Final
Pacers-Kings Preview
Jan 23, 2016 - 7:57 AM The Sacramento Kings have a long way to go to shed their franchise's dismal reputation for defense, but they have made strides during a season-high win streak.They used their latest effort to overcome Rudy Gay's absence, and his status is unknown for Saturday night's visit from the Indiana Pacers.
Sacramento (19-23) is currently allowing a league-high 107.4 points per game and hasn't finished better than 24th in that category since 2005-06. The Kings, though, have yielded an average of 96.3 points on 39.7 percent shooting while stringing together four consecutive victories that has lifted them into eighth place in the Western Conference.
They gave up their fewest points this season in a 91-88 victory over visiting Atlanta on Thursday. The Kings shot a season-low 35.9 percent with Gay nursing a bruised left heel, but they held the Hawks an 8-of-33 showing from 3-point range and 41.7 percent overall.
"It shows the potential of this team. It shows that we can be a defensive team," forward DeMarcus Cousins said. "It's just about us going out there and doing it. We can't always rely on offense."
Sacramento also posted a 56-42 rebounding advantage and a 17-7 edge on the offensive glass. Cousins had a team-best 15 boards and 24 points in his ninth consecutive double-double, and he's averaging 30.9 points and 13.8 boards in his first 10 games in 2016.
Rajon Rondo's go-ahead layup with 13 seconds left gave him his fifth triple-double this season (11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds). It also tied him with Chris Webber for the most in one season since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985-86.
Rondo had 13 points, 17 assists and eight rebounds in a 108-106 win in Indiana on Dec. 23. Cousins made the tiebreaking free throws with 1:05 remaining and finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds.
Darren Collison had a season-high 24 points in Sacramento's third consecutive win in the series.
The Pacers (23-20) will try to end that skid and avoid their fifth loss in six contests. They won 97-94 against scuffling Phoenix in Tuesday's midpoint of a four-game trip but fell 122-110 to league-best Golden State on Friday.
Indiana couldn't recover from a 25-8 deficit in the opening seven minutes, but Myles Turner was a bright spot with a season-high 31 points. The first-round draft pick is averaging 23.7 points while shooting 73.2 percent (30 of 41) on this road trip.
"I thought we played a good basketball game. We just didn't get off to a good start," coach Frank Vogel said. "We won the final three quarters, and I was proud with how our guys competed."
Monta Ellis had a team-best 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in last month's loss to the Kings and is averaging 20.7 while shooting 50.0 percent in his past three games. He shot 8 of 14 and finished with 18 points in Friday's loss.
Pacers starting point George Hill may return after a three-game absence following the birth of his son. He had 20 points in the loss in December.
Sacramento hasn't won five straight since Oct. 31-Nov. 7, 2014.
- INDIANA: 97
SACRAMENTO: 108
Final
Jan 24 1:02 AM - End of 4th Quarter.
Jan 24 1:02 AM - 150
rootsRUWTbot Added 26 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 97, Kings 104 4th - 0:20Jan 24 1:00 AM - 124
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 91, Kings 101 4th - 2:48Jan 24 12:45 AM - 117
rootsRUWTbot Took away 32 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 91, Kings 99 4th - 3:08Jan 24 12:44 AM - 149
rootsRUWTbot Added 28 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 90, Kings 97 4th - 3:49Jan 24 12:43 AM - 121
rootsRUWTbot Took away 22 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 89, Kings 97 4th - 4:04Jan 24 12:43 AM - 143
rootsRUWTbot Added 25 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 89, Kings 95 4th - 4:23Jan 24 12:42 AM - 118
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 86, Kings 95 4th - 4:37Jan 24 12:42 AM - 110
rootsRUWTbot Took away 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 86, Kings 94 4th - 5:06Jan 24 12:41 AM - 129
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 86, Kings 92 4th - 5:22Jan 24 12:41 AM - 105
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 84, Kings 92 4th - 5:50Jan 24 12:39 AM - 100
rootsRUWTbot Took away 10 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 84, Kings 92 4th - 6:33Jan 24 12:35 AM - 110
rootsRUWTbot Added 18 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 83, Kings 90 4th - 6:51Jan 24 12:35 AM - 92
rootsRUWTbot Added 28 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 81, Kings 90 4th - 7:20Jan 24 12:32 AM - 56
roots - 87
rootsRUWTbot Added 35 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 79, Kings 86 4th - 8:43Jan 24 12:31 AM - 52
roots - 72
rootsRUWTbot Took away 21 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 76, Kings 84 4th - 9:01Jan 24 12:27 AM - 93
rootsRUWTbot Added 36 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 76, Kings 83 4th - 9:16Jan 24 12:27 AM - 57
roots - 98
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 74, Kings 81 4th - 9:57Jan 24 12:25 AM - 91
rootsRUWTbot Added 28 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Pacers 74, Kings 81 4th - 10:14Jan 24 12:25 AM - End of 3rd Quarter.
Jan 24 12:19 AM - INDIANA: 70
SACRAMENTO: 81
End of 3rd
Jan 24 12:19 AM - 63
roots - 63
roots - 76
roots - 57
roots - 59
roots - 58
roots - INDIANA: 45
SACRAMENTO: 50
Halftime
Jan 23 11:33 PM - End of 1st Half.
Jan 23 11:33 PM - End of 1st Quarter.
Jan 23 11:04 PM - INDIANA: 25
SACRAMENTO: 31
End of 1st
Jan 23 11:04 PM - INDIANA: 0
SACRAMENTO: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Jan 23 10:40 PM - Jordan Hill vs. Willie Cauley-Stein (DeMarcus Cousins gains possession)
Jan 23 10:40 PM
Related News
- Toronto Raptors Reportedly Trade Pascal Siakam to Indiana Pacers Jan 17
- Has Giannis Lost His Likability? Dec 14
- Pacers Defeat Bucks, 128–119 To Advance to In-Season Championship Dec 8
- NBA In-Season Tournament Already a Success Dec 5
- 2023 NBA Summer League Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (7/5) Jul 5
- NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks & Predictions: Sunday (4/30) Apr 30
- Warriors vs. Kings Game 7 NBA Playoffs Player Prop Bet Picks: Sunday (4/30) Apr 30
- NBA Playoffs Player Props Bet Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/28) Apr 28
- NBA Playoffs Same Game Parlay Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/28) Apr 28
- NBA Playoffs First Basket Scorer Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/28) Apr 28
- NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/28) Apr 28
- NBA Playoffs First Basket Scorer Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (4/26) Apr 26