Preview: Surging Kings end road trip against red-hot Cavs
Feb 5, 2024, 7:59 AM | Updated: Feb 6, 2024, 7:26 am
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
One of the reasons that last year’s Sacramento Kings team finished the year in a top-three spot in the Western Conference was their ability to win games away from home.
The 2022-23 Kings finished the season with a 25-16 road record–the best in the West and tied for Sacramento’s best road performance in franchise history.
On Monday night, the Kings (29-19) will look to put the finishing touches on a two-week, seven-game road trip that has boosted Sacramento to a season-high ten games over the .500 mark. With a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Kings would return home having gone 6-1 on the trip–a record that reflects how well the ‘Beam Team’ has played over the past two weeks.
If Sacramento wants to fly home happy, they will have to defeat a Cavaliers team that has won 13 of their past 14 games as they enter play with a record of 31-16 (3rd in the East).
The final game of this lengthy road trip will be the Kings’ strongest test yet as they hope to slow down Cleveland on its home floor, where they have won 17 of their 25 games so far this season.
De’Aaron Fox’s rank among NBA defensive leaders:
Steals: 75 (2nd)
Games with 5+ steals: 3 (T-2nd)
Deflections per game: 3.4 (T-2nd)
Steals per game: 1.8 (3rd)
Total Deflections: 144 (5th)
Steal %: 2.4 (8th)Two-way player 🔒 pic.twitter.com/dWHIJ0QWkt
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) February 4, 2024
Sacramento Kings vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game Info
When: 4:00 PM PST
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse – Cleveland, OH
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Coverage starts at 2:30 PM on Game Night
Line: Cavs -3.5, O/U 234.5
Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Cavs coverage, beginning at 2:30 PM PST on Game Night before a 4:00 PM PST tip-off from Cleveland.
Cleveland’s Defense
Sacramento will have its hands full on Monday against a Cavaliers defense that ranks among league leaders in several categories.
Entering play against the Kings, Cleveland holds the following top-ten rankings in the following defensive areas:
- Defensive rating: 111.1 (2nd in NBA)
- Opponent points per game: 109.7 (3rd in NBA)
- Opponent points in the paint per game: 46.5 (4th in NBA)
- Defensive rebounds per game: 34.1 (6th in NBA)
- Opponent 3PT%: 35.4 (9th in NBA)
The Cavaliers are strong on the glass thanks to its two-big lineup that features Jarrett Allen (10.7 rebounds per game) and Evan Mobley (10.1 rebounds per game).
During Sacramento’s win over Cleveland back on November 13th, the Kings fared well against a fully healthy Cavs team during a 132-120 win behind a 59 percent showing from the field and 20-of-42 (47%) shooting from three-point land.
Sacramento’s 20 made triples are the most that Cleveland has allowed in a single game this year, meaning that it’s likely they will look to take away the long ball this time around.
The Kings are 6-13 when shooting under 35 percent from three-point range and 23-6 when shooting above the mark. That might have to be their target against a tough Cavs defense that has held opponents to 33 percent shooting from deep over their past 14 games.
De’Aaron from way back 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/vDBukBXIrS
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 4, 2024
Fox On The Run
Speaking of three-point shooting, Sacramento benefited from a bounce-back performance from De’Aaron Fox during Saturday’s win in Chicago.
Fox, who had shot 20 percent from beyond the arc in his six games leading into facing the Bulls, finished the night with 41 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field and five-of-11 from downtown–his first game with five or more made three-pointers since January 16th.
When Fox has his offense working, the Kings are a very dangerous team. Fox has brushed off a recent cold spell as the All-NBA guard has put up 33.0 points, 3.5 assists, and a whopping 5.5 steals over his past two games on a 53-percent clip from the field and 37 percent from deep.
With Malik Monk also having broken out of an offensive slump as well, Sacramento has both of its high-scoring guards back at the top of their game entering play against a Cavs team that has two All-Star-caliber guards in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Mitchell has been a force for Cleveland, as the 2017 NBA Draft pick holds averages of 32.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game over his past five contests.
Keep your eye on a Fox vs. Mitchell showdown as the Kings look to complete the two-game regular season sweep before heading home for the first time in over two weeks.
Kings vs. Cavs Injury Report
Sacramento
- Sasha Vezenkov – QUESTIONABLE (right ankle sprain)
- Jordan Ford – OUT (G-League)
- Jalen Slawson – OUT (G-League)
Cleveland
- Jarrett Allen – QUESTIONABLE (left ankle sprain)
- Ty Jerome – OUT (right ankle surgery)
- Tristan Thompson – OUT (League suspension)
- Emoni Bates – OUT (G-League)
- Isaiah Mobley – OUT (G-League)
Upcoming Schedule
- Monday, February 5th – Sacramento Kings @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 4:00 PM PST
- Wednesday, February 7th – Sacramento Kings vs. Detroit Pistons – 7:00 PM PST
- Friday, February 9th – Sacramento Kings vs. Denver Nuggets – 7:00 PM PST
- Sunday, February 11th – Sacramento Kings @ Oklahoma City Thunder – 12:00 PM PST
- Tuesday, February 13th – Sacramento Kings @ Phoenix Suns – 7:00 PM PST
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