Kings vs. Blazers gameday: Should Sacramento panic? TV, odds, injuries, 3 things to watch
The Kings are still searching for their first win following two tough losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kings will be heavily favored when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento before setting out on a four-game road trip.
The Kings (0-2) opened the season with a 117-115 loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday in Sacramento before falling 131-127 to the Lakers on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The Blazers (1-2) will face the Kings on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the New Orleans Pelicans 125-103 on Sunday in Portland. The Blazers picked up their first win after suffering a 140-104 loss to the Golden State Warriors and a 105-103 loss to the Pelicans.
Here are three things to watch in Monday’s game.
Time for Kings to panic?
Is it time for Sacramento to panic after going 0-5 during the preseason and 0-2 to start the regular season?
Kings coach Mike Brown doesn’t think so.
Brown was disappointed following losses to the Timberwolves and Lakers, but he said he was more encouraged than discouraged by his team’s performances. The Kings lost by a total of six points to two potential Western Conference contenders with superior size and elite talent.
“I thought we made some pretty good strides tonight,” Brown said after the loss to the Lakers. “In Game 1, they were a big team, too, and against Minnesota we did a fantastic job of keeping them off the glass. We let that slip a little tonight ... but I thought we did some really good things, especially offensively.”
Sample sizes are small in the first week of the season, but the Kings are No. 1 in the NBA in free-throw shooting (.833) after finishing 30th last season. They are No. 5 in scoring (121.0 ppg), field-goal percentage (.488) and free-throw attempts (30.0). Sacramento is No. 6 in offensive rating (116.3) but No. 27 in defensive rating (119.2).
Domantas Sabonis is averaging 26.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field and 57.1% from 3-point range on 3.5 attempts per game. DeMar DeRozan is averaging 24.5 points on 53.3% shooting from the field and 40% shooting from beyond the arc. De’Aaron Fox is averaging 21.5 points and 10.5 assists.
Kevin Huerter’s confidence
Kings guard Kevin Huerter is still trying to return to top form seven months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Huerter missed training camp and the preseason during the final stages of his recovery, but Brown didn’t wait to put him back in the starting lineup when he was cleared to play in the season opener against the Timberwolves.
Huerter was held to two points in the loss to Minnesota, going 1 of 4 from the field and 0 of 3 from 3-point range. He started to find his rhythm against the Lakers, scoring 14 points while hitting 5 of 9 from the field and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Huerter breathed a visible sigh of relief when he made his first 3-pointer against the Lakers after going 0 of 5 to start the season.
“Yeah, it felt good to get the first one,” Huerter said. “It always does. That long of a layoff, you just need to see it go in, so it felt good to get that.”
Scouting the Blazers
Jerami Grant scored 28 points and Anfernee Simons added 27 in Sunday’s win over the Pelicans.
Grant leads the team in scoring at 25.0 points per game. He is shooting just 41.5% from the field but has hit 40% from 3-point range on 12.5 attempts per game.
Simons is Portland’s second-leading scorer at 19.5 points per game. Scoot Henderson is averaging 18.5 points and 5.0 assists, shooting 51.9% from the field but just 12.5% from beyond the arc.
Blazers at Kings
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -12.5
Over/under: 227.5
Injury report
Blazers: OUT — Bryce McGowens (G League); Justin Minaya (G League); Taze Moore (G League); Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder); Matisse Thybulle (knee); Robert Williams II (hamstring).
Kings: OUT — Devin Carter (shoulder), Kevin Orlando Robinson (knee).
Sacramento Kings schedule
Oct. 28 vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Oct. 29 at Utah Jazz
Nov. 1 at Atlanta Hawks
Nov. 2 at Toronto Raptors
Nov. 4 at Miami Heat
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
