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The New Orleans Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings on Monday in an exciting mid-table 2020-21 NBA Western Conference matchup at the Smoothie King Center.
The 11th-placed New Orleans Pelicans and the 12th-placed Sacramento Kings are both in contention for the play-in tournament. Both team also face relatively similar schedules going forward; the New Orleans Pelicans have the 12th-toughest schedule, while the Sacramento Kings have the 13th-toughest.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, April 12th, 2021; 9:00 PM ET (Tuesday, April 13th; 6:30 AM IST).
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans are coming off consecutive victories, including a 101-94 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers.
Zion Williamson dropped 37 points and 15 rebounds in that game, leading his team past Joel Embiid and co. Meanwhile, Isaiah Thomas is playing with the New Orleans Pelicans on a 10-day contract. He played two games off the bench and averaged 10.5 points while shooting eight of 25 from the floor, including three of 12 from the three.
Brandon Ingram is having a great season. Although he is averaging similar numbers he tallied last year, he is playing more minutes, shooting more efficiently and averaging fewer turnovers per game this campaign.
Ingram is the second-highest scorer for the New Orleans Pelicans this season, and he is an extremely crucial piece on their roster with or without Zion Williamson's exploits.
Key Player - Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is having an incredibly surreal season. He is averaging nearly 27 points per game on 62% shooting, which is almost unheard of for even some of the greatest scorers in league history, let alone an NBA sophomore.
He is leading the league in FG% among all players averaging more than 20 points per game and has shown the league that he is deserving of the hype surrounding him.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Naji Marshall | Shooting Guard - Eric Bledsoe | Small Forward - Brandon Ingram | Power Forward - Zion Williamson | Center - Steven Adams.
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings have had an underwhelming season so far. They are 12th in the Western Conference, the same where they finished last year, and their off-season acquisitions have been underwhelming.
The Kings have lost their last six games in a row, and De'Aaron Fox is under scrutiny for not stepping up to the challenge of carrying the team. Although the Sacramento Kings are fighting with the New Orleans Pelicans for the tenth spot, the latter have a better chance of grabbing it.
However, Tyrese Haliburton has been the highlight of the Sacramento Kings' season. He has shown amazing talent off the bench, and his chemistry with Fox has been incredible. He has tremendous playmaking attributes and is also a lights-out shooter.
Key Player - De'Aaron Fox
De'Aaron Fox is averaging a career-high 24.7 points per game but is doing so in an inefficient manner.
He has been criticized for not stepping up his game after signing a supermax contract extension with the Sacramento Kings. He is averaging 32.6% from beyond the arc and 71.2% from the free-throw line, both third-worst marks in the league among point guards.
Nevertheless, Fox is the team's leading scorer and is an extremely crucial part of their lineup.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - De'Aaron Fox | Shooting Guard - Tyrese Haliburton | Small Forward - Buddy Hield | Power Forward - Harisson Barnes | Center - Richaun Holmes.
Kings vs Pelicans Match Prediction
Even though the two teams are just two wins apart in the conference standings, the Sacramento Kings are the underdogs in this matchup.
Very few teams have had an answer for Zion Williamson this season, and the atrocious Kings defense isn't expected to hold up to him. The Sacramento Kings are 30th in the league in defense and are below 23rd in most major defensive categories this campaign.
However, the only thing that tips the scales in the Sacramento Kings' favor is the absence of Lonzo Ball in the New Orleans Pelicans lineup.
Where to watch the Kings vs Pelicans game?
The Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans game will be locally televised on Bally Sports NO and NBC Sports California. The game can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Is Ben Simmons making a good case for the Defensive Player Of The Year award? | 2020-21 NBA season.
