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

The Kings are mired in a rut, having lost 6 of their last 8 games and are back below .500 at 25-26.  The All-Star break is almost upon us, but for now the Kings have a chance to get back on the right track with the first of what will be three matchups in four games against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Saturday, February 8th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

If you thought the Sacramento Kings season was disappointing, New Orleans Pelicans 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 just 12-39, worst in the West and 2nd worst in the entire league.  The Pelicans made moves this summer that they thought would lead them into contention, trading Dyson Daniels and picks for Dejounte Murray, but Murray is now out of the season, Daniels is crushing it in Atlanta, and half of New Orleans’ roster has been in and out of the lineup due to injury.

This Pelicans team gave the Kings an inordinate amount of trouble last season but this is a far cry from the same team that beat the Kings six times last year and ended our playoff hopes.  For one, their starting center from last year is now our backup.  Herbert Jones, Dyson Daniels and Jose Alvarado, the pesky defenders who gave Sacramento’s ballhandlers so much trouble, are either hurt or not on the team.  Whereas the last two games saw Sacramento go up against teams with a ton 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.

This team still has some weapons however. Zion Williamson is back healthy, and he’s always a force that the Kings have had trouble handling.  Williamson is averaging 23.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks a game in 28.4 minutes.  The only issue with Williamson has been availability, as he’s only played 15 games this season.  Trey Murphy III is an excellent wing who is averaging 22.7 points a game, including 38.3% from distance on 8.6 attempts a game.  And then there’s CJ McCollum, who always seems to take games against the Sacramento Kings personally.

The Kings can’t afford to let this Pelicans team get comfortable early, particularly from outside.  In their previous two losses, the Kings have allowed two teams not particularly known for their three point shooting to shoot well above their season averages, and many of those attempts were wide open.  Jake LaRavia should be making his debut tonight which will give the Kings some more size off the bench to go with Jonas Valanciunas.  The Pelicans should offer far less resistance than either the Magic or Blazers, so I’m hoping the Kings can get their own offense going early, something they’ve struggled to do in the past two matchups.  The Kings themselves have not been shooting all that many threes of late, and I’d like to see them at least get back up to the mid 30s in attempts rather than the mid-late 20s as they have been.

There’s only four games left until the break and this is the last one at home.  Given that the Kings have to play the Pelicans two more times in New Orleans next week, it’s imperative that they start off this series well and get back into the winning column.

Prediction

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

Kings 131, Pelicans 116