SACRAMENTO, Calif. Philadelphia 76ers Store . - It looked as if everything was coming together for the Sacramento Kings.DeMarcus Cousins was keeping his cool while putting up All-Star numbers. Second-year coach Michael Malone had his team playing defence, and the Kings were consistently beating Western Conference contenders.One illness ended all that.Cousins came down with viral meningitis more than two weeks ago, and neither the franchise centre nor the Kings (11-13) have recovered yet. Sacramento has gone just 2-7 without Cousins — who remains out indefinitely — heading into Tuesday nights home game against Oklahoma City, which had its own health-related problems while NBA MVP Kevin Durant and co-star Russell Westbrook were out with injuries.Malone was fired late Sunday night and assistant Tyrone Corbin was promoted to interim coach. A person with knowledge of the moves confirmed the change on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced it yet.While season-long goals cant be accomplished before Christmas, the Kings and Thunder know they can sure be wrecked.How teams handle such critical times can go a long way in determining their season. That was basically the message Malone gave to his players last week.I told our guys, We have no idea when DeMarcus is coming back. So we need everybody to man up and play to the best of your ability, Malone said before his dismissal was announced.Houston has been able to manage injuries better than any team in the league.Dwight Howard missed 11 straight games with a strained right knee before returning Saturday against Denver. The Rockets (18-5) went 8-3 without the All-Star centre.The Thunder thought they could limit the damage when Durant and Westbrook went down. Instead, they started 3-12 and are trying to make the long climb back up the crowded West standings.Westbrook returned Nov. 28 after sitting out 13 games with a broken bone in his right hand. Durant came back Dec. 2 after missing the teams first 17 games with a fractured right foot.Both believe there is enough time left to get the Thunder back in a strong playoff position.___Here are some other things to look for around the NBA this week:WINNING WARRIORS: The Golden State Warriors have won a franchise-record 16 straight games, which is almost halfway to the NBA record of 33 in row set by the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1971-72 season. The Warriors play at Memphis on Tuesday and host Oklahoma City on Thursday.LANCE VS. LEBRON: Lance Stephenson and LeBron James will meet for the first time since last seasons memorable run-in during the Eastern Conference finals between Indiana and Miami, when Stephenson was caught by television cameras blowing into James ear. Both are with new teams now, but they still figure to match up against each other when Stephensons Hornets visit James and the Cavaliers on Monday night.BIGGEST LOSERS: Philadelphia gained national attention by starting 0-17 and coming within one loss of tying the record for worst start to a season. But the Sixers have hardly been the only big losers this season. Detroits 13-game losing streak ended with a win at Phoenix on Friday. Charlotte had a 10-game losing streak. Utah had a nine-game skid. The New York Knicks have put together losing streaks of 10 and seven in a row already.GARDEN SPOILER: As if things couldnt get any worse for the Knicks, its beginning to look like a very real possibility that Golden States Steve Kerr — who spurned an offer from mentor Phil Jackson to coach in New York over the summer — could coach the Western Conference in the All-Star game at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15. The coaches of the teams with the best record in each conference will head the All-Star teams, so long as they didnt coach last years game. The Warriors entered Monday night with an NBA-best 21-2 record.BIG THREE: San Antonio beat the Knicks 109-95 on Wednesday without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Spurs are just 5-10 in games the Big Three sit out since they became teammates in 2002.___STAT LINE OF THE WEEK: Blake Griffin scored 45 points, including a 3-pointer as time expired, to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 121-120 overtime win against Phoenix last Monday night. He joined Dwyane Wade and Gilbert Arenas as the only players to score at least 45 points and hit a buzzer-beater in the same game in the last 10 seasons.___AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.___Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP Philadelphia 76ers Shirts . MacArthur scored two goals, and the Senators outlasted Detroit in a testy third period to beat the Red Wings 4-2 on Saturday night. 76ers Jerseys 2019 . Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. https://www.cheap76ers.com/ . Heck, we might just miss the BCS. Maybe? It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion.BAIE-COMEAU, Que. -- Philippe Sanche scored 1:29 into overtime as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada edged the host Baie-Comeau Drakkar 3-2 on Friday in Quebec Major Hockey League playoff action. Samuel Hodhod and Christopher Clapperton also scored for the Armada, who lead the best-of-seven third-round series 3-2, while Sanche tacked on an assist for a two-point night. Denis Gorbunov aand Maxime St-Cyr supplied the scoring for the Drakkar. Cheap 76ers Jerseys. Blainville-Boisbriands Etienne Marcoux made 29 saves for the win as Baie-Comeaus Philippe Cadorette turned away 19-of-22 shots in defeat. The Armada went 2 for 5 on the power play while the Drakkar scored once on three chances with the man advantage. Blainville-Boisbriand will host Game 6 on Sunday. ' ' '