Hornets at Kings
THE STORY: The two worst teams in the Western Conference hook up when the Sacramento Kings host the New Orleans Hornets. Sacramento has lost four straight games and has the second-worst record in the conference. New Orleans has been even worse and is one of three teams in the NBA that has yet to reach double digits in victories. The Kings have a chance to make an upward move as the game against the Hornets is the first of a franchise-long nine-game homestand.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Cox Sports (New Orleans), Comcast SportsNet California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (9-29): Scoring points has been an issue all season but things really were bad in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. New Orleans scored just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting in the third quarter. The 10 points were the fewest the Hornets have scored in any quarter all season. New Orleans ranks next-to-last in the NBA in scoring at 88.0 points per game and has reached 100 points just three times.
ABOUT THE KINGS (12-26): Coach Keith Smart received a vote of confidence by club management when he had his contract extended Monday through the 2012-13 season. Smart replaced fired Paul Westphal two months ago and has earned high marks for his rapport with players. “They have responded pretty well to what I’ve been doing,” Smart said. “They take constructive criticism and take a pat on the back well. We are trying to build something that will last a long time, not a quick-fix deal.” The Kings are 10-21 under Smart after suffering a 119-116 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Kings won both previous meetings with the Hornets this season.
2. Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points and 19 rebounds when the Kings defeated New Orleans on Feb. 6.3. The Hornets are 0-24 when their opponent shoots a higher percentage.