The Sacramento Kings host the San Antonio Spurs on October 27, 2016. This article examines everything Kings fans need to know about tonight’s game.
On October 27, 2016, the Sacramento Kings play their home opener against the San Antonio Spurs. This is the second of a back-to-back for the Kings against one of the league’s premier franchises. I am excited to be able to enjoy Kings basketball for the second night in a row. Without further ado, let us get to the game preview.
Injuries
No injuries were reported on opening night according to ESPN. That leaves the Kings only one man short. Darren Collison will serve game two of his eight-game suspension tonight. Expect a heavy dose of Ty Lawson at point guard and Garrett Temple to fill the remaining minutes.
San Antonio Spurs’ Scouting Report
The San Antonio Spurs enter the game undefeated after a 29 point destruction of the defending Western Conference Champion Golden State Warriors on opening night. The Spurs looked great in that game and are poised to make another deep run in the playoffs this season. Below is a highlight video from that game if you missed the action or just want to take a second look.
The Spurs will be without starting two guard Danny Green as he recovers from a quad injury. Expect his vacated role in tonight’s contest to be filled by Jonathon Simmons and Kyle Anderson.
The Spurs are led by Kawhi Leonard. The small forward made the All-NBA team for the first time last season and is coming off a 35 point outburst on opening night.
The Spurs present a unique challenge for any team to face given they employ maybe the league’s best coach in Gregg Popovich, have a premier roster, and championship experience.
What to Watch for?
Battle of the Undefeated Teams
Both teams are entering the game fresh off blowout wins to start the season. The Kings had a 19 point victory in Phoenix and the Spurs with a 29 point victory over Golden State. Someone will be on the losing end for the first time this season.
Back to Back Woes
If there was ever a time to have a back-to-back it would be to start the season, but when you have to play the Spurs it just does not seem fair. Not to mention traveling from Phoenix to Sacramento after a late night game. The Kings should look fine, but as the game reaches the late third and entire fourth quarter be on the lookout for tiring legs and a lack of energy from the Kings’ players.
Defense
The opening night defense against the Suns was impressive. They held in check a tough to guard combo of Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker. It will be interesting to see if the defensive improvement continues against the Spurs. I will take this game with a grain of salt because it is the second of a back-to-back, though.
DeMarcus Cousins versus LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol
I am excited to see DeMarcus go up against both Aldridge and Gasol. Both San Antonio big men are great players and I am excited to see what Cousins can do against them on both ends of the floor. Cousins look like a beast on opening night despite some early foul trouble and I am hoping to see a repeat performance tonight against the Spurs.
First Official Game in the New Arena
The Kings will christen the new Golden 1 Center tonight with their home opener. I expect a rocking sell-out crowd to greet the team. Hopefully, the Kings can ride the fans support to a little extra energy and a big upset of the Spurs.
Summary
There you have it, everything you need to know about tonight’s contest. I hope you are excited for the game because it should be fun. The Spurs always bring a well-coached and talented squad to the court. It will be interesting to see how the Kings deal with the early season adversity of facing a great opponent on a back-to-back.
Next: Opinion: What Will The Sacramento Kings’ Record Be?
Enjoy the game. Make sure you check back to A Royal Pain for the game recap and everything you need to know about the Sacramento Kings. Thank you for reading.