The two worst teams in the Western Conference will square off Sunday night when the Sacramento Kings host the Utah Jazz.
The Kings showed life with three wins in their last four games, including an impressive win over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night in back-to-back games. It was Sacramento’s 17th win of the season.
The Jazz, who have Saturday off, have lost 10 of their last 12 games. They have 20 wins.
Utah was fined $500,000 in mid-February for tanking — “conduct detrimental to the league” was the official statement — but it appears Sacramento will have no such concerns based on a 118-109 win over the Clippers.
The Kings led by as many as 20 points and shot 58.5% from the field while outrebounding the Clippers 48-35.
DeMar DeRozan recorded 27 points and seven assists, Precious Achiuwa had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Maxime Raynaud added 23 points. The trio combined to make 32 of 40 shots (80%).
“It was a collective effort,” DeRozan said of the win. “I know where our record is. Me being one of the veterans, we’re just trying to build winning habits and let the younger guys know that we’ve got to go out there and compete every night.”
Russell Westbrook made just four of 15 shots but had 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double in three games to extend his NBA career streak to 209.
One of Westbrook’s six triple-doubles this season came in a 128–119 road loss against the Jazz on November 28. He had 16 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds that night.
Utah has won two of the teams’ three meetings heading into Sunday’s final game of the campaign. DeRozan is eyeing a split series this season.
“We go home, feed our crowd and try to get another win,” DeRozan said.
Utah is having a bad season and it continued with a 124-114 loss on Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener of a three-game road trip.
The Jazz led by 18 points in the first quarter but were unable to win despite making 16 steals and committing 24 turnovers.
“His activity and aggressiveness was exactly what we wanted,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “Sixteen steals for us is a very high number.”
Third-year pro Brice Sensabaugh made six 3-pointers for the second straight game and tallied 31 points. He scored 29 two nights earlier in a 134-117 home loss to the New York Knicks.
Cody Williams, in his sophomore season, added a career-best 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting against Portland.
“Cody has grown up a lot,” Hardy said. “For him to take 17 shots in this game, it shows that he’s growing in the variety of shots he can take and his aggressiveness in playing toward the rim. Cody has improved a lot as a player and as a young man, and with that comfort you see more aggressiveness on the court.”
Bright spot throughout the season Keyonte George (right hamstring) will miss his second straight game and is expected to miss at least two weeks.
This is a major blow for George, who was one of the leading candidates for the league’s Most Improved Player award.
The third-year guard is averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists and has made 37.1% of his three-point shots, all representing the best statistics of his career.
George has played in 54 games and must play in 65 games to be eligible for NBA honors. Counting the clash with the Kings, Utah only has 15 games remaining, meaning George can only miss four more games.
–Field Level Media
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