Pelicans at Kings
The New Orleans Pelicans aim to avoid a winless five-game trek when they close the excursion by visiting the Sacramento Kings on Monday. New Orleans gave Portland a scare before succumbing on Saturday for its fourth straight loss and has slipped to three games below .500 in the tough Western Conference. Sacramento defeated Orlando on Saturday for its lone win during a four-game trip and now plays seven of its next nine at home.
Former Kings guard Tyreke Evans plays against his employers of four seasons for the first time after being dealt to the Pelicans in the offseason. Evans is averaging 12 points off the bench after scoring 21 points in the 110-107 loss to the Trail Blazers. The Kings are still getting used to having forward Rudy Gay on the roster and the player acquired from Toronto earlier this month is averaging 18.8 points and shooting 50 percent from the field in six games with Sacramento.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (11-14): Power forward Anthony Davis has put together strong back-to-back outings after a seven-game absence due to a hand injury. Davis is averaging 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds and has made 18-of-31 shots since returning. New Orleans wasn’t as demoralized after the Portland loss as the effort was much better than the three preceding defeats that were by an average of 11 points. “Like I told them, I have nothing bad to say about that game because of the way we competed,” Pelicans coach Monty Williams said afterward.
ABOUT THE KINGS (8-18): Gay has played well since joining the club in a trade that also opened the door for point guard Isaiah Thomas to move into a starting role. The 5-9 Thomas had 23 points and nine assists in the win over Orlando and has topped 20 points in eight of his last 11 games and is averaging 20.8 points in 12 December outings. Thomas is much more athletic than Greivis Vazquez, who was acquired in the deal for Evans but didn’t fit in well with the Kings before being shipped to the Raptors.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Kings have won four straight home games against New Orleans.
2. Pelicans C Alexis Ajinca grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds against Portland in his club debut after joining the club late last week.
3. Sacramento has scored 100 or more points in nine of its last 10 games.