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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- In six seasons in the NBA, ultra-talented Sacramento big man DeMarcus Cousins has already had six coaches and hasnt come close to sniffing a playoff berth.The struggles have weighed heavily on Cousins, who has feuded with many coaches out of frustration with the years of losing. His happiest times came when he played for one-plus season under defensive-minded coach Mike Malone.Cousins hopes a return to that style of coaching with the hiring of Dave Joerger this offseason will help the Kings turn things around in their debut season in their new downtown arena.Weve been here before. Weve been a defensive-minded team before and that was one of our better teams so Im excited for this, Cousins said. This is something that we needed. Coach is bringing a quality that we need and I think hes going to get us on the right path.The Kings have spent most of the past decade on the wrong path following the firing of Sacramentos only winning coach in Rick Adelman.In the 10 seasons since Adelman was fired, the Kings have failed to make the playoffs even once and have lost more games than any team other than Minnesota.Now with the new arena, new coach and star player in Cousins to build around, the Kings are hoping to lay the foundation for another run of success.We want to set the tone for what this season is about but also deeper thinking as far as what is it going to be three years from now, Joerger said. This is a starting point for that. Thats the way Im looking at it.Here are some other things to watch for with the Kings this season:NEW HOME: After years of uncertainty about their long-term future as a franchise while playing in a run-down arena, the Kings are excited to have a shiny new downtown home. The Golden 1 Center is a state-of-the-art facility that the team hopes provides a lift on the court and serves as an attraction to potential free agents in the future.AT THE POINT: The Kings will have to open the season without starting point guard Darren Collison for the first eight games after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. Collison was being counted on to replace the departed Rajon Rondo in the lineup and his absence will be felt early. Free agent acquisition Ty Lawson should get a shot to run the point in Collisons absence.Its been a difficult offseason but as a man you have to take responsibility, Collison said. I think right now whats best for my family is to move forward and try to focus on basketball. This has been my safe haven so far.OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE: After only experiencing losing in his first six seasons in the NBA, Cousins got a chance to feel what its like to be part of a winner this summer when he won a gold medal at the Olympics for the U.S. national team. Cousins hopes to use lessons he learned at the Olympics to help turn the Kings into a winner.We hit some adversity over there and I saw how we stayed together as a team, he said. Thats something that this team hasnt been great at. Hopefully I can bring that trait to this team.HOMECOMING: Among the offseason additions was forward Matt Barnes, who grew up in Sacramento and played for the team before the start of its decade-long playoff drought. Barnes has bounced around the league since being traded midway through his only season with the Kings in 2004-05 and spent last year in Memphis playing for Joerger.Its a dream come true to be back home, help the city celebrate this new arena, help the team get back to the playoffs, which I think were very capable of, he said. Im home.GOING BIG: While many teams in the NBA are going to small-ball lineups, the Kings will be bucking the trend a bit by starting two big men in Cousins and second-year player Willie Cauley-Stein. Cousins showed the ability last year to shoot from the outside and can also run the offense from the high post, making the two-big-man strategy possible. Authentic Custom Pelicans Jersey . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Pelicans Jerseys China . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. http://www.custompelicansjersey.com/ .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Custom Anthony Davis Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Cheap Custom Pelicans Jersey . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book.Bob Willis was impressed with an out of character innings from Alex Hales on day one of the first Investec Test between England and Sri Lanka. The opener was 71 not out from 154 balls when the rain came down to curtail Thursdays play at Headingley with England 171-5.Having struggled in South Africa over the winter, Hales appears to have learnt from his mistakes, according to Willis. Its always tough batting at Headingley under leaden skies and it was no surprise that England were put in to bat, he told Sky Sports.It was a quite out of character innings by Alex Hales, who you expect to be looking to hit fours and sixes all the time but he left the ball pretty well. It was a conscientious, rather slow but important opening stand.I think Hales has had to think about a lot of things. He started off trying to play Test cricket like he played one-day cricket and he found the bowling at the top level was far too good to try and do that. There are very few players who manage to go in and play shots at the top of the order and get away with it. Watch the pick of the action from the first day of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka Hes been a bit more circumspect, I think he knows hes probably got these three matches to convince the selectors that he is qualified to open the batting for England in Test cricket. Youve got to hand it to him for the way he played today.I dont think we want three players at the top of the order batting at the same pace as Compton and Cook so if the ball is there to be hit on a sunny day, on a flat wicket, Im sure hell hit it.Willis also praised Jonny Bairstows contribution and saw shades of an Australian great in the wicketkeepers innings. The Verdict discuss Jonny Bairstows knock on day one against Sri Lanka and his rising status in the England team, drawing comparisons to Adam Gilchrist Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow seemed to be given license to play their strokes, he said.dddddddddddd It didnt work out for Stokes but Bairstow played a Gilchrist-like counter-attacking innings and the partnership with Hales has got England part-way out of the mire.Mahela Jayawardene was in agreement and felt Bairstow changed the whole complexion of the England innings.From ball one, he showed intent, said the Sri Lankan legend. Hes been batting really well this summer, hes got runs behind him and the use of his feet, playing spin, being aggressive - he changed the tempo of that England innings. Bairstow looked in good touch against Sri Lanka Sri Lanka were on top but he came in, played mostly controlled shots, but it was more like a one-day innings that he played and it probably helped Hales to come out of his shell again.Watch live coverage from day two of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Headingley, live on Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am on Friday. You can also catch highlights from day one at 8pm on Sky Sports 3, with The Verdict following immediately after at 9pm. Also See: England fight back against SL WATCH: Story of Day One Sky Cricket Podcast England v Sri Lanka on Sky Sports ' ' '