Kings at Trail Blazers
After winning their season opener, the Sacramento Kings have dropped three straight and will look to get back on track with a visit to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers. Portland, with a renewed emphasis on defense this season, found that it still has plenty of work to do to that end after a 116-101 home loss to the Houston Rockets. "Just got to get better, take it more personal," forward LaMarcus Aldridge told The Oregonian. "[We] have to protect the rim better."
The Blazers were done in against Houston by the All-Star tandem of James Harden and Dwight Howard, who lit them up for a combined total of 62 points and 20 rebounds. They'll find a much different opponent in Sacramento, however, which was led by point guard Isaiah Thomas with 26 points in a loss to Atlanta last time out. Thomas, who leads the Kings, averaging 20.8 points and 4.8 assists, couldn't dig his squad out of a 19-point hole against the Hawks, a common problem for Sacramento this year that Thomas told the Sacramento Bee cannot continue: "We can't keep doing this to ourselves like we're some great team."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN California (Sacramento), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE KINGS (1-3): Center DeMarcus Cousins, who recently signed a four-year, $62 million contract extension, has struggled in Sacramento's last two games, totaling 19 points on 8-of-20 shooting after compiling 54 points against Denver and the Clippers to start the year. Cousins, in his fourth season out of Kentucky, understands that being the man for the Kings comes with the challenge of added attention from opponents. "The double teams aren't going to stop any time soon," he said. "Just make minor adjustments and keep going every day."
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (2-2): Aldridge leads Portland with 24.5 points per game so far this season and adds 6.3 rebounds. But the Blazers have allowed opponents to shoot 47.6 percent thus far, reminding second-year coach Terry Stotts that the commitment to defense is still a work in progress. "I think we're in the process of establishing our defensive identity," Stotts said. "It takes time."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split the past eight meetings but Portland has taken three of the last four over Sacramento on its home court.
2. Rookie SG Ben McLemore scored 19 points at Golden State on Saturday and followed up with 15 against Atlanta while providing a lift off the Kings' bench.
3. Portland could use a scoring lift up the middle with centers Robin Lopez and Meyers Leonard combining for just six points in the loss to Houston.