Sacramento Kings: Game 55 Preview vs New Orleans Pelicans

The Sacramento Kings play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on February 12, 2017. This article provides a preview of that game from a Kings’ perspective.

The Sacramento Kings conclude their six-game homestand tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans. This is the second of three regular-season meetings between these two teams. The Kings defeated the Pelicans 102-94 in Sacramento back in November. Below is a highlight video from that game in case you missed the action.

Without further ado, let us proceed to the preview for tonight’s contest between the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jan 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ty Lawson (10) smiles with guard Garrett Temple (17) after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Detroit Pistons 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Injuries

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings’ injury report is once again packed with rotation players.

Players listed as out for tonight’s game are Rudy Gay (Achilles), Garrett Temple (Hamstring), and Omri Casspi (calf). Omri Casspi is closest to returning and could suit up as soon as Tuesday.

Ty Lawson (hamstring) is listed as questionable for the game. Lawson missed the previous game with this injury. The Kings need him to eat some point guard minutes, so do not be surprised if he is suited up for tonight’s game.

New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have an injury list that dwarfs the size of Sacramento’s.

Quincy Pondexter is listed as out for tonight’s game with after undergoing knee surgery earlier this season. Pondexter is projected to miss the next two weeks.

MUST READ: Playoffs Still in Reach Even with Garrett Temple’s Injury

E’Twaun Moore is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game. He is dealing with a personal matter and has only a 25% chance of playing tonight.

The Pelicans have two players listed as questionable for the game. Terrance Jones has a sprained thumb and Alexis Ajinca is dealing with a personal matter. Both players are 50-50 to play in this game.

Tyreke Evans is listed as probable with a left ankle sprain. Evans has missed the last two games but looks to be good to go tonight in Sacramento.

Stay Alert

Tonight’s game looks to have a lot of moving parts and a decision is waiting to be made on a handful of players, so stay tuned to twitter or watch the pregame show to get the complete rundown before tonight’s tipoff.

Mar 16, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) is fouled by Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 123-108. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Pelicans’ Scouting Report

The New Orleans Pelicans have had a slightly disappointing season to date. They enter tonight’s game with a record of 21 wins and 33 losses. That places them 12th in the Western Conference, but only 3 games behind the Denver Nuggets for a playoff berth.

The Pelicans have been abysmal on the road this season. They have just 7 wins in 25 road games played during this regular season.

Last time out, the Pelicans traveled to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves. Anthony Davis exploded for 42 points leading his Pelicans to a 122-106 victory on Friday. Below is a highlight video from that game to give you a glimpse at the team’s most recent form.

The Better Brow

Anthony Davis has been destined for greatness for a long time. He played on Team USA in the Olympics before ever setting foot on an NBA court. At 23 years old, he is already a four-time NBA All-Star and has made the All-NBA, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive teams in his career.

Quietly, Davis continues to improve his game. The Brow is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists this season. He has also returned his blocks numbers to 2.5 per game and continued his three-point production from last season. This is an all-around great player who continues to improve and expand his game. Be on the lookout for what is next for Davis.

What to Watch for Tonight

Boogie vs Brow

DeMarcus Cousins versus Anthony Davis is always a match-up to look forward to. They have many similar qualities and are perhaps the two most versatile big men in the NBA.

It will be interesting to see who if anyone gets the better of this match-up tonight. Both men do not have their best numbers when facing the other. That could mean both men have subpar games tonight.

I for one am hoping we see many toe-to-toe battles between these two tonight and they both put on a great Sunday evening show for the fans.

Collison’s Hot Streak Continues

The Pelicans are not a great defensive team and Darren Collison has been shooting the lights out in the month of February. He is averaging 19.8 points per game on 53.2% from the field and 85.7% from the line. That includes 1.8 three-pointers per game on 47.4% from distance. Collison has been red hot and receiving extra minutes because of injuries to Ty Lawson and Garrett Temple.

MUST READ: Trade Deadline Deals the Sacramento Kings Could Make

With Temple ruled out and Lawson questionable, the minutes and opportunities should be there for Collison to produce another significant statistical line. Darren Collison is purely a hot hand play, but ride the streak before the iron cools if you are the Sacramento Kings.

Tale of Two Seasons

The Kings struggled mightily against the Pelicans last season. According to Land of Basketball, the Pelicans defeated Sacramento in all four meetings. New Orleans won by a combined 39 points or almost 10 points per game.

The Kings were victorious in the opening meeting this season against the Pelicans. Can they provide payback and sweep this season’s series?

The Kings have a great opportunity to win this game tonight. New Orleans is very banged up and proving to be a poor road team this season. Sacramento needs to limit mistakes and push the pace to defeat this Pelicans team.

Summary

There you have it, my game preview for tonight’s contest between the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Please tune into tonight’s game and cheer on the Kings. It is featured on NBA TV at 6 pm pacific time. This is a good chance for the nation to see the Kings play and hopefully, they reward the people with a victory tonight.

Be sure to make A Royal Pain your stop for everything Sacramento Kings this season. Thank you for reading.