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The Sacramento Kings continue their journey in the east tonight, with the New York Knicks welcoming them to the Madison Square Garden. The Kings are 12th in the Western Conference standings with a 12-19 record, while the Knicks are occupying the 7th spot in the East.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Thursday, February 25th, 7:30 PM ET (Friday, February 26th, 6:00 AM IST)
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings are going through a poor spell of form, as they have lost their last 8 fixtures. The defense has been a mess and as a result Luke Walton's team has leaked 119.9 points per game, the second worst mark in NBA. Offense has been their saviour, with De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Harrison Barnes playing out of their skin.
Rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton has been one of the few positives for the Kings, averaging a solid 13 points and 5.4 assists on a stellar 44.2% shooting from the deep.
Key Player- De'Aaron Fox
Athletic point guard De'Aaron Fox has been on a tear in the 2020-21 NBA campaign, averaging 22.7 points and a team-leading 7 assists per game. He is also tallying 1.3 steals per game, which shows his contribution on the defensive end.
Despite his prolific performances, there is a good chance that a strong and physical New York Knicks defense is able to shut him down, so he will have to pull out the bag of his best tricks tonight.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Should the LA Lakers go all-in to acquire PJ Tucker from the Houston Rockets?
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks have been an enigma this season. They rank last in average points per game, effectively making them the worst offense in the league with a miserly 103.6 points scored per match. However, they have only allowed 103.8 points per game in NBA this season, which makes them the best defense.
Their biggest issue has been a lack of a secondary scorer, as all the offensive production has come from former LA Lakers star Julius Randle. RJ Barrett has managed to put up 16 points per game, but it has come on a terribly inefficient 42.5% shooting from the field.
Key Player- Julius Randle
A first-time NBA All-Star this season, Julius Randle is averaging career-highs across the board with 23.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. Randle is the main reason the New York Knicks are in the hunt for their first playoff berth in eight years. Barring any major injuries or lopsided trades, they are likely going to make it to the postseason this year.
Randle has been menacing for opposing power forwards, and in all likelihood, he will dominate the proceeding at the Garden.
Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks Match Prediction
The New York Knicks have looked like a playoff team this season, making opposition teams struggle to score. The Sacramento Kings, on the other hand, look low on confidence and it is unlikely that they will make the postseason. The Knicks are strong favorites going into this game and only an inspired performance can help the Sacramento Kings stage an upset.
Where to Watch Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks?
Local coverage of Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks game will be available on NBCS California and MSG Network. The game will also be streamed live on the NBA League Pass.
