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Game Day Hub: Trail Blazers at Kings

#PORatSAC Preview | Portland

SACRAMENTO - While the hiring of George Karl has brought some excitement to the Sacramento Kings, wins could remain difficult to come by as long as DeMarcus Cousins is sidelined.

The Kings may again be without their All-Star center Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers and will try to post a winning homestand before their longest trip of the season.

Sacramento (20-36) emerged from the All-Star break with two wins in three games under its new coach, and Cousins averaged 22.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in those contests.

However, the fifth-year center sat out Friday's 107-96 loss to San Antonio with a left ankle sprain and bruised left hip. The absence proved interesting since the Kings outscored the Spurs 50-40 in the paint and outrebounded them 47-42 without Cousins.

"The effort, the intensity and the energy were first-class," Karl said. "But the basketball IQ in the fourth quarter - I'm not saying it was bad, but it wasn't good."

Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore and Ray McCallum continued to bring the club's newfound energy with a combined 57 points, but Sacramento turned it over 17 times in falling to 1-1 on it's three-game stay at home. The Kings kick off an eight-game trip Tuesday at New York - matching their longest since the franchise moved to Sacramento in 1985.

They are 2-11 this season without Cousins, who will be missed against a stout Portland frontcourt led by LaMarcus Aldridge. Cousins had 22 points and a season high-tying 19 rebounds in a 98-94 loss to the Blazers on Jan. 19, and he scored 30 or more with at least nine boards in each meeting last season.

INJURY REPORT

Portland: Joel Freeland (right shoulder strain) is out.

Sacramento: Darren Collison (right hip flexor strain) is out. Eric Moreland (left shoulder labral tear) is out.

Participation Status Key:

  • Probable – 75% chance that the player will play in the game
  • Questionable – 50% chance that the player will play in the game
  • Doubtful – 25% chance that the player will play in the game
  • Out – Player will not play in the game

Projected Starters

SF

PF

C

SG

PG

Season Series

Previous Games

Remaining Games

Series Notes

  • Sunday represents a rubber match between Portland and Sacramento, as both teams have won their respective home game in the series. Sacramento defeated Portland 103-94 in Sacramento on Oct. 31, while the Trail Blazers beat the Kings 98-94 at the Moda Center on Jan. 19.
  • Portland hasn’t lost a season series to Sacramento since the 2007-08 season (four series wins, two split series).
  • Damian Lillard scored a game-high 20 points against the Kings on Jan. 19 (W, 98-94). Lillard is averaging 25.5 points in his past four games against the Kings.
  • LaMarcus Aldridge has scored at least 20 points in seven of his past eight games against the Kings.

Promotions

In Portland's Last Game

With the win, the Trail Blazers are now 38-19 on the season and 25-6 at home. Portland is now 3-0 versus Oklahoma City this season, ensuring a season-series victory and pushed their lead in the Northwest Division to eight games.

“Obviously that was an important win for us, for the division and tie break and all that,” said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. “But more importantly, it was an important win for how we managed to stick with it, come back, fight through some adversity. I didn’t think we necessarily played our best but we found a way. It’ll do us well going forward. Like I said before the game, this was, as much as the implications were as far as division and tie breaker, it was as much or more about 20-some games to go and playing the right way and finding ways to win games. That was good to see tonight.”

Those in attendance, as well as those watching the nationally-televised game at home, certainly saw the best that the NBA has to offer during Friday night’s contest.