Kings at 76ers
THE STORY: The Philadelphia 76ers seek their sixth consecutive victory when they host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Philadelphia is off to its best since winning the first 10 games of the 2000-01 season. The 76ers recorded a 96-86 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday in the first of a three-games-in-three-nights stretch that ends Wednesday with a road game against the New York Knicks. Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 20 points and nine rebounds in the victory over Indiana. Sacramento begins a five-game road trip with four games in five nights. The Kings are 0-3 on the road with an average losing margin of 22 points. Keith Smart is 1-1 since replacing Paul Westphal as coach. The Kings defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in Smart’s debut and lost to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Center DeMarcus Cousins, who clashed with Westphal, has averaged 17.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in Smart’s first two games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET. Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Sacramento), Comcast SportsNet (Philadelphia)
ABOUT THE KINGS (3-6): Sacramento runs into an excellent defensive team at a poor time, as leading scorers Marcus Thornton (thigh) and Tyreke Evans (ankle) are both ailing. Thornton has a team-leading 18.7 average but is listed as questionable after struggling for just 13 points against Orlando. Evans had a season-high 28 points against the Magic but tweaked the same ankle that plagued him last season. Evans is averaging 17.1 points. Backup guard Jimmer Fredette will be in line for increased time if Thornton can’t play, but the first-round pick is shooting just 36.6 percent.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (6-2): Strong defense and balanced offense have fueled Philadelphia’s early-season success. The 76ers allow a league-low 85.6 points per game and also limit opponents to a league-worst 39.1 field-goal percentage. Philadelphia’s top effort was holding Toronto to 62 points on Saturday. Five different players are averaging between 16.6 and 12.5 points as coach Doug Collins has his troops playing unselfishly. Reserve guard Lou Williams has the team-best average and is the only player to score in double figures in all eight games.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Sacramento won last season’s final meeting to snap Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak in the series.
2. The Kings lead the NBA with 15.3 offensive rebounds per game. Cousins has grabbed 40 in eight games.
3. The 76ers’ average margin of victory is 20.8 during the current five-game winning streak.