Through 3 Quarters
A victory for the Sacramento Kings would push them over .500, and after three quarters they have put themselves in a good position to make this happen. Sitting on a score of 79-72, they have looked like the better squad out there today, but there’s still one more quarter to play.
The top scorers for the Kings have been point guard De’Aaron Fox (17 points) and shooting guard Buddy Hield (16 points). The New Orleans Pelicans have been relying on the performance of center Jonas Valanciunas, who has posted a double-double on 15 points and 11 rebounds. This makes it four consecutive games in which Valanciunas has had at least 11 rebounds.
New Orleans has lost 100% of the time when they were down heading into the fourth quarter this year, so this one seems just about wrapped up
Who’s Playing
Sacramento @ New Orleans
Current Records: Sacramento 2-2; New Orleans 1-4
What to Know
The Sacramento Kings will hit the road for the second straight game as they head to Smoothie King Center at 8 p.m. ET Friday. They will be seeking to avenge the 117-110 loss they suffered the last time these two teams played April 12th.
The Kings skirted by the Phoenix Suns 110-107 on Wednesday thanks to a clutch jumper from small forward Harrison Barnes as the clock expired. Sacramento relied on the efforts of Barnes, who had 22 points along with nine boards, and shooting guard Buddy Hield, who shot 7-for-11 from downtown and finished with 26 points and five rebounds. Hield hadn’t helped his team much against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, so this was a nice turnaround for him. Hield’s points were the most he has had all year.
Speaking of close games: it was close but no cigar for the New Orleans Pelicans as they fell 102-99 to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. The Pelicans were up 33-19 at the end of the first quarter but couldn’t hold on to the lead. Shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a pretty forgettable game, finishing with only six points on 3-for-14 shooting in his 30 minutes on the court.
Barring any buzzer beaters, the Kings are expected to win a tight contest. The odds have been favorable for them against the spread on the road this season, even if it’s been tough sledding overall. They are 2-0 ATS in away games but only 2-2 all in all.
Sacramento’s victory lifted them to 2-2 while New Orleans’ defeat dropped them down to 1-4. If Sacramento want to win, they will need to focus on stopping the Pelicans’ point guard Devonte’ Graham, who shot 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and finished with 21 points, six dimes and five rebounds, and center Jonas Valanciunas, who posted a double-double on 16 points and 15 boards. We’ll see whether or not they are up to the challenge.
How To Watch
- When: Friday at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: Bally Sports – New Orleans
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $6.00
Odds
The Kings are a slight 1.5-point favorite against the Pelicans, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Kings as a 2-point favorite.
Over/Under: -111
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Series History
New Orleans have won 13 out of their last 21 games against Sacramento.
- Apr 12, 2021 – New Orleans 117 vs. Sacramento 110
- Feb 01, 2021 – Sacramento 118 vs. New Orleans 109
- Jan 17, 2021 – New Orleans 128 vs. Sacramento 123
- Aug 11, 2020 – Sacramento 112 vs. New Orleans 106
- Aug 06, 2020 – Sacramento 140 vs. New Orleans 125
- Jan 04, 2020 – New Orleans 117 vs. Sacramento 115
- Apr 07, 2019 – New Orleans 133 vs. Sacramento 129
- Mar 28, 2019 – New Orleans 121 vs. Sacramento 118
- Dec 23, 2018 – Sacramento 122 vs. New Orleans 117
- Oct 19, 2018 – New Orleans 149 vs. Sacramento 129
- Mar 07, 2018 – New Orleans 114 vs. Sacramento 101
- Jan 30, 2018 – Sacramento 114 vs. New Orleans 103
- Dec 08, 2017 – Sacramento 116 vs. New Orleans 109
- Oct 26, 2017 – New Orleans 114 vs. Sacramento 106
- Mar 31, 2017 – New Orleans 117 vs. Sacramento 89
- Feb 12, 2017 – Sacramento 105 vs. New Orleans 99
- Nov 08, 2016 – Sacramento 102 vs. New Orleans 94
- Mar 16, 2016 – New Orleans 123 vs. Sacramento 108
- Mar 07, 2016 – New Orleans 115 vs. Sacramento 112
- Jan 28, 2016 – New Orleans 114 vs. Sacramento 105
- Jan 13, 2016 – New Orleans 109 vs. Sacramento 97
Injury Report for New Orleans
- Josh Hart: Game-Time Decision (Quadriceps)
- Garrett Temple: Out (Ankle)
- Zion Williamson: Out (Foot)
Injury Report for Sacramento
No Injury Information
