The Sacramento Kings aim to break a challenging 16-game losing streak as they face the Memphis Grizzlies in an NBA Western Conference clash on Monday night. The Kings most recently fell to the San Antonio Spurs, with a final score of 139-122, while the Grizzlies were defeated by the Miami Heat, losing 136-120 on the same day. Sacramento, now at 12-46 for the season, has struggled significantly on the road, registering a record of 3-26. Moreover, they have yet to defeat Memphis in three encounters this season. The Grizzlies, currently holding a 21-34 record and placing third in the Southwest Division, have had slightly better performance on their home court, with an 11-15 record.
Injuries continue to plague both teams, with Memphis missing key players like Ja Morant (elbow) and Zach Edey (ankle). Sacramento will also be without Domantas Sabonis (knee), Zach LaVine (finger), and De’Andre Hunter (eye).
The matchup at FedEx Forum is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET, where the Grizzlies are favored by 3.5 points, according to the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under for total points is currently set at 232.5. For those looking into betting strategies, the SportsLine Projection Model has successfully simulated the game 10,000 times, yielding strong returns for bettors on its top-rated NBA picks, with a notable record of 38-18 on spread picks dating back to last season.
Interestingly, the model predicts the total points scored in the game will go under 232.5. This bet aligns with previous contests, where the Under has prevailed in two of the last three meetings between the Kings and Grizzlies, as well as in three of the last four games involving Sacramento. Key performances are predicted from players on both sides, with DeMar DeRozan potentially scoring an average of 18.2 points, while Ty Jerome of Memphis, despite being listed as questionable due to an illness, is projected to contribute around 18.7 points.
Overall, as the Kings look to turn their fortunes around against a competitive Grizzlies team, fans can expect a compelling matchup with significant implications for both teams. With the right strategies and predictions in play, the Kings have a chance to end their losing streak and return to winning ways.