As for the free throw disparity that a few other posters have alluded to, you have to keep in mind that there's no reason for free throw numbers TO be balanced. Now, last nights game was a bit extreme, but the fact of the matter is that jump shooting teams will almost always shoot fewer FT's than a team that attacks the basket. With Elton Brand going strong inside and Maggette, Richardson, and Odom driving for the hoop and/or the harm, I would be shocked if the Kings ever did shoot more freethrows than the Clippers.

LA has precious little shooting outside of Piatkowski (injured?) and Richardson and possibly Maggette when he's going, which isn't all that often. When time's running out, the game is tight and shots aren't falling you need to attack the rim. The Clippers did and the Kings (with the exception of Webbs spin and lefty scoop) did not.

The last thing that disappointed me about last nights game was hearing Pollard say he probably wouldn't be back out on the court until after the All-Star break. Anyone who has asked where Pollard is going to find minutes when he gets back only had to watch last nights game. Yes, I think Keon Clark will still get the lion's share of the backup 4/5 minutes because he adds athleticism and shotblocking, but Pollard has his value too:

He's the Kings best post defender, with the exception of trying to slow Shaq (which Vlade does better because of his size and Pollard does little of at all). Karl Malone is no longer the player he was even three years ago, but when he was a major threat, it was Pollard that bumped and banged and forced him into awkward fadeaways. Pollard guards Duncan as well or better than Webber. And when it comes to Elton Brand (who eats Webber alive in every contest) Pollard is almost invaluable. Get well soo Scot.

Lastly, this was not a big loss. The Clippers are not a playoff team as it stands now and I seriously doubt that they will be, because Sterling has bascially turned them into a group of mercenaries rather than a team with his penny pinching. So its not as if the Kings lost to a potential postseason opponent. And although they're all just one game out of 82, I'd wager there's not a Kings fan alive who would rather have seen the Kings lose to Dallas and win last night. But the Kings have shown a tendency to come off big wins with losses. They have lost all three games after beating the cream of the NBA - Lakers, Nets and now Mavs. This team has to bring it every night if they want to take first place in the West, but more importantly if they want to develop the mentality of a champion.