76ers at Kings
The road is never easy for the Philadelphia 76ers, and the level of competition is not helping matters. The 76ers won't get much of a break in the level of competition when they try to snap a nine-game road losing streak at the surging Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
Philadelphia owns the best home record in the NBA at 28-2 but fell to 9-23 on the road with losses in the first two of the four-game trip - at Western Conference powers the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. "This trip is important, even off the court - shootarounds, practices," 76ers forward Glenn Robinson III told reporters after the 120-107 loss to the Lakers on Tuesday. "We spend more time together on the road, getting to know each other, creating that chemistry. I think we can definitely take something from this game, take something from last game, and continue to build." The Kings are building chemistry with every victory and won three straight and six of seven and stand just 3 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies in the West entering play on Wednesday. Point guard De'Aaron Fox is leading the charge with an average of 26.3 points over the last three games and scored 31 on Tuesday as Sacramento squandered a 28-point lead but recovered and turned away Washington 133-126.
TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Philadelphia-Plus, NBCS California
ABOUT THE 76ERS (37-25): Philadelphia is playing shorthanded on the trip with All-Stars Ben Simmons (back) and Joel Embiid (shoulder) out, allowing different players a chance to shine individually. Shake Milton fell out of the rotation earlier this season but is starting in place of Simmons and went off for a career-high 39 points in the loss to the Clippers on Sunday before Robinson, who was acquired at the trade deadline, matched a career-best with 25 points on Tuesday. "It was always going to be a difficult game," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters after Tuesday's contest. "But my criteria is did we get something out of it, did we move the needle a little bit? And I believe that we did. I think to get something out of Glenn Robinson was big tonight."
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-34): Sacramento's shrinking lead and the absence of any foul calls on his players was too much for coach Luke Walton to handle on Tuesday, and he stormed the court to berate an official before being ejected in the third quarter. "I think it was awesome," reserve point guard Cory Joseph told reporters of Walton. "He's a passionate guy. He wants to win games. ... He kind of just blew up a little bit, but that sparked us. That got us going, like 'Oh shoot, he's bringing that energy more than us right now, so we've got to pick it up.'" The Kings shot 56.2 percent from the floor and placed seven scorers in double figures in the victory.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. 76ers SG Josh Richardson (concussion) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.
2. Kings PF Harry Giles III is averaging 14.5 points on 60 percent shooting over the last six games.
3. Philadelphia turned away the Kings at home 97-91 on Nov. 27 but fell in its last three trips to Sacramento.