Expect a high-scoring game when the Oklahoma City Thunder (41-18) and Sacramento Kings (24-33) battle it out at Sleep Train Arena. Action begins at 10:00 pm ET on Monday, Feb. 29 and will air on NBA, FxK and CSA.
The Kings were beaten by the Clippers 117-107 on Friday. DeMarcus Cousins had a good game in defeat for Sacramento, recording 26 points and 15 rebounds to earn his 34th double-double of the season. The Thunder, meanwhile, are coming off a tough 121-118 loss against the Warriors on Saturday. Oklahoma City still lost despite the best efforts of Kevin Durant, who recorded his 19th double-double of the season with 37 points and 12 rebounds.
Over the last five games, Rajon Rondo has been playing at a high level for the Kings, averaging 11.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 3.0 steals, and 1.2 three-pointers.
When considering effective field goal percentage, the Thunder figure to have a substantial advantage on the offensive end. They rank third in the NBA in that category at 52.2%, whereas Sacramento’s suspect effective field goal percentage defense ranks 28th with opponents connecting at a clip of 52.1%.
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Kings had the upper hand in the most recent game, a 116-104 win. Cousins recorded a double-double with 33 points and 19 rebounds.
The Kings enter the game with records of 24-33 Straight Up (SU) and 25-31-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 24-33 SU and 25-31-1 ATS against the Western Conference. The Kings have one of the most prolific offenses in the entire league, averaging 107.1 points per game.
On the other side, Oklahoma City has a SU record of 41-18 and an ATS record of 23-34-2. Oklahoma City has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 3-7 record. The Thunder rank second in the league in scoring, averaging 110.0 points per game. Oklahoma City’s defense has allowed an average of 114.2 points per game during the last 10 games, higher than their season average of 102.8. Blocking shots is an area where Oklahoma City has excelled. The Thunder average 6.1 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the league.
In their previous meeting this season, Sacramento beat Oklahoma City, but the win was not enough to overtake Oklahoma City in the recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 2-8 SU over the most recent 10 meetings. The Kings lead the matchup ATS with a record of 5-4-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – OKC
Notes
Oklahoma City is one of the top scoring teams, averaging 110.0 points per game (ranked second). Sacramento, on the other hand, gives up 109.2 points per game (ranked 30th).
Oklahoma City is one of the top scoring teams on the road, averaging 111.8 points per game (ranked second). Sacramento, on the other hand, allows 107.1 points per home game (ranked 30th).
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Sacramento Kings are a stellar 9-3. In games where they fail to hit triple digits, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a poor record of 3-8.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Kings are just 15-30 this season. Oklahoma City is an exceptional 38-10 when it hits the century mark.
The Kings have an offensive rating of 103.7 (ranked 16th). The Thunder rank 13th for their defensive rating of 103.1.
The Sacramento Kings average 103.2 possessions per game and 1.037 points per possession, while the Oklahoma City Thunder earn fewer possessions (99.6) but more points per possession (1.104).
The Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking third in the league with an EFF% of 52.2%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Sacramento Kings have a poor 8-20 record.
The Sacramento Kings, ranked fourth in the NBA, average 24.8 assists per game. The Oklahoma City Thunder make 22.6 assists (ranked 10th)
The Sacramento Kings average 4.5 blocks per game for a rank of 17th. The Oklahoma City Thunder rank higher (third), earning 6.1 blocks each contest.
The Sacramento Kings are a top-15 offensive rebounding team, currently ranked 13th for the season. The Oklahoma City Thunder rank near the very top (fourth) in defensive rebounding.
The Sacramento Kings rank sixth in steals, with an average of 8.6 per game. When the Oklahoma City Thunder allow at least 8 steals, they have a solid 24-10 record.
