Two of West’s worst face off as Pelicans visit Kings
Two of West’s worst face off as Pelicans visit Kings
The New Orleans Pelicans will visit the Sacramento Kings on Friday night time with a possibility to finish a three-game season sweep.
New Orleans (25-52) arrives in California’s capital metropolis on a six-game shedding streak, taking part in the second leg of a back-to-back set after a 118-106 loss in Portland on Thursday.
Despite their latest struggles, the Pelicans have had success this season in opposition to the Western Conference’s last-place Kings (20-57).
New Orleans, which stands in twelfth place within the 15-team convention, beat the visiting Kings 120-94 on Feb. 9 and 133-123 on March 5 in Sacramento. Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans’ main scorer at 21.6 factors per sport, netted 21 factors in each wins.
Murphy completed with 19 factors in Thursday’s setback vs. Portland, coming back from an ankle damage that sidelined him for the 134-102 blowout loss in opposition to Houston on Sunday.
Fellow Pelicans starters Zion Williamson (15 factors), Saddiq Bey (15) and Dejounte Murray (9) had been held to fewer factors than their season averages of 21.2, 17.4 and 16.7 factors per sport, respectively, heading into Portland.
Jeremiah Fears helped preserve New Orleans aggressive along with his 21 factors off the bench. The rookie guard has scored in double figures in 5 straight video games, a run booked with a pair of 21-point performances.
Fellow Pelicans rookie Derik Queen scored 12 factors in Portland, his fourth consecutive sport scoring in double digits. Queen additionally completed with seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
“That was some of the best basketball I’ve seen them play together,” New Orleans interim head coach James Borrego stated of the rookies.
The continued contributions of his younger corps set the tone for New Orleans forward of the offseason, with 5 video games remaining on the docket. The Pelicans have been eradicated from postseason competition however have proven enchancment from a 21-win season in 2024-25.
Sacramento, in the meantime, noticed its run of the franchise’s most consecutive 40-plus-win seasons since 2000-06 finish with its disappointing 2025-26. The Kings head into their ultimate 5 video games out of postseason competition and at risk of the group’s worst general report since ending simply 17-65 within the 2008-09 marketing campaign.
However, Sacramento snapped a four-game shedding streak on Wednesday, knocking off Eastern Conference playoff-bound opponent Toronto 123-115. Precious Achiuwa, previously of the Raptors, led the way in which for the Kings with 28 factors — one shy of matching his profession excessive — and a season-best 19 rebounds.
Veteran guard DeMar DeRozan scored 28 factors in Sacramento’s win, marking his third consecutive sport with 22-plus factors after a four-game lull misplaced month wherein he scored simply 32 factors mixed.
Along the way in which in his 28-point effort in opposition to Toronto, the place DeRozan performed for the primary 9 seasons of his profession, the veteran handed Dominique Wilkins to turn out to be the Seventeenth-highest-scoring participant in NBA historical past.
“It’s always an honor passing the greats who came before me,” DeRozan instructed reporters. “I always had a great deal of respect for Dominique, so to pass him is definitely cool.”
DeRozan enters the Friday sport with 26,688 factors. Only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden and DeRozan’s teammate, Russell Westbrook, have scored extra amongst lively gamers.
New Orleans restricted the six-time All-Star DeRozan to eight and 15 factors within the two earlier matchups this season, fewer than his 18.6-points-per-game common in 2025-26.
–Field Level Media
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