Game Preview: Indiana Pacers vs. Sacramento Kings
The Indiana Pacers (15-49), struggling at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, are set to face the Sacramento Kings (15-50), who occupy the same position in the Western Conference, in Sacramento on Tuesday at 10 p.m. EDT. This matchup marks the second encounter between these teams this season, with Indiana having secured a 116-105 victory during their previous meeting on December 9.
Current Team Performance
Currently, the Pacers are attempting to end a disappointing five-game losing streak on the road, where they hold a record of 5-27 this season. They’ll be up against a Kings team that has had its own challenges, especially at home, boasting a poor win-loss record of 10-22 and ranking as the worst 3-point shooting team in the Western Conference with a mere 33.5% accuracy from beyond the arc.
Offensive Statistics
On the offensive side, the Kings average 110.6 points per game, significantly lower than the 120 points the Pacers concede on average. This puts Sacramento at a 9.4 points deficit in scoring compared to what Indiana allows. The Pacers, for their part, have been averaging 12.9 successful 3-point shots each game this season, slightly below the Kings’ average of 13.3 opponent 3-pointers allowed.
Key Players
Key players include Russell Westbrook, who is contributing 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists for the Kings. Meanwhile, for Indiana, Andrew Nembhard stands out with an average of 17.1 points and 7.4 assists, and Jarace Walker has been performing well recently, averaging 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds over the past ten games.
Recent Performance
In their last ten games, the Kings have managed 3 wins against 7 losses, averaging 111.5 points while allowing their opponents to score an alarming 123.9 points per game. Conversely, the Pacers have struggled even more, winning just once and losing 9 times, averaging 113.2 points and giving up an average of 126.9 points per game over the same span.
Injury Report
In terms of injuries, the Kings are dealing with multiple key player absences, including Domantas Sabonis (back) and De’Andre Hunter (eye), both ruled out for the season, along with other players like Dylan Cardwell and Zach LaVine. The Pacers have their own injury concerns, notably with T.J. McConnell (day-to-day with a hamstring issue) and Tyrese Haliburton (out for the season with an Achilles injury).
