Updated: 9:25 am
Gametime: 3:00 pm PT
Where: New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA.
Broadcast Information: TV – Comcast SportsNet California, Radio – CBS Sports 1140
For Hornets perspective, visit fellow TrueHoop Network affiliate Hornets247.
The book on the Hornets: In their four games before All-Star Break, the Hornets posted a respectable 4-1 record. But since the season resumed, they’ve lost three-straight games, falling to Chicago, Cleveland and Dallas. Heralded rookie Anthony Davis is still easing into his NBA career, but has shown the flashes of dominance that made him last year’s first overall pick. He’s averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game this season.
Did you know? Isaiah Thomas came close to matching Kings history from the charity stripe. He made 46-straight free throws until missing from the line in the second half against the Hawks on Friday. Mike Bibby holds the franchise record with 51-consecutive free throws made during the 2002-03 season.
Sacramento Kings Probable Starters (19-37)
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Tyreke Evans
SF: John Salmons
PF: Jason Thompson
C: DeMarcus Cousins
New Orleans Hornets Probable Starters (19-37)
PG: Greivis Vasquez
SG: Eric Gordon
SF: Al-Farouq Aminu
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Robin Lopez
Stats
Kings
- Points Per Game: 97.1
- Offensive Rating: 104
- Opponents Points Per Game: 104.2
- Defensive Rating: 111.6
- Pace: 92.7
Hornets
- Points Per Game: 94.2
- Offensive Rating: 105.1
- Opponents Points Per Game: 97.3
- Defensive Rating: 108.6
- Pace: 89.0
Three questions to ponder
1. What kind of impact will Patrick Patterson and the Kings’ new faces make?
Patterson and Toney Douglas are expected to make their Kings’ debuts today. Patterson will be the new King most likely to make an impact considering he played substantial minutes for the Houston Rockets. His ability to shoot from beyond the arc might be helpful to a Kings team that’s had its struggles this season with spacing. Douglas could cut into Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette‘s minutes if Keith Smart believes theres a match-up that plays to the newcomer’s advantage. Meanwhile, Cole Aldrich is still in Sacramento undergoing more medical testing according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
2. Will Marcus Thornton have a standout performance?
Lousiana is home for the Kings’ sixth man and it’s also the place where he started his NBA career. Since coming to the Kings in 2011, Thornton has played some of the best basketball against his former team. In six games versus the Hornets, he’s averaged 19.3 points per game on 44-percent shooting from the field. However, he’s struggled this season in his new role off the bench and didn’t play well last time the Kings were in New Orleans. In a 114-105 loss to the Hornets last month, Thornton scored just four points on 2-of-9 shooting in 11 minutes of action.
3. Can the Kings contain former Oak Ridge High star Ryan Anderson from beyond 3-point land?
When the Hornets hosted the Kings on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Anderson was unconscious from deep against the team he grew up idolizing. The former Oak Ridge high standout scored 21 of his 27 points off 3-point makes. He shot a stellar 50 percent, making 7-of-14 attempts from long range off the Hornets’ bench. Anderson is a great shooter, but many of his shots last time around came uncontested as the Kings played porous defense against the Hornets.
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