Here is the latest news live from Sleep Train Arena:
- The Sacramento Kings (16-22) limp into tonight’s contest with the Miami Heat (17-22), looking for a win without Rudy Gay (left knee capsule sprain) and Carl Landry (right wrist sprain). The Heat are short-handed as well, playing without Dwayne Wade and his 22.1 points per game. Expect Sacramento to push the pace and feature plenty of DeMarcus Cousins, who will likely see multiple Heat jerseys heading his way. “He’s been drawing double-teams anyway,” coach Tyrone Corbin said. “I think they’ll focus on him a lot more now because we’re lacking one of our big guys out there. We have to continue to make sure we space the floor.”
- The story of the NBA over the last few weeks is the development of former Sacramento Kings second round pick Hassan Whiteside, who has found a home in the Heat lineup. “We’ve developed enough players over the years that a lot of times it just takes the right timing, the right perspective and the right opportunity,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We take pride in our player development, but also it has to come at the right time for the player and him experiencing what he’s experienced here in Sacramento, in Lebanon, in China, and fully understanding that he wanted to get back into this league we felt we were the perfect place for him.”
- Ben McLemore picked up some hardware during pregame from NBA legend Bob Lanier. The second-year guard was recognized by the NBA for his charitable work, earning the league’s Community Assist Award.
- Omri Casspi is back for the Kings tonight after missing the team’s last five games and 12 of the last 17. Casspi said that since being out, he hadn’t picked up a ball before yesterday’s practice, but he is ready to roll. “I couldn’t sleep, it felt like going back to the beginning of the year,” Casspi told Cowbell Kingdom. “Being out two weeks is too long. So I’m happy to be back.”
- Joining Gay and Landry on the injured list tonight is veteran Ramon Sessions (low back strain) and rookie Eric Moreland (shoulder surgery).
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