The Sacramento Kings will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night at 8 p.m. EST as both teams seek to improve their standings in the Western Conference. Currently, the Kings sit at 12-42, occupying the 15th position, while the Pelicans hold a 14-40 record, placing them 14th.
Sacramento is looking to end a dismal 13-game road losing streak. They have struggled in conference matchups, tallying an 8-27 record against Western Conference teams. The Kings’ recent games have been tightly contested, with a modest 3-4 record in matchups decided by fewer than four points. Offensively, the Kings are giving up an average of 120.6 points per game, while scoring around 114.6.
The Pelicans, despite their struggles, have been scoring 114.6 points per game but are allowing a significantly high average of 120.9 points to opponents. Their performance against conference teams stands at 8-26, which underscores their defensive vulnerabilities as they have been outscored by an average of 6.3 points per game.
Key players for the Pelicans include Trey Murphy III, who has been averaging 22.2 points along with 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. For the Kings, Russell Westbrook has been a standout, contributing 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
In their respective last ten games, the Pelicans have managed a 4-6 record, averaging 112.5 points while showing strong rebounding and assist numbers. Conversely, the Kings have not seen a win in their last ten games, averaging 110.8 points while allowing 120.3 points from their opponents.
Injury concerns loom over both teams. The Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray is sidelined due to a leg issue. Meanwhile, the Kings will be missing multiple players including Domantas Sabonis (back), Keegan Murray (ankle), De’Andre Hunter (eye), Zach LaVine (finger), and Malik Monk (illness).
As both teams strive for a much-needed victory, fans can expect a competitive matchup that could have implications for their future games in the season.