Spurs at Kings
THE STORY: One of the few teams in the Western Conference not fielding direct competition for its playoff spot is the San Antonio Spurs, who are enjoying the relative comfort of the No. 2 slot. The Spurs are proving themselves capable of winning with offense or defense. The Sacramento Kings don’t have to worry much about the playoffs as they stumble toward the lottery, but they at least put up a good fight at home.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSSW (San Antonio), CSCA (Sacramento), NBATV
ABOUT THE SPURS (34-14): San Antonio has only four home losses and Sacramento has only four road wins, yet the Kings managed to nip the Spurs at the AT&T Center on Jan. 20. San Antonio shot 37.8 percent in the 88-86 setback. The Spurs have had less trouble lately, winning five straight. That streak has kept them within three games of the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder while pulling them far ahead of the third-place Los Angeles Lakers. After holding its previous three opponents to 83.0 points, San Antonio won a shootout, 107-100, at Phoenix on Tuesday.
ABOUT THE KINGS (17-32): Sacramento’s poor record is mostly a result of its sub-par play on the road, where they own a West-worst 4-22 mark. The Kings are a much more respectable 13-10 at Power Balance Pavilion. Sacramento has dropped three straight in tough fashion, losing by a combined four points to Utah and Golden State before taking the Houston Rockets to overtime in a 113-106 setback on Monday. DeMarcus Cousins is not playing like his team is out of the race, averaging 29.3 points and 16.7 rebounds over the last three games. Cousins’ 38 points on Monday marked a career high. The second-year forward put up 17 and 13 in the Jan. 20 meeting.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Cousins has averaged 12.3 points and 11.3 rebounds in four career games against the Spurs.
2. San Antonio had taken 12 straight in the series before the January loss.
3. The Spurs, who began the season 2-8 on the road, have won 12 of their last 14 away from the AT&T Center.