3 Questions

1. Is DeMarcus Cousins healthy enough to dominate? Cousins clearly is not at 100% or even 90%, but he's trying to make an effort to stay in games given that the Kings aren't a lost cause to be a threat in the West just yet. This is potentially a game where Cousins could be dominant given Indiana's relative lack of size. However, that's not a given anymore with Cousins' injury-woes. For Sacramento to have a chance I think they will need Cousins to be a dominant presence.

3. Can the Kings end this road trip on a positive note? A loss tonight would be a pretty disappointing end to this road trip but a win would alleviate some of the pain that losing to Washington and Minnesota caused. 2-2 on the road would be a step in the right direction for a Kings team that has not been able to win consistently away from home this year and more importantly it sets up some good momentum heading into the new year.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Paul George missed almost all of last year with a devastating leg injury suffered during Team USA training camp, but he's come back with a vengeance this year. Offensively, George has never been better, and he's still a terror on the defensive end with his combination of size, length and speed. This is a brutal matchup for Rudy Gay and the Kings need Rudy to at least keep the points margin between the two relatively close.

PREDICTION

Kings 119, Pacers 84 because everything in my head is telling me the Kings are going to get crushed by the Pacers and yet the Kings make no sense so they'll end up crushing the Pacers.