Thunder at Kings
The Oklahoma City Thunder did not get off to the best start on their six-game road trip, and the challenges only get tougher the rest of the way. The Thunder will try to bounce back and earn a fourth win in five games when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Oklahoma City dropped a 96-86 decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opener of the trip on Friday and still has stops at the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz to come. "It was just one of those nights," Thunder center Enes Kanter told reporters. "We have to forget about it. We have (five) more games left on this trip. There are going to be nights like this that we’re going to miss shots, but the most important thing is defense, getting back and defending the ball." The Kings are losers of six of their last eight contests and are not making the most of a seven-game homestand with losses in four of the first five outings. Sacramento is getting a chance to test itself against playoff contenders on the homestand and lost to the Clippers and the Warriors before suffering a 120-108 setback to the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma, CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (24-17): Superstar Russell Westbrook recorded his 19th triple-double on Friday - the most in a season since the NBA/ABA merger - but also committed 10 turnovers. "It’s not like he plays perfect, is perfect or he doesn’t make mistakes," Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "He’s just like any other player but you always respect and admire someone who puts everything he has into competing on the court at the very highest levels. He has no regard for his body. Physically he throws himself out there and does whatever he can to help his team win." The Thunder are 15-4 when Westbrook records a triple-double.
ABOUT THE KINGS (16-23): Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins made a run at a triple-double on Friday and finished with 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds but was disappointed in the team's energy at the start. The Kings were outscored 32-15 in the first quarter against the Cavaliers and are struggling with slow starts. "At the end of the day it’s going to fall on me," Cousins told the media. "So I’ve just got to do a better job of getting guys ready, hyped up, whatever the case may be. We’ve got to take some caffeine shots, whatever the case may be, but we’ve got to find a way to start these games a lot better than we have."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kanter is averaging 20 points on 64.1 percent shooting in the last three games.
2. Kings PG Ty Lawson scored in double figures in four of the last five games and is shooting 52 percent from the field on the homestand.
3. Sacramento took three of the last four in the series, including a 116-101 home triumph on Nov. 23.