Postgame: Kings 108, Jazz 97 | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Sacramento, Calif. • The Jazz's 108-97 loss to Sacramento wasn't especially complicated to figure out. While the Jazz passed the eyeball test, in terms of playing physically, getting shots in the paint, etc., the numbers don't lie. The Kings made 54.1 percent of their shots, a full 14 percent better than the Jazz. Utah was outscored 22-11 on fastbreaks, 56-36 in the paint and 32-19 in the third quarter.

So the Jazz-Kings rivalry — if a rivalry can exist between one borderline playoff team and a conference bottom-dweller — grew in legend, what with DeMarcus Cousins getting tossed at the end fo the third.

"They just seem to match up with us well," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We stick it out at home, but here they get it going a little bit with their crowd."

The Jazz were coming off a dramatic 104-102 win over the Kings at home on Friday, but what may go overlooked is how very near the Jazz were to being beaten in back-to-back nights by a team that previously won just three games all season.

Anyhow, a few thoughts and notes didn't make it into my story on the game, so you get them here.

• Jamaal Tinsley can't shoot the 3. If you're like me, you fell into that trap of thinking. Somehow, some way, though, on Saturday he pulled out some tricks. The 97th-year point guard made four 3-pointers in 31 minutes, finishing with 14 points. He shot and made as many 3s as Randy Foye, the Jazz's perimeter specialist. I wouldn't expect that kind of performance every night out for Tinsley, who before Saturday was 1-of-14 from 3 this season, but it's an encouraging sign for the Jazz — particularly if Mo Williams' right foot injury keeps him out of the lineup for any period of time.

And for those wondering, the last time Jamaal Tinsley made four 3s in a game, people who can now legally drink couldn't even drive by themselves. It was March 13, 2007, when Tinsley scored 37 points in a Pacers loss to Minnesota.

• Paul Millsap's struggles continued. Yes, he scored 13 points and nearly had a double-double (8 rebounds), but Millsap never quite looked comfortable a night after not playing in the fourth quarter and only grabbing 1 rebound. Corbin deflected any concerns about Millsap's long-term prognosis, however.

"As long as he continues to work and tries to stay as focused as he can on staying aggressive and not feeling sorry for himself," Corbin said, "he'll work his was out of it."

— Bill Oram