Defending the middle has been a problem through the first quarter of the season for the Kings, who have the league's highest average of points allowed in the paint per game.

Keith Smart wants his team to adopt a "We're going to live with the jump shot" mindset on defense.

"Our focus has to be on controlling the paint," Smart said. "If teams are going to beat us with 92 points from three-point range, we'll go home and say they beat us from the outside."

"It starts with everybody going and working as hard as they can man-to-man and trying to not let them get to the middle of the floor or the paint," said guard Jimmer Fredette. "We also have to help when there is a breakdown. It's a combination of both."
On help defense, Fredette said, "We're a step late, and we have to be a step early. We've got to anticipate it. We know what we're supposed to do. We just have to be there."