DeMarcus Cousins, you have some explaining to do.

The NBA is likely to come calling on the Sacramento Kings star big man on Thursday. And it may not be good news for the Kings chances of winning against the Miami Heat.

At the two minute mark of the first quarter, Cousins lost his composure for a moment while fighting for rebounding position in the post. The result was a tangle up that led to an extended elbow to the left jaw of Al Horford.

The Hawks All-Star big man wasn’t knocked to the floor, nor was he bloodied. Cousins didn’t wind up and drop a hammer to an opponent or throw a close handed punch, but that may not matter.

It was a heat of battle move by Cousins, but one that is likely to induce further examination by the league. The fact that the elbow was above the shoulders could add to the severity of the punishment.

Cousins has been a statistical wonder when healthy. He came into Wednesday’s game averaging 28 points per game, which ranked third in the league and his 11 rebounds per contest rank in the top ten.

[INSTANT REPLAY: Kings' winning streak ends with loss in Atlanta]

There is a chance that Cousins will escape without a suspension. The NBA can assess a “Flagrant 2” without calling for game(s) missed. It should be noted that the Kings are 0-4 this season without their All-Star center and 11-37 all-time when he sits due to injury, illness or suspension.

THE GOOD:

Darren Collison returned for the Kings after missing five games with a strained left hamstring. The veteran point guard wasn’t quite himself as he plays back into game shape, but the Kings desperately need his presence on the court.

The 28-year-old guard finished the night with seven points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from behind the arc. He clearly didn’t have his wind or his legs under him, but he gave Karl an alternative to playing Rondo 40-plus minutes, which is a welcomed break.

The loss to the Hawks marked the second time this season that the team faced an opponent with their core rotation intact. Cousins missed four games with an Achilles issue. Gay has missed two games, one due to the birth of a child and a second after a bout with gastroenteritis.

THE BAD:

At some point, the Sacramento Kings are going to have to learn to value the ball. This isn’t a team filled with young players trying to prove they are something that they are not. This is a veteran laden team that makes poor basketball decisions that lead to losses.

Sacramento came into the contest against Atlanta ranked 26th in the league in turnovers at 17.1 per contest. In a six point loss that was decided in the final 30 seconds of the game, the Kings turned the ball over 21 times, including seven in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a good team,” George Karl said during postgame. “Atlanta has good defensive hands and they lead the league in creating possessions.”

For the third time in 12 games with the Kings, point guard Rajon Rondo turned the ball over seven or more times. Wednesday against the Hawks, most of his seven mistakes were unforced.

It’s hard to fault a guy who just posted a fourth triple-double in the last six games, but there has to come a point when making the simple play means more to this team. Rondo averages 4.2 turnovers per game which ranks him in the top five in the league. He also sits in second place in the NBA in assists at 9.6 per night, so there is a give and take with these stats.

The road is an unfriendly place to play and giving away possessions doesn’t help any team, especially not one that has dug a hole for themselves like the Kings.

THE TAKE:

Despite turning the ball over 21 times, the Kings went toe-to-toe with one of the best the Eastern Conference has to offer. Sacramento had the advantage over the Hawks in almost every statistical category, including field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, rebounding and assists.

The Kings are team that is still building chemistry, but it isn’t hard to see a path to success. The road is a perfect place to bond with your teammates. It’s also a very difficult place to pick up wins.

Sacramento’s remaining four games on their season-long five game road trip will not make or break this season. What you need to look for is growth and a team that is working towards an identity.