The Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans are the teams most likely to catch the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They are both four games behind the Grizzlies in the race for the No. 8 seed, but they have both been better than Memphis since the All-Star Break. New Orleans has relied on Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Jrue Holiday to win five of its nine games since the break, while Sacramento is 7-3 in its last 10 games. Both teams are 28-36 as of Monday morning, and the Pelicans and Kings are both fighting for the only playoff spot left in the West due to Dallas’ resurgence.
This game will take place at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET on March 11, 2020, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Head-To-Head Results to Date
This is the second of three meetings between New Orleans and Sacramento this season. The first game between these teams was just after the calendar turned over to 2020, and it also took place at the Golden 1 Center. Williamson had yet to return from injury in that game, but the Pelicans managed to win thanks to some great play from their guards. Lonzo Ball, J.J. Redick, Josh Hart, and Holiday combined to go 26-54 from the field for a combined 77 points, while Sacramento’s starting guards De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield went 12-34 from the field.
As this game is also in Sacramento, the third game between these playoff hopefuls will take in the Big Easy on March 22.
Injury Report
New Orleans lost Darius Miller for the season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon back on January 20. That took away from depth in the frontcourt, and the Pelicans will be without two of their shooting guards in this game. J.J. Redick has missed the last week with a hamstring injury and will miss another week, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker injured his wrist on Saturday and will be out for at least two weeks.
Marvin Bagley III has been sidelined with a foot issue since February 20, and he will miss at least another week as he gets healthy. Jabari Parker is considered questionable to play after missing Sunday’s game against Toronto due to a stomach virus.
Matchup to Watch
These teams play very different styles. While New Orleans relies on its frontcourt to win games, Sacramento leans heavily on Fox and Hield. Fox and Hield are the two leading scorers on the Kings, and they have very different strengths. Fox is one of the best distributors in the game, doling out 6.8 APG, while Hield is one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Ingram (24.3 PPG) and Williamson (23.6 PPG) have been an excellent inside-outside combination for big men. Williamson is making 58.9 percent of his field goals and 46.2 percent of his threes, while Ingram is sinking 46.6 percent of his shots and 38.7 percent of his treys.
Game Preview
Sacramento and New Orleans both played on Sunday and will have two full days of rest before this game. The Pelicans are 15-17 on the road, while the Kings are 14-17 at home. Don’t be surprised if New Orleans is favored per the NBA betting odds due to the road record, and because the Pelicans are a very public team since Williamson returned from injury.
Prediction
The Pelicans are third in the NBA in three-point shooting, and the guards have thrived with Williamson and Ingram drawing more attention in the paint. That will help New Orleans earn the victory here.
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