As further proof you can relate anything to the NBA, beating the Sacramento Kings is a lot like shoveling my driveway. It takes a little more than two hours and can be painful at times, but it has to be done.

“It’s not going to be a good road trip if we don’t win tonight,” said Paul Pierce, according to A. Sherrod Blakely. A win tonight would take the Celtics to 3-1 on the trip, while a loss would drop the Celtics to 2-2 and cancel out the win versus the Lakers. But these aren’t the same Tyreke Evans-less Sacramento Kings who Boston torched 119-95 on January 12. The new-look Kings have beaten the Lakers and Hornets in their last two outings, and — if you count a win at Portland and a five-point loss to Charlotte — these Kings have now won three of their last four games.

Even better, for Kings fans, DeMarcus Cousins is solidifying himself as a valid choice for Rookie of the Year (you know, if Blake Griffin runs into a season-ending injury tomorrow). Rarely does a player so big, so talented, enter the NBA. Rarely does such a big, talented player also enter the NBA with such a reputation as an immature asshole, but I digress. Cousins reminds Pierce of Chris Webber, because of his skill level with the ball in his hands. To compare the two is to forget Webber’s explosive athleticism, but still: With Cousins on board for the future (as long as he stays on the good side), the Kings have a nice building block. If Evans ever reestablishes his former role as LeBron Lite, these Kings might have something — something fun, something exciting, something worthy of League Pass Fever.

Nonetheless, no matter how improved these Kings are, the Celtics should win. They will win, if they bring 100% focus. But it’s these games, the ones against lesser opponents, the ones on the road, which have caused the Celtics trouble.

“We don’t want a letdown,’’ Rajon Rondo told the Boston Globe. “We want to go into Sacramento and try to finish off this road trip right.’’

Cheers to that. You know, if Rondo’s hopes come to fruition.