Kings at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors had a 13-game winning streak against Sacramento halted earlier this month and attempt to start a new one when they host the Kings on Wednesday. Golden State also will be seeking to bounce back from the 132-110 shellacking it took from the Denver Nuggets on Monday when the team suffered its ninth loss, equaling the total of all last season.
The Warriors were emotionally spent in Denver after All-Star forward Kevin Durant's ballyhooed return to Oklahoma City two nights earlier and allowed the Nuggets to tie the NBA record of 24 3-pointers. All-Star point guard Stephen Curry pulled out the humor card after going 1-of-11 from 3-point range against Denver, making a reference to the Thunder fans who inferred Durant is soft with their cupcake T-shirts. "I felt confident, every shot I took felt like it was going in," Curry told reporters. "Just got served a humble slice of cupcake." Sacramento edged the Los Angeles Lakers 97-96 on Tuesday to match a season best with its fourth straight victory to move with 1 1/2 games of the eighth-place Nuggets in the Western Conference.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE KINGS (24-32): Sacramento has split two meetings with Golden State this season and All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins registered 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists as the Kings recorded a 109-106 overtime win Feb. 4. Cousins was a force against the Lakers in Tuesday's triumph as he posted his ninth career 40-point game (fourth of the season) and contributed 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Cousins has registered double-doubles in 18 of his past 20 games and is averaging 27 points, 12.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in six contests this month.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (46-9): All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson (heel) missed the loss to Denver but indicated Tuesday that he will return to play against the Kings. Thompson has been on a roll with seven straight outings of more than 20 points and an average of 27.6 points during the stretch. The 27-year-old loves playing against Sacramento and his NBA record 37-point quarter occurred against the Kings on Jan. 23, 2015, when he finished with 52 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Kings have dropped their past six visits to Oracle Arena.
2. Sacramento PG Ty Lawson (hamstring) likely will sit out his fourth consecutive contest.
3. Golden State backup PG Shaun Livingston is expected back after missing Monday's game due to the birth of his child.