Sacramento Kings vs San Antonio Spurs Preview with Air Alamo

The 11-20 Sacramento Kings will get ready to face the 22-11 San Antonio Spurs at home. We got to preview this game with Air Alamo!

The Sacramento Kings have won two straight games on the road as they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets. Now, they come home to face the 22-11 San Antonio Spurs, who are coming off a loss to the Utah Jazz.

We had the opportunity to preview this game with Robert Wolkenbrod, editor of FanSided’s Air Alamo, so huge shoutout to him!

This article won’t be a four quarters article, like we do for football, but rather Robert answering a few questions we put to him.

Question 1

LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol led the way to a win against Portland. Do they do it again against the Kings?

Robert: “Aldridge’s reliability, unlike last season, was exceptional through 30-plus games. He worked as the leading man of the offense in every game, and never scored fewer than 11 points vs. anyone this season.

However, this was on Thursday night, in the loss vs. the Utah Jazz. It’s difficult to see that number replicating itself on Saturday. Look for the 32-year-old to rebound, as he rarely puts up back-to-back poor games anymore.

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As for Gasol, he missed the Jazz game with a groin injury. If he plays, I’m concerned about him defending the younger, more athletic big men. He struggled against Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere in the preseason, giving them open looks at the basket. Gasol even had trouble scoring.

It was only the preseason, but his defensive display acumen wasn’t strong then and provided some shaky moments through two months, so I can see the Spaniard having less of an impact than Aldridge. Especially if head coach Gregg Popovich opts for a smaller lineup.”

Sanjesh: If on fire, LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the toughest big men to defend. One key to win this game must be to slow down Alridge on defense and the Kings do possess some players that may be able to do that. Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere, like Robert mentioned, are the two guys I see trying to hinder Aldridge’s impact. Maybe we see Zach Randolph guarding him, but the height difference will come to play.

For Pau Gasol, Kosta Koufos will be a great option to put on him. Both are big men that are not very quick but can make shots around the rim with creativity. Cauley-Stein and Labissiere can also offer quickness if matched up against Gasol.

Question 2

Rudy Gay will be playing against his former team. What impact, if any, does he make?

Robert: “It’s hard to tell that Gay ruptured his Achilles tendon just 11 months ago. Players don’t recover and play as well as he did, taking over the sixth-man role. He’s provided steady production as a stretch four, too.

So far, this experiment has succeeded, with Gay shooting 48.4 percent in 23.3 minutes. Look for Popovich to use him early and often, which draws a player like Zach Randolph out of his comfort zone or forces the Kings to go small. The UConn product should use this to his advantage and have a quality game.”

Sanjesh: If the Kings want to earn a win against the Spurs, they must be able to contain Rudy Gay. He’s a very streaky player and he showed that while he was a King, but if this is the game where he can go off, the Kings may not be able to keep up. He’s a very versatile player both offensively and defensively and can prove to be a huge player for the Spurs come playoff time if healthy.

I expect him to make a pretty solid impact against his former team. If not, the Kings got lucky.

Question 3

Name one unexpected player who will have a big game?

Robert: “This feels like a game for Bryn Forbes. Especially if Danny Green sits out, again, due to a groin injury. He lingered around the 7-11 point mark for the past few weeks, and shot a cool 38.4 percent from 3-point range through 21 days in December. With the Kings allowing the fourth-highest 3-point percentage, I can see him scoring in bunches and producing a quick 12-17 points.”

Sanjesh: Frank Mason has been a key player in recent weeks off the bench. He could be in for another huge game as his role keeps on increasing in a team that is slowly getting better. He shot 1-8 against the Nets for only two points but in the previous game against the 76ers, he scored 16 points on 7-9 shooting, Mason will bounce back big time.

Question 4

Predictions! Leading scorer? Leader in steals? Final score?

Dejounte Murray to play extra minutes if Green doesn’t suit up. /

This will be close, but I think San Antonio closes out Sacramento in the final minutes, 102-94.”

Next: Kings Defeat Warriors on Road

Sanjesh: For the Kings, they come out with a close win of 99-96. They have been playing so much better in recent games and they should continue that against the Spurs. Frank Mason and Buddy Hield will be the players to play big as I expect Hield to lead in scoring because he has proven to be a consistent scorer off the bench. Garrett Temple’s defensive abilities could translate to the most steals as well.

The game tips off this Saturday at 7:00 PM PST.

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