Preview: Kings look to improve to 9 games over .500 for first time in 17 years

Jan 25, 2023, 10:11 AM

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 14: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots against the Toronto Rapto...

(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

After playing 15 of their previous 19 games at home, the Sacramento Kings (27-19) will play its final home game for quite some time on Wednesday night when they face the Toronto Raptors (21-27) at Golden 1 Center.

The Kings are riding high after winning seven of eight, including Monday’s 133-100 drubbing of the Memphis Grizzlies. With a win over the Raptors, Sacramento can improve to nine games over the .500 mark for the first time since the 2004-05 season–a year that the team finished with 50 wins.

For a franchise that hasn’t sniffed the postseason in nearly two decades, the excitement around the Kings is building with each passing day as the team continues to make its case for a top-five finish in the Western Conference standings.

Fans were even calling for the beam to be lit on Sacramento’s off-day on Tuesday when news broke that the team had signed general manager Monte McNair to a three-year extension.

Game day or not, the Kings have injected plenty of excitement into a fanbase that has been waiting for a reason to cheer since the 2005-06 season. Let’s see if Sacramento can cap off this home stand with its 28th win of the season.

The Kings have jumped to 7th in ESPN’s latest NBA Power Rankings 📈 pic.twitter.com/kvcDZsOMI2

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) January 25, 2023

Sacramento Kings vs. Toronto Raptors Game Info

When: 7:00 PM PST

Where: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Pregame coverage starts at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night

Line: Kings -3, O/U: 238

Tickets: Click here

What To Watch For

Let ‘Em Fly

Sacramento should look to attack from the outside on Wednesday night, as players like Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, and Kevin Huerter could be in line for a busy night.

Entering play against the Kings, Toronto ranks 28th in the NBA regarding defending the three-point shot, as opponents have shot 37 percent from beyond the arc against the Raptors’ defense this season.

During Sacramento’s 124-123 win over Toronto back on December 14th at Scotiabank Arena, the Kings finished the game 17-of-46 (37%) from deep. On the heels of a 22-for-40 (55%) performance from three-point land against Memphis, Sacramento won’t shy away from their hot hand(s)–especially in the starting lineup:

Keegan Murray in January: 51% 3PT on 6.3 attempts/G

Harrison Barnes in January: 53% 3PT on 6.9 attempts/G

Kevin Huerter over the past 12 games: 41% 3PT on 6.6 attempts/G

Pack The Paint

If you’ve read these previews before, you know that this is something to watch every single game.

Even without Steven Adams, the Grizzlies controlled the paint against the Kings on Monday night (56-44). Sacramento will need to plug the paint against a Raptors team that will look to create most of its offense in and around the key.

Toronto enters play with a three-point shooting percentage of 33 percent (28th in the NBA), meaning that defenders can sag off a little bit and focus on keeping players like OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Scottie Barnes out of the paint.

Although the Raptors aren’t a strong rebounding team (21st in the NBA), they are fourth in the league regarding securing offensive rebounds and getting second-chance opportunities.

Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, and Harrison Barnes need to be aggressive in chasing down loose boards, because Toronto will make them pay if they regain possession.