Clear your calendars.
Western Conference bottom-feeders collide Monday night, as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings at the Smoothie King Center.
The Kings (12–42, 15th West) trudge to the bayou with the NBA’s worst record, mired in a brutal 12-game losing streak and missing several key contributors. The Pelicans (14–40, 14th West) haven’t fared much better this season, but feature a healthy roster and are riding the momentum from Friday’s upset win in Minnesota.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Sacramento Kings
- Out: De’Andre Hunter (Eye), Zach LaVine (Finger), Malik Monk (Illness), Keegan Murray (Ankle), Domantas Sabonis (Back)
New Orleans Pelicans
- Out: Dejounte Murray (Achilles)
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. New Orleans enters as a hefty 9.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Sacramento sits as a +310 underdog. The game’s total is set at 230.5 points.
Kings vs. Pelicans Preview
Sacramento Kings Preview
Welp, the Kings didn’t sell at the trade deadline. While they managed to offload veteran Dennis Schroder in a deal for 3-and-D wing De’Andre Hunter from the Cavaliers, they also had to part with standout defender Keon Ellis — a bitter loss for a franchise stuck at rock bottom.
Even at full strength, the Kings are among the league’s worst assembled rosters, anchored to an aging core whose best days are far behind. Making matters worse, Hunter will join a laundry list of injured players Monday night, including leading scorer Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, and Keegan Murray — four of Sacramento’s top six scorers.
While DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook are far from washed, relying on them to carry a team like this in 2026 borders on waving the white flag.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The Pelicans are by no means a playoff contender. But even after dealing Jose Alvarado to New York at the deadline, they’ll head into Monday’s contest with a clear advantage against the understaffed Kings.
Standout forward Trey Murphy III has caught fire once again, averaging 32.3 points across his last three games — making history in the process. Last Wednesday against the Bucks, he erupted for a career-high 44 points while burying a franchise-record 12 three-pointers.
Meanwhile, former first overall pick Zion Williamson has remained dominant when healthy and is coming off a 29-point performance against a stout Minnesota defense. Saddiq Bey, averaging north of 20 points per game in 2026, led the way with a 30-piece.
Kings vs. Pelicans Pick, Best Bet
The Kings have mustered just three road wins this season and haven’t won outside of California’s capital city since Dec. 6 in Miami, facing an exhausted Heat squad playing its third game in four days.
While you rarely find “Pelicans” and “overwhelming favorite” in the same sentence, New Orleans has more than enough firepower to thump Sacramento’s JV team on Monday night.
