Report card: Spurs 97, Kings 86

A: Patty MillsWhile it is difficult to omit Tim Duncan — owner of a stat-stuffing 23-12-4-4-3 line in 31 minutes — reserve point guard Patty Mills was the catalyst for the second unit.

He was an immediate spark plug, scoring six points in the second quarter and 18 overall. His speed allowed the Spurs to push the pace and outscore Sacramento by 11 in the second.

Mills finished the night shooting 8-of-9 and the team posted a game-high plus/minus (+16) under the tutelage of the Olympics’ leading scorer.

B: Boris DiawThe move to the bench was surprising but it did ensure Diaw would play more often against the limited Kings reserves. Earning starters minutes (29), Diaw was a point and rebound away — not to mention he totaled four assists and zero turnovers — from tallying his first double-double of the season.

C: DeMarcus CousinsCousins flashed some of his potential when he snared a Danny Green pass that he turned into a breakaway dunk and the foul. The play capped a 7-0 Kings run and it appeared Boogie was on track for a nice stat line.

Cousins committed his third personal foul within minutes of his entry into the second, limiting him to the bench for the duration of the quarter. Though he nearly accounted for a double-double, he missed 10 of 14 shots while committing five costly fouls in a mere 23 minutes.

D: Aaron BrooksDon’t remember much of his 19 minutes, but the Kings were 11 points worse while he was on the floor, only Marcus Thornton’s plus/minus was lower, and he missed each of his five shots. It wasn’t that he was necessarily awful, just that he didn’t do anything to contribute to the team.

F: Tony ParkerFor the sixth consecutive game, Parker has failed to shoot at (or better) than his career field goal percentage of 49.1. He may have added six assists but the four turnovers, four misses on five attempts and the negative plus/minus mitigate his passing. Perhaps feeling the effects of a stomach bug, Parker was uncharacteristically unable to finish.