Spurs at Kings
The Sacramento Kings have experienced trouble holding leads and attempt to end a three-game losing streak when they host the San Antonio Kings on Saturday. Sacramento lost to Dallas on Tuesday after leading by 24 points and then blew another lead Thursday as Memphis overcame a 26-point deficit to defeat the Kings. “We built a 26-point lead and threw it away,” Sacramento coach Michael Malone told reporters. “We didn’t deserve to win that game.”
The Spurs have won the first three games of a four-game road trip after cruising to a 93-80 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Power forward Tim Duncan had 13 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season and also became the 19th player in NBA history to reach 25,000 career points. San Antonio has enjoyed a lot of success against the Kings, winning 11 straight in Sacramento as well as the last nine overall.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE SPURS (5-3): With two games in Los Angeles during this road trip, 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard had to field several rounds of questions regarding whether or not he plans to stay with San Antonio. Leonard, who grew about an hour east of Los Angeles in the Riverside area, will be a restricted free agent after the season since he and the Spurs didn’t reach a deal prior to the recent deadline. “We’ll see what happens next summer,” Leonard told reporters, “but I’m pretty sure I’ll be in a Spurs’ jersey for my whole life.”
ABOUT THE KINGS (5-4): The impressive 5-1 start has taken a hit with Sacramento’s inability to protect large leads, and small forward Rudy Gay is demoralized over the collapses. “It definitely is heartbreaking,” Gay told reporters. “That’s the difference in a battle-tested playoff team and us.” Malone went one step further, saying after the Memphis setback, “We have to learn to play with the lead. I am very disappointed with this loss.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs won 99-79 in their lone visit to Sacramento last season.
2. Duncan has four career 20-point, 20-rebound outings against the Kings.
3. Sacramento SG Ben McLemore is 11-of-20 from 3-point range over the past three games.