The two worst teams in the Western Conference will square off Sunday night when the Sacramento Kings host the Utah Jazz.
The Kings are showing life with three wins in their past four games, including an impressive takedown of the host Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night during the front end of a back-to-back. That was Sacramento’s 17th triumph of the season.
The Jazz, who were off Saturday, have dropped 10 of their past 12 games. They have 20 victories.
Utah was fined $500,000 in mid-February for tanking – “conduct detrimental to the league” was the official declaration – but apparently Sacramento won’t have any such worries based on its 118-109 victory over the Clippers.
The Kings led by as many 20 points and shot a sizzling 58.5% from the field while outrebounding the Clippers 48-35.
DeMar DeRozan recorded 27 points and seven assists, Precious Achiuwa had 25 points and 13 rebounds and Maxime Raynaud added 23 points. That trio combined to make 32 of 40 shots (80%).
“It was a collective effort,” DeRozan said of the victory. “I know where we’re at record-wise. Me being one of the veterans, we’re just trying to build winning habits and tell the young guys we have to go there and compete every night.”
Russell Westbrook was just 4-of-15 shooting but had 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double in three games to extend his NBA career record to 209.
One of Westbrook’s six triple-doubles this season came in a 128-119 road loss against the Jazz on Nov. 28. He had 16 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds that night.
Utah has won two of the teams’ three meetings heading into Sunday’s final matchup of the campaign. DeRozan is eyeing a split of the season series.
“We go back home, feed off our crowd and try to get another win,” DeRozan said.
Utah is experiencing a dreadful season and it continued with Friday night’s 124-114 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener of a three-game road trip.
The Jazz led by 18 in the first quarter but couldn’t emerge victorious despite racking up 16 steals and forcing 24 turnovers.
“The activity and the aggressiveness is exactly how we want to play,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “Sixteen steals for us is an incredibly high number.”
Third-year pro Brice Sensabaugh made six 3-pointers for the second straight game and had 31 points. He scored 29 two nights earlier in a 134-117 home loss to the New York Knicks.
Cody Williams, in his second season, added a career-best 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting against Portland.
“Cody has grown up a ton,” Hardy said. “For him to take 17 shots in this game, it’s showing that he’s growing in the variety of shots he can get off and the aggressiveness in playing towards the rim. Cody has grown a lot as a player and young man, and with that comfort you’re seeing more aggressiveness on the court.”
Season-long bright spot Keyonte George (right hamstring) will miss his second straight game and is expected to miss at least two weeks.
That’s a rough blow for George, who is among the leading candidates for the league’s Most Improved Player award.
The third-year guard is averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists and has made 37.1% of his 3-point shots, all representing career-best stats.
George has played in 54 games and needs to play in 65 to be eligible for NBA awards. Counting the clash with the Kings, Utah has just 15 games remaining, which means George can only miss four more games.
