Inter-conference bottom-feeders collide on Monday night, as the Indiana Pacers host the Sacramento Kings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Kings (6–17, 13th West) snapped another brutal skid with a road win over the Miami Heat on Saturday, aiming to record back-to-back wins for the second time this season. The Pacers (5–18, 14th East) are finally accruing some momentum after a brutal 2–16 start, now eyeing their fourth win in six games after taking down the Chicago Bulls at their house on Friday night.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Sacramento Kings
- Out: Domantas Sabonis (Knee), Dennis Schroder (Hip)
Indiana Pacers
- Out: Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles), Quenton Jackson (Hamstring), Kam Jones (Back), Aaron Nesmith (Knee), Ben Sheppard (Calf), Obi Toppin (Foot)
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Indiana enters as a 4.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Sacramento is listed as a +150 underdog. The game’s total is set at 234.5 points.
Kings vs. Pacers Preview
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Kings seem royally doomed at this point in the season. While it snapped a four-game slide in South Beach, Sacramento had lost 12 of its 14 previous contests and owns a 28th-ranked net rating — by all appearances, the recipe for a trade-deadline firesale.
Domantas Sabonis’ torn meniscus has thrown a wrench into the offense, and the Kings don’t have a true superstar to carry the team in the interim. Yes, Zach LaVine is coming off a season-high 42-point performance against the Heat, but he’s been woefully inconsistent and averages just over 20 points a night.
The Kings are banking heavily on production from veteran guards DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, who have been solid but nowhere near their past superstar selves that Sacramento needs them to be. The team does receive a strong boost whenever burgeoning forward Keegan Murray is in the lineup, and he’s been elevated to available for Monday night.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Pacers gave their fans whiplash, going from an NBA Finals appearance in June with the worst record in the league just five months later (2–16). With injuries stacking as fast as losses, they began to look unrecognizable to the Indiana faithful.
But the tide began to shift a few weeks ago. The Pacers got a little healthier, and their defense got much stronger. Since Nov. 26, Indiana has boasted a top-ten net rating in the NBA, fueled by the league’s seventh-most formidable defense.
While their offense has remained mediocre at best, the Pacers are fresh off one of their best scoring displays of the season. Against the Bulls on Friday, Indiana shot 53.6% from the floor and drained 18 threes on 46.2% efficiency in a 120–105 rout — its third win in five games. Pascal Siakam, the crux of the offense in Tyrese Haliburton’s absence, dropped a season-high 36 points with five threes and ten rebounds. Meanwhile, Bennedict Mathurin added 28 points with six triples.
Perhaps the most compelling element of it all is Ethan Thompson, who made his NBA debut last week after spending the last four years in the G League. In 34 minutes off the bench, Thompson added 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, two blocks, and a steal on a team-high +25 plus-minus.
Kings vs. Pacers Pick, Best Bet
The Pacers return home playing some of their best ball and riding the momentum from arguably their most impactful win of the season. Against the struggling Kings, who seem destined for a changing of the guard, count on Indiana to give the hometown crowd another reason to cheer on Monday night.
