The Sacramento Kings will open a five-game homestand when they face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in an 8 p.m. game that will be broadcast from coast to coast on NBC and Peacock.
Night owls across the nation will get a look at the Kings in their current state as they close in 50 losses for the 19th time in the Sacramento era.
The Kings (14-48) are coming off a 128-104 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. They had won two of their previous three games after enduring a franchise-record 16-game losing streak.
The development of rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford has been a big focal point in recent weeks. He averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals in 32.7 minutes per game in February. He scored 26 points in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers. He had a career-high 30 in a Feb. 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Suns (34-26) had lost four of five and six of eight before beating the Lakers 113-110 on Thursday. They haven’t played since then, so they should be well rested.
Phoenix is led by Devin Booker, who is averaging 24.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists. Dillon Brooks, the team’s second-leading scorer at 20.8 points per game, is out with left hand fracture.
The Suns are seventh in the Western Conference, two games behind the Lakers for the final automatic playoff berth.
The Kings still have the worst record in the NBA – or the best in terms of NBA draft lottery odds – but not by much. They are 1 ½ games behind the Indiana Pacers (15-46), two games behind the Brooklyn Nets (15-45) and three games behind the Washington Wizards (16-44).
The teams with the three worst records will have a 52.1% chance of securing one of the top four picks in the draft and a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The team with the worst record is assured of a top five pick. The team with the second-worst pick will pick no lower than sixth and the team with the third-worst record will pick no lower than seventh.
Suns at Kings
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC/Peacock
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Suns -9.5
Over/under: 223.5
Injury report
Lakers: QUESTIONABLE — Khaman Maluach (thumb). OUT — Dillon Brooks (hand); Jordan Goodwin (calf).
Kings: OUT – Dylan Cardwell (ankle); De’Andre Hunter (eye); Zach LaVine (finger); Keegan Murray (ankle); Domantas Sabonis (knee); Isaiah Stevens (G League).
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee
Jason Anderson is The Sacramento Bee’s Kings beat writer. He is a Sacramento native and a graduate of Fresno State, where he studied journalism and college basketball under the late Jerry Tarkanian.