Bulls at Kings
If the Sacramento Kings are going to have any chance of making one last push in the Western Conference playoff race, it is imperative they take advantage of a four-game homestand against mostly non-playoff contenders. That critical stretch of the schedule begins Sunday, when the Kings host the Chicago Bulls.
After the Bulls leave town, Sacramento will stay behind to take on East contender Brooklyn before playing Dallas and Phoenix -- the bottom two teams in the West entering Saturday. "We're playing hard, we're playing the right way, we're playing together," Kings coach Dave Joerger told reporters after a 123-114 loss in Philadelphia on Friday that left his team six games out of a playoff spot. "The wins are going to come." Chicago dropped the opener of a three-game road trip to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and it has lost six of seven overall. The Bulls were outscored 45-21 in the third quarter against the Clippers en route to a seven-point setback, falling to 2-11 on the road against the West.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, WGN-TV (Chicago), NBCS California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE BULLS (19-51): Chicago shot 52.5 percent from the floor, hit 11-of-21 3-pointers and won the battle of the boards at Los Angeles, but it showed its youth in the woeful third-quarter swoon. "We just got a little sloppy and careless in the third quarter. We played 24-26 minutes of real good basketball and we have to play 48," coach Jim Boylen told reporters. Zach LaVine returned from a two-game absence due to a knee issue to collect 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and he is averaging 30 points over his last seven games.
ABOUT THE KINGS (33-35): A 10-5 stretch approaching the All-Star break gave Sacramento some hope that it could end a 12-year playoff drought, and its current 3-9 slump -- which includes several close losses to elite teams -- has not destroyed the team's confidence. "We're right there," guard Buddy Hield told reporters in Philadelphia. "It might not be this year. It could be this year. We're not getting blown out. Maybe we need another piece. Maybe we just need growth. We've just got to figure out how to get the W." Hield was one of six Kings in double figures in the loss to the Sixers and he averaged 20.5 points on the team's 1-3 road trip.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings PG De'Aaron Fox scored 25 points to lead the way in a 108-89 win at Chicago in the first matchup.
2. Bulls C Robin Lopez recorded consecutive 20-point games for the first time this season.
3. Sacramento won each of the last three meetings.