Kings vs. Pacers gameday: Sabonis, Haliburton face former teams and 3 things to watch
The Kings will try to snap a three-game losing streak when they play host to the Indiana Pacers in a matinee affair at 3 p.m. Sunday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton will face their former teams — if Sabonis plays — nearly three years after they were traded for each other in a blockbuster deal.
The Kings are listing Sabonis (left ankle sprain) as questionable for Sunday’s game. Keegan Murray (left ankle soreness) and Trey Lyles (right calf strain) are questionable as well.
The Kings (13-16) are 12th in the Western Conference, two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns for the final play-in spot. They have lost three in a row to start a five-game homestand with their season seemingly teetering on the brink of collapse.
The Pacers (13-15) are eighth in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Miami Heat for the No. 6 seed. They have won three in a row and four of their last five, including a 120-111 victory over the Suns on Thursday.
Here are three things to watch in Sunday’s game.
Scouting Indiana
The Pacers went 9-14 to start the season, but they are showing signs of a turnaround after winning four of their last five.
The Pacers have six players scoring in double figures. They are led by Pascal Siakam, who is averaging 20.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 52.6% from the field and 42.6% from 3-point range.
Haliburton is averaging 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 8.7 assists. He is shooting career lows of 42.7% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc.
Bennedict Mathurin (17.2 ppg), Myles Turner (15.0 ppg), T.J. McConnell (11.3 ppg) and Obi Toppin (10.8 ppg) are also scoring in double figures.
Can DeRozan get going?
DeMar DeRozan scored 20 points or more in his first eight games for the Kings, but he hasn’t been as effective during Sacramento’s current losing streak.
Over the past three games, DeRozan has averaged 13.0 points while making 15 of 41 (.366) from the field and 1 of 5 (.200) from 3-point range with a total of eight free-throw attempts.
DeRozan is shooting just 43.2% from the field in eight games since returning from a back injury that caused him to miss five of eight games at the end of November.
Stop the skid
The Kings need a win to avoid matching their longest losing streak of the season. They dropped four in a row in November, losing to the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pacers at Kings
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -2.5
Over/under: 236.5
Injury report
Pacers: QUESTIONABLE — Ben Sheppard (oblique). DOUBTFUL — Enrique Freeman (G League); Quenton Jackson (Achilles); Tristen Newton (G League). OUT — Isaiah Jackson (Achilles); Aaron Nesmith (ankle); James Wiseman (Achilles).
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Trey Lyles (calf); Keegan Murray (ankle); Domantas Sabonis (ankle). OUT — Devin Carter (shoulder).
Upcoming schedule
Dec. 22 vs. Indiana Pacers
Dec. 26 vs. Detroit Pistons
Dec. 28 at Los Angeles Lakers
Dec. 30 vs. Dallas Mavericks
Jan. 1 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
This story was originally published December 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
