Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings – Game #16
Keldon Johnson might not play tonight against the Kings (Photo via Twitter)
The San Antonio Spurs (6-9) will try to stop their two-game losing streak tonight against the Sacramento Kings (7-6). The Spurs are 0-2 on their five-game road trip and they’ve lost seven of their last eight contests overall.
The Kings are coming off of their most impressive win of the season. They defeated the Brooklyn Nets by a final score of 153-121. The 153 points represented the most points scored by an NBA team so far this season. Sacramento was led by Terence Davis with 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block from off the bench.
In San Antonio’s last game, they fell to the Portland Trail Blazers, 117-110. While the Spurs got a lot of strong performances (see the Grades), the Blazers were able to pull away late in the fourth quarter to deal the Silver and Black a heart-breaking loss.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Update
Unfortunately, the injury bug has bitten the Spurs again. Keldon Johnson is listed as questionable due to left ankle soreness. Also listed as questionable is Doug McDermott, who is dealing with left calf tightness.
Romeo Langford (heath and safety protocols), Malaki Branham (ankle), Zach Collins (leg) and Blake Wesley (knee) remain out for the Spurs. Collins and Wesley are expected to miss at least a couple more weeks.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup
If Keldon Johnson misses the game, expect Keita Bates-Diop to start in his place. If Johnson is able to play, expect the same starting lineup of Johnson at small forward, Devin Vassell at shooting guard, Jeremy Sochan at power forward, Jakob Poeltl at center and Tre Jones at point guard.
Sochan has recently started at point guard but that won’t be necessary with Tre Jones back in the lineup.
The Spurs Falling in the Standings
Due to their recent struggles, the Spurs now have the third worst record in the Western Conference along with the Golden State Warriors, who are also 6-9. The two teams in the West with worse records are the Los Angeles Lakers (3-10) and Houston Rockets (3-12).
In the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are both also 6-9. Three teams in the East have worse records: the Orlando Magic (4-11), Charlotte Hornets (4-12) and Detroit Pistons (3-12).
With the NBA draft in mind, the Spurs currently have the sixth worst record in the league. That’d give San Antonio about a 6.8% chance of landing the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. If the Spurs finish with one of three worst records in the league, their chances of landing the top pick would improve to 14%.
Betting Guide: Spurs at Kings
The Kings are favored tonight by 7.5 points, while oddsmakers have the over/under set at 236.5 points.
Considering that Keldon Johnson is questionable and will likely be at less than 100 percent if he’s able to play, taking the Kings to cover the spread is the best bet. Furthermore, the Kings are coming off of a big win and seem to have their offense in top gear.