Sacramento Kings vs Indiana Pacers: Analysis and Prediction – Sacramento Kings will host Indiana Pacers in the NBA clash.
Sacramento Kings vs Indiana Pacers Odds
Sacramento Kings Team News
Sacramento Kings have continued their campaign from the previous season, where they suffered a heartbreaking elimination in the first round of the playoffs against the Golden State Warriors. Now, they are highly motivated to make long run in the postseason.
Although the Kings enter this game with slightly lower spirits due to three consecutive losses, the reasons lie in challenging road games in Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Phoenix. The loss to the Bucks was particularly painful, with head coach Mike Brown bringing a laptop to the press conference to highlight officiating errors that dissatisfied him. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis remain pivotal for the team, while Keegan Murray and Malik Monk efficiently utilize their minutes. Kevin Huerter has experienced a significant decline, and if he doesn’t improve soon, this might be his last year in Sacramento.
Given that the Sacramento Kings aim to finish within the top 4 in the Western Conference, these are the games they must win. The absence of Tyrese Haliburton has affected the Indiana Pacers’ performance, and the Kings should capitalize on this.
Indiana Pacers Team News
Indiana Pacers have suffered defeats against the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz, placing them at 23-17. They hold a substantial lead over the ninth-placed Chicago Bulls, making it likely that they will be part of the playoffs this season. However, they must navigate through the next period without their superstar.
Since Tyrese Haliburton’s injury, the Pacers have played four games, winning two, but those victories came against weaker opponents like the Washington Wizards and the average Atlanta Hawks. Buddy Hield has taken on more responsibility in the offense, and Bennedict Mathurin provides crucial minutes off the bench. Under Rick Carlisle’s leadership, Myles Turner has played some of his best basketball in the last two seasons, and much will be expected from him to lead during Haliburton’s absence.
The advantage for the Indiana Pacers in this matchup is that they had more time for rest and preparation, a non-negligible factor in such a demanding schedule. Even without Haliburton, the Pacers will stick to their idea of running and shooting early in the offense, and when they are hitting their shots, they can be dangerous against any team.
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Sacramento Kings vs Indiana Pacers H2H
Last season, the head-to-head between the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers was 1-1.
Absences and Injuries
Sacramento Kings have no injury concerns. Tyrese Haliburton will not play for the Indiana Pacers, while Bruce Brown, Aaron Nesmith, and Bennedict Mathurin are questionable.
Sacramento Kings vs Indiana Pacers Prediction
The Indiana Pacers will undoubtedly aim to perform better than in their previous two away games, and they will be fresher than the Sacramento Kings. The freshness might play a role, but to what extent remains to be seen. What is more certain is that we can expect a game at an ultra-fast pace with a high number of points on both sides, leading to our prediction of seeing at least 242 points.
Tip-off Time: Friday, 19.01.2024, 04:00 CET
Prediction: Over 241.5 points
Odds: 1.70
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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