Kings vs. Pelicans Preview: The Mini-Playoff series begins

The kings are mirrored in a corner, after losing 6 of their last 8 games and are back under .500 at 25-26. The All-Star break is almost upon us, but for now Kings has a chance to get back on the right track with the first of what will be three matchups in four matches against New Orleans Pelicans.

Let’s talk kings basketball!

When: Saturday, February 8th, 19:00 pt
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: SACTOWN SPORTS 1140

To your consideration

If you thought the Sacramento Kings season was disappointing, New Orleans Pelican’s fans would probably consider it a dream. The Pelicans have been decimated by injuries this season and come into tonight’s matchup with a record of only 12-39, worst in the West and 2nd worst in the entire league. The Pelicans made movements this summer that they thought would lead them to struggle, act Dyson Daniels and pick for Dejointe Murray, but Murray is now out of season, Daniels crushes it in Atlanta, and half of New Orleans’ list has been in and out of the set -up due to injury.

This Pelican team gave Kings an excessive amount of problems last season, but this is far from the same team that beat Kings six times last year and ended our playoff heap. First, their starting center from last year is now our backup. Herbert Jones, Dyson Daniels and Jose Alvarado, the annoying defenders who gave Sacramento’s ball traders so many problems are either wounded or not on the team. While the last two matches saw Sacramento go up against teams with lots of size and defensive chops, New Orleans is the opposite. The Pelicans are the third worst defensive team and have also been the fifth worst offensive team.

However, this team still has some weapons. Zion Williamson is back healthy and he is always a strength that Kings has had trouble dealing with. Williamson average 23.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 stealing and 1.1 blocks a game of 28.4 minutes. The only problem with Williamson has been accessibility as he has only played 15 games this season. Trey Murphy III is an excellent wing that average 22.7 points a game, including 38.3% from a distance of 8.6 attempts at a game. And then there is CJ McCollum who always seems to take games against Sacramento Kings personally.

The kings cannot afford to let this pelican team get comfortable early, especially from the outside. In their previous two losses, the kings have allowed two teams that are not very well known for their three -point shooting to shoot well over their season average, and many of these attempts were widely open. Jake Laravia was to debut tonight, which will give Kings a little more size from the bench to go with Jonas Valanciunas. The Pelicans should offer far less resistance than either the magic or blazers, so I hope the kings can get their own offense early, something they have struggled to do in the last two matchups. The kings themselves have not shot as many triangles too late, and I would like to see them at least come back to the mid -30s in attempts rather than the middle 20s as they have been.

There are only four games left until the break and this is the last one at home. Given that the kings have to play the pelicans twice more in New Orleans next week, it is imperative that they start this series well and come back in the winning column.

Forecast

Sacramento’s new benchness led by Keon Ellis, Jonas Valanciunas, Trey Lyles and Jake Laravia results in Sacramento’s bench actually outsscoring another team’s bench for once.

Kings 131, Pelicans 116