Game 26 Preview: Sacramento Kings at Orlando Magic

DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton and Ben McLemore during a break in action against the Utah Jazz. (Photo: Tobin Halsey)

Gametime: 4:00 p.m. PST

Where: Amway, Orlando, Florida

Broadcast Information: KHTK Sports 1140 (Radio), Comcast SportsNet California (Television)

Sacramento Kings Projected Starters (7-18)

PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Ben McLemore
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Jason Thompson
C: DeMarcus Cousins

Orlando Magic Projected Starters (8-18)

PG: Victor Oladipo
SG: Arron Afflalo
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Glen Davis
C: Nikola Vucevic

What to watch

1. Can the Kings avoid the road sweep?

Nothing is easy on the road in the NBA and the Sacramento Kings are learning that first-hand.  The Kings come back to Sacramento on Monday night to take on New Orleans Pelicans before getting a few days off during the holidays.  They would love to come into that game with a win under their belt instead of a riding four-game losing streak.

2. The battle of the rookie guards

Ben McLemore and Victor Oladipo are both playing major minutes for their respective clubs.  Oladipo has the edge in most statistical categories, but McLemore is coming off a very strong performance against the Miami Heat.  This should be a fun battle of two super athletic young players.

3. Will the Kings play defense?

The Kings are ranked near the bottom in almost every defensive category this season.  In their last two games, they have given up 124 points to Atlanta and another 122 to Miami.  Sacramento gets a bit of a reprieve with Orlando, who ranks 22nd in the league in scoring at 96.4 points per game.

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