76ers at Kings
Rookie center Jahlil Okafor could sit out for the third consecutive game
when the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Okafor is dealing with a right knee injury and was unable to practice on
Tuesday, and his availability won't be known until within a few hours of
tip-off.
Sacramento might be missing standout center DeMarcus Cousins after he went into a tirade after being ejected from Monday's 122-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Cousins had to be restrained by his teammates and was ushered off the court, and it is possible he could draw a suspension for his actions. The Kings have lost four of their last six games but are entering a stretch in which five of their next seven games are at home. Philadelphia had a chance for its first back-to-back wins of the season but fell 95-91 to the Utah Jazz on Monday.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TCN Philadelphia, CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (2-31): Power forward Nerlens Noel hasn't bonded well with Okafor this season but surely has excelled in the rookie's absence by averaging 16 points and going 14-of-16 from the field in the past two games. Noel moved back to center for the two games and matched his season high of 18 points in the loss to Utah as he went 8-of-9 from the field and blocked five shots. "Obviously it's been different," Noel told reporters of playing forward this season after being a center as a rookie. "I’ve been working to find my niche at each position I've been put in."
ABOUT THE KINGS (12-19): Forward Omri Casspi enjoyed the best performance of his journeyman career when he set career highs for points (36) and 3-point baskets (nine) during Monday's loss to Golden State. The nine 3-pointers matched the franchise record held by Mike Bibby and Casspi was particularly solid in the first half, when he went 7-of-7 from behind the arc while taking over the NBA lead in 3-point shooting percentage at 48.7 percent. "Sometimes you just need to see it go in one time and then you get your confidence and everything," Casspi said afterward. "That’s what it took."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers have won five of the past seven meetings.
2. Philadelphia PG Ish Smith had 22 points and 11 assists against Utah in his second game since being acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans.
3. Sacramento F/C Kosta Koufos (gastroenteritis) should return after a one-game absence.