Kings Look For Second Straight Victory vs. Rockets: Game Preview
April 8, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Terrence Williams (55) tries to drive between Houston Rockets guard Courtney Lee (5) and Rockets forward Luis Scola (4) in the fourth quarter at the Power Balance Pavilion. The Rockets defeated the Kings 104-87. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The Sacramento Kings prepare to take on the Houston Rockets in the second game of their back to back home series. The Kings seemed to feed of the fans last night as more than 16,000 Kings faithful came out to show support for their team.
The Kings will have their hands full tonight, as James Harden comes into Sleep Train Arena. Harden will face the Kings for the first time in a Rockets uniform.
Harden doesn’t have the best numbers against the Kings but he will look to change that tonight as his team will look to win its seventh game out of nine.
The Rockets Chandler Parsons comes into tonight’s game shooting lights out, averaging 59.5 percent from the field in the last seven games. Omer Asik ranks third in the league, averaging 11.5 rebounds per game, and 15.7 rebounds per game in his last seven games.
The Kings will rely on Tyreke Evans slowing down Harden on the offensive end as well as continuing to find his teammates. Tyreke Evans ability to get to the basket has become a well known fact around the league, but when Evans draws double and triple teams, his teammates are left wide open. When Evans distributes the ball and scores, the Kings become a completely different team.
DeMarcus Cousins has become a dominant passing center in the NBA, and continues to show progress and improvement. Cousins ability to score and beat defenders off the dribble is as well documented as Evans ability to get to rim, and when Cousins and Evans are passing the ball, it forces teams to play them man to man, instead of cheating in the passing lanes. Cousins will need to keep the ball moving as Asik will not be able to keep up with him for the whole game if Cousins is moving the ball.
The Kings will hope to get as much support from their fans tonight, as they get ready for tonight’s game. Several Kings players have contributed their previous victory against Utah to their fans, and how much energy they brought to Sleep Train Arena.
Probable Starters:
Sacramento Kings
5 John Salmons Forward
34 Jason Thompson Forward
15 DeMarcus Cousins Center
13 Tyreke Evans Guard
22 Isaiah Thomas Guard
Houston Rockets
25 Chandler Parsons Forward
54 Patrick Patterson Forward
3 Omer Asik Center
13 James Harden Guard
7 Jeremy Lin Guard