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The Sacramento Kings will kick off their 2021-22 NBA season on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Wednesday. The Kings and Blazers played each other in the preseason, with Sacramento getting a 107-93 win in Portland.
The Portland Trail Blazers are heading into an important season under new head coach Chauncey Billups. Building on eight straight playoff appearances, the Blazers need to show superstar point guard Damian Lillard that they are serious contenders for the NBA championship.
Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings are looking to end a 15-year playoff drought, that is tied for the longest in NBA history. The Kings have a great young core, but they need to have a good start to the season. Sacramento will play nine of their first 15 games on the road.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Portland Trail Blazers | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 20th; 10:00 PM ET (Thursday, October 21st, 7:30 AM IST).
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR.
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings are in Year 3 under head coach Luke Walton. They have shown their potential over the past two seasons, but they need to avoid going on long losing streaks to have a chance at the playoffs.
With 15 straight seasons without a postseason appearance, the Kings will set a new NBA record if they miss the playoffs this season. De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are the main guys moving forward, with the futures of Marvin Bagley III and Buddy Hield in question heading into the trade deadline.
The Sacramento Kings drafted guard Davion Mitchell, creating a crowded backcourt. One possibility for the Kings is to play a three-guard lineup, but that could cause problems in rebounds and defense.
Key Player - De’Aaron Fox
Last season, the Sacramento Kings signed De'Aaron Fox to a five-year, $163 million contract extension. The deal could go up to $195.6 million super max due to incentives. The Kings have put their faith in Fox, who is one of the best young point guards in the NBA today.
The 23-year-old guard had his best year in a Sacramento Kings uniform last season. Fox averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game to go along with 3.5 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.2 steals.
However, Fox only played 58 out of 72 games due to injuries. If the Sacramento Kings want to end their 15-year playoff drought, Fox has to stay healthy all season long.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G - De'Aaron Fox; G - Tyrese Haliburton; F - Harrison Barnes; F - Marvin Bagley III; C - Richaun Holmes.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers made the playoffs for the eighth straight year last season. However, the Blazers were eliminated in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. That's five first-round exits for Portland in eight playoff appearances.
The Blazers management made some changes in the offseason. They parted ways with head coach Terry Stotts after nine years, and signed rookie head coach Chauncey Billups. The former NBA Finals MVP previously worked as an assistant coach for the LA Clippers.
Some of the additions to the Portland Trail Blazers this summer are Tony Snell, Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller and Larry Nance Jr. They also re-signed Normal Powell to a new contract as the Blazers try to convince Damian Lillard that they can build a championship team around him.
Key Player - Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is entering his tenth season with the Portland Trail Blazers. At 31, Lillard is still in his prime, but he is at a point of his career where he wants to compete for an NBA championship.
There were rumors over the summer that Lillard sought a trade away from the Portland Trail Blazers. Teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors were rumored to be interested.
However, Lillard is staying for the season, but it is important for the Blazers to make him happy. The six-time All-Star averaged 28.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game last season.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G - Damian Lillard; G - CJ McCollum; F - Norman Powell; F - Robert Covington; C - Jusuf Nurkic.
Kings vs Blazers Match Prediction
The Sacramento Kings looked impressive in the preseason, going undefeated in four games. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers were winless in their four exhibition games.
This matchup appears even on paper, with the Kings having more depth while the Blazers have the bigger names. It could be a close game. But there is a possibility that Portland could come out firing and more focused, as they are playing in front of their home crowd to open the 2021-22 NBA season.
Where to watch Kings vs Blazers?
The Sacramento Kings vs Portland Trail Blazers game will be streamed on the NBA League Pass. Meanwhile, local fans can watch the game on ROOT Sports in Portland and NBC Sports Bay Area & California in Sacramento.
Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season
