first two games, Ellis had attempted nine 3-pointers, making five. Smart said he doesn't like to forbid certain shots. He said he's worried about his players learning the difference between a good shot and bad one. Smart said he's just letting them play right now and using film to teach. "I don't want to put any restrictions on them yet," Smart said.

Ellis, Wright and Biedrins played the entire first quarter Tuesday. Lee played all but 24.9 seconds of the period, and Curry finally sat with 1:04 left in the quarter.

Forward Brandan Wright was the only available player who didn't play Tuesday. Injured forwards Rodney Carney (right hip contusion), Lou Amundson (stiff lower back) and Ekpe Udoh (left wrist surgery) didn't make the trip.

The Warriors committed 21 turnovers. Curry had six. Williams had four off the bench.

The Kings said center Samuel Dalembert (strained groin) could be out for six weeks. Dalembert, acquired in the offseason from Philadelphia, played in 354 straight games, the NBA's third-longest active streak.

Associated Press contributed to this notebook.

saturday's exhibition

Warriors at Portland, 7 p.m.