How Monk maintains positive perspective amid Kings' losing streak

How Monk maintains positive perspective amid Kings' losing streak originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Struggles at the free throw line have defined the Kings' current four-game losing skid.

Malik Monk missed a pair of critical free throw attempts that kept the door open for a remarkable game-winning shot by Bucks guard Damian Lillard in Sacramento's heartbreaking 143-142 last-second overtime loss to Milwaukee this past Sunday at Fiserv Forum.

That prompted the Kings guard to take to social media where he accepted ownership of his misses, vowing to be better moving forward.

After Sacramento shot under 60 percent from the free-throw line in consecutive games, Monk revealed how his experience during his basketball career allows him to maintain perspective in difficult times like this.

"I was out the NBA at [one time]," Monk told reporters at Saturday's practice. "So, missing a free throw, I'll be all right. Of course, you have to say something when it happens. And I'm a competitor, too, so I hate losing more than anything."

Despite the recent skid, Monk is eager to get back out on the court and help turn things around when the Kings host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.

"So that's really where I'm at because we dropped four [games in a row], and I feel like one or two of those was some things I did in those [losses]," Monk told reporters. "But yeah, I'm all right, we'll be all right … We got a game Monday, I'm looking forward to it."

After Sacramento's 126-121 loss to the Pacers on Thursday at Golden 1 Center, teammate Keegan Murray echoed a similar sentiment about the Kings' struggles from the free-throw line, explaining why his confidence remains high that the team can correct their woes.

"I mean, we're shooting a lot of free throws in practice," Murray told reporters. "Obviously, I feel like last year was a lot better. We just have to keep working on it; at the end of the day, we're all professionals. We've all shot good from the free-throw line before, so just getting over that hump, and I'm sure we'll be fine."

Sacramento must get to the bottom of their free-throw issues, as their recent losing skid has dropped the Kings to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.