Nets at Kings
The Brooklyn Nets have lost eight of their last nine heading into Wednesday's game at the Sacramento Kings and suddenly have the surging Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons breathing down their necks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Kings, meanwhile, will be trying to avoid matching their season-long losing streak at five games. Sacramento blew a nine-point lead with 9 1/2 minutes left Monday at the Portland Trail Blazers and lost by four.
Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 13 rebounds when these teams last met on Dec. 29, an eight-point win by Brooklyn that was aided by 21 Kings turnovers. Cousins missed a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last weekend because of a nagging ankle injury but returned against the Trail Blazers and posted 22 points and 19 rebounds. Mason Plumlee will have the task of trying to slow Cousins at the outset, but the Nets may have better luck bringing Brook Lopez off the bench.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE NETS (17-24): Jarrett Jack is the hottest player for the Nets, combining for 48 points the last two games while shooting 22-for-36 from the floor. Jack’s long-range shooting has abandoned him, however, as he’s 3-for-27 from beyond the arc in 10 games this month, which is a significant slump considering he’s shooting 34.9 percent from long range for his career. Mirza Teletovic might be Brooklyn's most effective perimeter shooter but he needs to make the most of his limited minutes.
ABOUT THE KINGS (16-25): Rudy Gay scored 26 points Monday against a Portland team that lost leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge to a thumb injury early in the game, but he missed a potential game-tying jumper with 10 seconds left. The Kings have lost four straight for the third time this season and the schedule doesn't get any easier after this game as they embark on a five-game road trip with tough games at the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers. Sacramento came into Tuesday eight games back of the Phoenix Suns for eighth place in the West, twice as far back as they were 10 games ago.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cousins leads the Kings in charges taken (19) and leads the NBA in fouls drawn (8.6 per game).
2. Sacramento has had three players score at least 20 points in five games this season, posting a 3-2 mark in those contests.
3. A victory would bring the Nets to 10-10 on the road this season and make them one of two NBA teams at .500 or better on the road and below .500 at home.
PREDICTION: Kings 105, Nets 101