Pistons at Kings
DeMarcus Cousins is mired in a three-game shooting slump and it comes as no surprise that the Sacramento Kings lost all three games. Cousins and the Kings attempt to get back on track when they host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.
Cousins is averaging 18.3 points on 17-of-45 shooting during the funk that has seen him average nearly 10 points below his season average. "He's been carrying the torch for a long time," Kings coach Dave Joerger told reporters, adding that Cousins is "exhausted." "It seems perhaps maybe longer than just this year. Is there a night off coming or something?" Detroit put up a yeoman effort in the opener of a five-game road trip by recording a 125-124 double-overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. The Pistons lost eight of 10 games prior to the current two-game winning streak, their first consecutive victories since Nov. 30-Dec. 2.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (18-21): Point guard Reggie Jackson (season-best 31 points), center Andre Drummond (season-high 28 points to go with 14 rebounds) and shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (26 points) all had big outings in the victory over Portland. Caldwell-Pope was 9-of-14 from the field and hit all three of his 3-point attempts in the second overtime, including the decisive one with 9.4 seconds remaining. Jackson, who avoided knee surgery prior to the season and just recently rounded into form, posted five straight outings of 20 or more points and is averaging 24 during the span.
ABOUT THE KINGS (15-22): Sacramento was looking at the current seven-game homestand as an opportunity to make a move in the Western Conference playoff race but starting it with three straight defeats wasn't what anyone had in mind. "I don't think we're struggling," Cousins told reporters after the Kings blew a 16-point first-half lead and lost 117-106 to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. "I think we're still in a good place. I think we've got a good chance of making this thing happen." Small forward Rudy Gay scored 23 points against the Warriors and is averaging 20.5 over the past two games after missing 10 of 11 contests due to a hip flexor injury.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pistons won six of their past eight visits to Sacramento.
2. Sacramento backup SF Matt Barnes is 1-of-10 shooting over the past two games.
3. Detroit PF Jon Leuer (knee) is slated to undergo further tests after leaving Sunday's win over Portland.