Kings face tall task against Leonard, Spurs
Spurs (8-3) at Kings (4-7)
THE PARTICULARS
Where: Golden 1 Center
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
TV/radio: CSNCA, 1140, 950
THREE KEYS
1. Limit Leonard: That’s easier said than done, Kings coach Dave Joerger said Tuesday. Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard makes shots that can “tear your heart out,” Joerger said. Leonard scored 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting with five assists and five steals in San Antonio’s 102-94 victory over Sacramento at Golden 1 Center on Oct. 27.
2. Unleash Cousins: DeMarcus Cousins dazzled in the home opener against the Spurs, getting 37 points and 16 rebounds. He must stay out of foul trouble because the Kings struggle to score without him.
3. Execute: Kings guard Darren Collison said late-game execution was emphasized in practice this week. Failure in that area doomed the Kings in the second half of their first meeting with the Spurs, who rallied to win. “We played them pretty well, but they usually get us in the last quarter,” Collison said. “They execute better. We want to execute with the top-tier teams.”
PROJECTED STARTERS
Kings
No. | Player | Pos. |
10 | Ty Lawson | PG |
40 | Arron Afflalo | SG |
8 | Rudy Gay | SF |
15 | DeMarcus Cousins | PF |
41 | Kosta Koufos | C |
Spurs
No. | Player | Pos. |
9 | Tony Parker | PG |
14 | Danny Green | SG |
2 | Kawhi Leonard | SF |
12 | LaMarcus Aldridge | PF |
16 | Pau Gasol | C |
This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Kings face tall task against Leonard, Spurs."