Losing eight of their last 12 games in the regular season signaled the onset of gloom and doom for the Sacramento Kings.

On Saturday, they were not interested in building an argument for their chances of reversing fortunes and recapturing the passion and the execution that led them to a 49-17 record before the final month of the season.

"I don't want to make that case, because talking does nothing," Chris Webber said at the Kings' practice facility. "We've been here a long time. We've been the team that can sneak up on other teams. We've been the [heavy favorite]. The only emotion left is to just do it.

"We know we're a good team. But what do you have in you?"

The Kings hope to find some positive answers to that question. But in the final week of the regular season, they beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 17 points, then lost the regular-season finale to lowly Golden State, 97-91.

Those games have been resonating through the locker room leading into the playoffs.

"If we play like we did against Golden State, then we're going to lose this series," coach Rick Adelman said. "If we play the way we're capable, we have a very good chance of winning this series. Somewhere in that locker room is the team that won 55 games. That team has to show up."