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Highlights Video :
The Sacramento Kings (18-28) recorded a couple of surprising wins on the Eastern tour, particularly the one in Cleveland against the reigning champion Cavaliers, but last night, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in overtime, 111-115. DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings as he usually does with a double-double of 26 points and 16 rebounds, along with five assists, while Darren Collison had 26 points, five dimes, and three steals. Ty Lawson added 16 points and six assists, Aaron Afflalo scored 15, while Kosta Koufos contributed with nine points and 12 boards. Cousins is the player to watch for the visitors and should dominate against the Hornets’ frontcourt, while Collison’s match-up against Kemba Walker is also an attractive one. Rudy Gay is done for the season with an Achilles injury, Omri Casspi is also out, so that would mean more playing time for the likes of Afflalo, Temple, and Barnes.
The Charlotte Hornets (23-24) are currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, but they will not stay in the playoff picture for long if they continue with miserable displays as the Hornets suffered three straight defeats. The most recent one came last night at MSG against the New York Knicks, 107-110. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with a double-double of 31 points and ten rebounds, along with five assists, Marvin Williams added 17 points, while Nicolas Batum posted a near triple-double with 15 points, 11 boards, and nine dimes. Batum against Afflalo is a good match-up for the Frenchman, while Kemba will also have a favourable one when he faces Collison. Cody Zeller will miss his third straight game with a quad injury, and his absence will certainly hit the efficiency of the Hornets’ interior defence.
Keys to the Game
Sacramento Kings
Cousins and Collison will be the Kings’ most dangerous players here because they are in an excellent form and their numbers increased since Rudy Gay’s season-ending injury. Cousins is averaging 29.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks in last seven days, while Collison averages over 17 points per match, so two of them could easily combine for 50-plus in this one. If the Hornets don’t limit them, it’s going to be a long night for Charlotte.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets know that they cannot stop Cousins, especially with Zeller out, so it’s obvious that they can win not with the defense but with the offense, which means they have to score a lot of points. Some 115-plus points should do the trick against the Kings, and although Charlotte is not among the most efficient teams in the NBA, they are definitely able to achieve this goal tonight. Kemba Walker is in the form of his life, Batum is one of the best all-around players in the league, and the Hornets should perform well enough to outscore the opponent.
Sacramento Kings Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Collison / SG – Afflalo / SF – Temple / PF – Cousins / C – Koufos
Cousins will likely lead his team in points, while Collison, Afflalo, and Lawson should follow him on the scoreboard.
Charlotte Hornets Projected Staring Lineup
PG – Walker / SG – Batum / SF – Kidd-Gilchrist / PF – Williams / C – Hibbert
Walker and Batum will probably end the game as the Hornets top scorers, but the support should come from MKG, Williams, and Belinelli.
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