Gametime: 4:00 pm PT
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Broadcast Information: KHTK Sports 1140 (Radio), Comcast SportsNet California (Local Television), NBA TV (National Television)
Sacramento Kings Projected Starters (13-22)
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Marcus Thornton
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Jason Thompson
C: DeMarcus Cousins
Indiana Pacers Projected Starters (29-7)
PG: George Hill
SG: Lance Stephenson
SF: Paul George
PF: David West
C: Roy Hibbert
What to watch
1. Do the Kings play with an edge from the jump?
The Kings roll into Indiana riding a three-game win streak. Their defense has been on point, limiting their last three opponents to just 38.7 percent from the field. Against one of the contenders in the east, Sacramento will have to play at high level in order to come away with a road victory. Fortunately for them, they’ve played their best ball this season against elite teams like the Pacers.
2. DeMarcus Cousins vs. Roy Hibbert
Cousins is coming off his best week of the season. The Kings big man averaged 25 points and 12.7 rebounds over his last three games, which earned him player of the week honors in the Western Conference. Having a dominant performance against arguably the best defensive center in the league can only help Cousins’ case to be an All-Star this year.
3. Can the Kings overcome the Pacers’ stingy D?
The Pacers are one of the best teams in the NBA because of their defense. They are 20-0 this season when holding opponents under 90 points and have held 10 opponents to under 80 points, which is the most in the NBA. They’re also currently first in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to just 40.9 percent shooting from the field. The Kings offense has been stellar in their last three games. They’ve averaged 116.7 points per contest and shot 50 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range. Overcoming the Pacers’ defense will be a tall order for the Kings tonight, but they certainly have the weapons to do it.
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