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Struggling Knicks begin trip against Kings

Dec 27, 2014 - 3:55 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Knicks have a tough road ahead when they begin a three-game western trek Saturday against the Sacramento Kings.

The Knicks will also visit the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers, and are just 2-13 away from Madison Square Garden.

New York has lost six in a row and fell to 5-26 on the season with Thursday's 102-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Christmas. Carmelo Anthony delivered 34 points on 13-of-28 shooting and Jose Calderon added 16 for the Knicks, who shot 45 percent from the floor and failed to reach 100 points for the fifth time in the last six games.

"We have to start trying to put a whole game together," said Anthony, who is averaging 26.8 ppg in his last nine games. "We have spurts throughout the course of the game where we are showing something."

Knicks guard J.R. Smith is questionable Saturday with a nagging foot problem and hasn't played since Dec. 9. He is averaging 10.3 ppg.

The Knicks are 28th in scoring with 94.0 ppg

Sacramento has lost two in a row and seven of its last eight games, including Friday's 115-106 decision versus the Phoenix Suns. Playing without star center DeMarcus Cousins due to a stomach virus, the Kings were led by Darren Collison's 19 points.

Rudy Gay and Derrick Williams scored 16 points apiece, Ben McLemore added 13 and Carl Landry finished with 12 for Sacramento, which shot 44.1 percent and scored 24 points off 14 Phoenix turnovers. The Kings were held to 16 points in the fourth quarter after scoring 30-plus in the previous two.

"Well you give up 25 fastbreak points, 19 second-chance points," Kings interim head coach Tyrone Corbin attributed to the loss. "The second-chance points really hurt us."

It hurts not to have Cousins and the team is 2-9 without him this season. The big man is questionable and is averaging 26.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in the three games he has appeared in after missing 10 straight (2-8).

The Kings are 7-10 at home and will start a four-game eastern jaunt Monday at Brooklyn. Boston, Minnesota and Detroit are the other destinations.

Sacramento and New York will play the first of two meetings this season and are scheduled to tangle Jan. 26 at MSG. The Kings and Knicks split a pair of games last season.

New York hasn't lost a season series versus Sacramento since the 2009-10 campaign (0-2) and is 3-1 in the past four trips to California's capital.