Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
NBA Scores Matchups Teams Standings Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Preview: Kings (28-54) at Hornets (27-55)
BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Date: February 24, 2013 6:00 PM EDT
  

No NBA team has had a harder time containing its opponents than the Sacramento Kings.

The New Orleans Hornets are coming off a major defensive collapse of their own.

With both clubs looking to snap skids, the Kings try to avoid a 14th loss in 16 road matchups with the Hornets on Sunday.

Giving up an average of 104.2 points to rank last in the league, Sacramento (19-37) has surrendered 115.3 per game on 50.3 percent shooting while losing four straight. The Kings had no answer for Atlanta as they opened a five-game road trip with Friday's 122-108 defeat.

"Sometimes, when you're playing well offensively, you forget about the other side of the ball," coach Keith Smart told the league's official website. "We had every opportunity to win this game if we even gave half of a defensive effort. Age is not the issue anymore ... it's time for us to grow up and be a team."

Advertisement

Isaiah Thomas, averaging 20.5 points over his last six games, scored 30 to go along with nine assists and a season-high six rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and 13 boards as the Kings scored in triple digits for a sixth consecutive game.

"This is an offensive-minded team," Cousins said. "We're struggling in all aspects of the game. I do believe our offense carries our defense.

"We went away from what worked. We have a tendency to do that every game. I mean, if you haven't learned yet, you ain't trying to learn."

The Kings have been outscored by an average of 16.7 points during a season worst-tying seven-game road losing streak. They haven't lost eight straight in opponents' arenas since a 12-game skid in 2010-11.

Sacramento can't be feeling good about its chances Sunday considering it has gone 2-13 on the road against the Hornets since 2005.

New Orleans forward Ryan Anderson went 7 for 14 from 3-point range to finish with 27 points in a 114-105 home win over the Kings on Jan. 21. Greivis Vasquez added 19 and 11 assists.

The Hornets (19-37) are coming off their third straight defeat overall, 104-100 to Dallas on Friday. New Orleans went up by four with 56 seconds to go but was outscored 8-0 the rest of the way.

Eric Gordon scored just three of his 23 points in the second half and committed a costly turnover - his fourth of the game - with 5.8 seconds left.

"Any time you lose a game you feel bad, but any time you lose a game that way because of your mistakes, it's worse," said coach Monty Williams, whose team dropped to 2-25 when allowing 100 points or more. "It's one of those things where we have to look at film and figure out what is breaking down on our defense."

Jason Smith scored a season-high 22 points off the bench Friday while Anderson added 20 and 12 rebounds.

Anthony Davis recorded his third double-double in four games with 10 points and 11 boards before leaving in the third quarter due to a sprained right knee. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, though, expects to play Sunday.

Davis will surely be looking to come out strong against Cousins, a fellow former Kentucky big man. Davis had 11 points and six boards in last month's matchup but sat out the second half due to injury. Cousins, meanwhile, posted 29 and 13.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAC  +250   +7   204.5 
 NOR  -300   -7   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAC  +250   +7   204.5 
 NOR  -300   -7   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAC  68%   46%   79% 
 NOR  32%   54%   21% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 NBA HEAD TO HEAD
 Jan 21, 2013  Score  ATS Results 
  SAC 105 Over: 219 
  NOR « 114 Cover: 3.5 
 Tools:   Recaps
 Apr 11, 2012  Score  ATS Results 
  SAC 96 Over: 201 
  NOR « 105 Cover: 6 
 Tools:   Recaps

 NBA PREVIEWS
 Sunday, Feb 24
 
  •  Lakers at Mavericks
1:00 PM EDT
  •  Warriors at Timberwolves
3:35 PM EDT
  •  Cavaliers at Heat
6:05 PM EDT
  •  Kings at Hornets
6:05 PM EDT
  •  Grizzlies at Nets
7:05 PM EDT
  •  76ers at Knicks
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Spurs at Suns
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Celtics at Trail Blazers
9:05 PM EDT
  •  Bulls at Thunder
9:35 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.