Indiana Pacers at Sacramento Kings
Time: 9:30 PM CT (NBA LP)
Spread: SAC -3
Total: 215.5
Betting odds c/o 5dimes
The Sacramento Kings have turned things around and righted the ship. Sacramento comes in as winners of its past four games and now holds the No. 8 best record in the West. It will host the Indiana Pacers as 3-point favorites tonight in a game that will air at 9:30 Central on NBA League Pass.
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The Kings have knocked off three quality opponents in its four game win streak: Utah, Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta Hawks. The other win came against the hapless L.A. Lakers. The win over Atlanta was a narrow 91-88 victory led by DeMarcus Cousins 24 points and 15 rebounds.
Cousins hit just 10 of 25 from the field, but Sacramento also shot just 35.9 percent as a team in the victory, while also turning the ball over 19 times. Not often can those two stats be that bloated and a team emerge with wins, but Sacto’s defense has been a big key in its turnaround.
The Kings held Atlanta to 41.7 percent shooting and No Hawk scored more than 14 points in the game. Even Al Horford an Paul Millsap were neutralized, as the tandem combined for just 25 points between them. The Kings placed all five starters in double-figures and have had good balance of late. Sacramento has won seven if its past 10 overall, and Cousins has certainly proven that Sacramento is right for leaving his name out of trade talks.
Cousins has averaged 29.4 points, 14.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists over Sacto’s last five games, while shooting 46.4 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent from three point range, while knocking down 1.4 threes per game. He is shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from three on the season, so both these marks represent a heady improvement if it is more than a passing mirage. The thing is: It might not be. Cousins has had the talent for a breakthrough like this his entire career and it may be that George Karl is the coach to finally coax it out of him.
Sacramento’s opponent tonight the Indiana Pacers have been on something of a free fall over its past five games, losing four of them. The Pacers are now 23-20 on the season, and their playoff fate is very much in the air, despite not looking as though that would be the case as recent as maybe two weeks ago. The Pacers fell to Golden State on the road last night, losing by 12 in a game that few gave them a chance in. The Warriors improved to 20-0 at home and the Pacers tried to hold with them but 110 points is not always enough against Steph Curry and company.
Paul George had 12 points and three steals but he shot just 5 of 15 from the field. Monta Ellis used to play in Golden State, and he had 18 points. But it was rookie Myles Turner who put in the game of the night for the Pacers, scoring 31 points on 12 of 17 shooting off the bench. Turner was a guy who many shied away from in the draft after spending just one season at Texas, but the Pacers appear to have found a gem and successor to the disappointing Roy Hibbert at center.
Turner is seeing just 16 minutes per game on the season, but he has been on fire the last five games. Myles is shooting 68.5 percent from the field while attempting 10.8 shots per game to average 18 points and 5.4 rebounds per game over the last five.
While the Pacers have been faltering, it is hard to place any blame on the shoulders of the 19 year old rookie. Turner appears he could be a big time player, and combining him with Paul George could keep Indiana in contention for a long time.
