The Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz put on a barnburner last week that ended with a 126-125 Kings victory thanks to a late-game three-pointer from Kevin Huerter, and they’re about to do it again in Utah. Will the Jazz get their revenge? Catch this game on Wednesday, December 4 at 10 AM (+8 UTC).

Away: Sacramento Kings (19-16, 8-9 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: De’Aaron Fox
  • SG: Kevin Huerter (day-to-day)
  • SF: Harrison Barnes
  • PF: Keegan Murray
  • C: Domantas Sabonis

The Kings continue to be a surprising team this season, sitting sixth in the West with a 19-16 record while holding a respectable 8-9 away record. They’ve been led by Domantas Sabonis, who is making a strong All-Star bid while averaging 18.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He had 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists against the Jazz last week, and he’s still playing effectively even with a broken thumb in his non-shooting hand.
De’Aaron Fox continues to be the Kings’ star floor general as well, and he had 24 points and 10 assists against Utah last week. He’s too fast, and has become one of the league’s best mid-range shooters this season and the Kings will rely heavily on his production against the Jazz as well.

One worrying thing for the Kings, though, is that Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk are listed as day-to-day. Both guards are key to the Kings’ success, and Huerter was the one who hit the game-winner against the Jazz last week and also had 30 points in that game.

The Kings are 6-6-0 ATS as away underdogs this season.

Advertisement


Home: Utah Jazz (19-20, 10-9 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Mike Conley
  • SG: Jordan Clarkson
  • SF: Lauri Markkanen
  • PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
  • C: Kelly Olynyk

The Utah Jazz’s hot start to the season has come back down to earth, and their current four-game losing streak has sent them all the way down to the 10th and final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Now they’ve got a chance to break the streak in front of their home fans, and they’ll be looking at Lauri Markkanen to again lead their offense. The Kings had no answer for him last week as he dropped 36 points while shooting 66.7% from the field.

Jordan Clarkson will also need a big game, and was efficient last time out against Sacramento with 25 points while shooting 8 of 12 from the field and 9 of 10 from the free throw line. The big question is whether or not they’ll have anyone to bother Sabonis, who went 12 of 12 from the field to finish with 28 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Walter Kessler has shown flashes of being a good post defender off the bench, but he’s still very much a rookie who is going through growing pains as he adapts to the pace of the NBA.

The key to victory for the Jazz will be a strong start in the first half, as the Kings at times have found themselves struggling at the start of games before turning things up in the third and fourth quarter.

The Jazz are 4-7-0 as home favorites so far.

PREDICTION:
Spread: The Kings looked good to cover the +2.5 

Over/Under: The under 242 looks good.

Advertisement