Hornets at Kings
The New Orleans Hornets look to complete a sweep of the three-game season series when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. New Orleans, which dropped a 104-96 decision to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday to fall to 1-3 on its five-game road trip, is attempting to sweep Sacramento for the first time since the franchise was based in Charlotte in 1996-97. The Hornets posted home victories on Jan. 21 (114-105) and Feb. 24 (110-95).
Sacramento hopes to salvage the finale of its five-game homestand and even its record at Sleep Train Arena, where it is 19-20 with two contests remaining. The Kings' home losing streak reached five games Sunday when they dropped an 89-87 decision to the Memphis Grizzlies. Sacramento is 13th in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of New Orleans.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports New Orleans, Comcast SportsNet California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (27-51): New Orleans led with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on Tuesday but was unable to contain Kobe Bryant, who scored 23 of his 30 points in the period. "You couldn't even put Saran Wrap on him," Hornets coach Monty Williams said. Guard Greivis Vasquez dished out 11 assists against the Lakers, marking the 30th time this season he has reached double digits in the category. He accomplished the feat only six times in 2011-12.
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-50): After being bench for much of Friday's loss to Dallas, DeMarcus Cousins bounced back by scoring 22 points against Memphis two days later. Sacramento's other four starters - Isaiah Thomas, Tyreke Evans, John Salmons and Jason Thompson - were brutal in the first half Sunday, scoring a combined six points on 1-of-12 shooting. That followed an 8-of-29 shooting display by the quartet versus the Mavericks. Prior to their strong defensive effort on Sunday, the Kings allowed an average of 108.8 points over their previous four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Hornets have lost nine of their last 10 road games.
2. Sacramento's Patrick Patterson is questionable with a sore lower back that kept him out of Sunday's loss to Memphis.
3. The home team has won four straight and eight of nine in the all-time series.
PREDICTION: Kings 97, Hornets 94