Friday, the Kings were without two stars. Tonight, Portland will be without two stars. Expect a reverse result, I think.

So as ugly Friday's game was for the Kings, tonight should be for the Blazers... which means for how nice Friday's game was for the Blazers, tonight should be for the Kings. I hope.

Portland's defense should still be OK; Jarrett Jack's a good defender at point guard and Joel Pryzbilla is a very good shotblocker. But the offense should struggle -- only Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster are showing to be consistent shot makers.

Francisco Garcia's got to come around one of these days, so I'll be watching him with heightened interest. If both starters are back, the defense can be analyzed a bit; if you can't stop this Portland lineup, good luck stopping anyone. I'd like to see Mike Bibby and Brad Miller hit some jumpers, but Bibby especially isn't a guy who's going to lose his confidence wholesale despite what happens in preseason, and Miller's been getting to the rim frequently enough to eventually open up his high-post game.

Game's at 6 pm Pacific, on Comcast and 1140 AM. Go Kings.