When: 10:00 PM EST; Wednesday, January 21st, 2015
Where: Sleep Train Arena; Sacramento, CA
TV: YES Network
In the days before the Nets and Kings met for the first time this season, in a Brooklyn win at Barclays Center on December 29th, there was some speculation that Deron Williams would be heading to Sacramento, maybe with Mason Plumlee, for a package including Jason Thompson, Derrick Williams and Darren Collison. That trade ended up not going through and D-Will suited up for the Nets in their triumph.
Now, almost a month later, Deron–as well as Plumlee and Brook Lopez–is still with the Nets, even though he will not be able to play tonight (fractured rib) for a Brooklyn team coming off a split of a home-and-home with the upstart Washington Wizards. The Nets, who have fallen back to seven games below .500, need to win at least two games on this three-game West trip to remain relevant in the playoff picture.
Meanwhile, the postseason is probably out of reach for the Kings, losers of four straight, as the Western Conference’s strength has interim coach Tyrone Corbin’s team eight games out of the No. 8 seed. Still, Sacramento is a dangerous team with a lot of weapons, most notably in big man DeMarcus Cousins, Plumlee’s teammate on Team USA this summer. Cousins is one of, if not the best, power forward in the league and even with a lesser supporting cast, dominates games.
Probable Lineups
BKN- Jarrett Jack (PG), Bojan Bogdanovic (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Kevin Garnett (PF), Mason Plumlee (C)
SAC- Darren Collison (PG), Ben McLemore (SG), Rudy Gay (SF), Jason Thompson (PF), DeMarcus Cousins (C)
Final Thoughts
With the Clippers coming up tomorrow night, the Nets really need to take care of business at Sleep Train. The Kings are decent but they’re nowhere near LA’s caliber and are a team Brooklyn should be able to beat if the Nets have any interest in making this season’s playoffs.
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