Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings – Game #52
Keita Bates-Diop and the Spurs will try to get a win against the Kings (Photo via Twitter)
The San Antonio Spurs will look to snap their six-game losing streak tonight against the Sacramento Kings. The Spurs are coming off of a 127-106 defeat at the hands of the Washington Wizards. San Antonio played well in the first quarter but struggled more and more as the game went along (see the Grades). The loss dropped the Spurs to a record of 14-37.
The Kings are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. At 28-21, Sacramento is currently the third seed in the Western Conference. Only the Denver Nuggets (35-16) and Memphis Grizzlies (32-18) sport better records in the West.That said, following a recent six-game winning streak, the Kings are only 2-3 in their last five games.
Sacramento already has two dominant wins over the Spurs this season. On Nov. 17, the Kings won in Sacramento by a final score of 130-112. On Jan. 15, the Kings won in San Antonio by a final score of 132-119.
San Antonio Spurs Injury Update
The Spurs have three players who are dealing with injuries. Devin Vassell remains sidelined following an arthroscopic procedure on his knee.
Romeo Langford is questionable to return against the Kings. Langford, who was serving as the team’s starting shooting guard, has missed the last four games.
Josh Richardson is probable for tonight’s contest. He has missed the last three games due to knee soreness.
San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup
Head coach Gregg Popovich will start Tre Jones at point guard, Keldon Johnson at small forward, Jeremy Sochan at power forward and Jakob Poeltl at center. The fifth starter will be Romeo Langford if he’s able to play. If Langford misses another game, expect Keita Bates-Diop to remain in the starting lineup.
Bates-Diop has started the last four games. In those contests, he’s averaging 11.8 points in 29.5 minutes per game.
Jeremy Sochan Honored
The Spurs will have a representative in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars tournament. Jeremy Sochan was one of 11 NBA rookies selected to compete in the tournament.
Sochan, who was drafted with the ninth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, is averaging 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. In the month of January, he’s averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting 45.3% from the field, 38.2% from three-point range and 81.8% on one-handed free throw attempts.
Trade Deadline Approaching
The NBA trade deadline is about a week away. The last moment teams can finalize a trade this year is on Feb. 9 at 2 pm Central. The Spurs have been in a lot of trade rumors this year. Specifically, Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott have been linked to other teams in trades.
Betting Guide: Spurs vs. Kings
The Kings are favored by 7.5 points and the over/under is at 244 points. The smart money is on the Kings to win and cover the 7.5-point spread. Sacramento has two big wins over San Antonio this year and they will likely win tonight by double-digits again.