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The Kings face the New Orleans Pelicans (5 p.m. Pacific, Comcast SportsNet California & KHTK 1140) tonight in their fifth straight road game. The Pelicans are beat up, with injuries to Ryan Anderson, Jrue Holiday and Jason Smith, but are coming off a road win against the Grizzlies yesterday.
MATCHUP OF THE GAME
Jason Thompson vs. Anthony Davis
If there was a year for the Kings to win the lottery, last year was it. Anthony Davis is a monster, and he's not even old enough to drink yet. Yesterday against the Grizzlies (one of the toughest front lines in the league), Davis put up 27 points, 2 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks. He's going to be a force in this league for a long, long time. JT has been playing better lately, but he'll have his work cut out for him tonight.
3 THINGS
1. DeMarcus has had a couple of bad games (for him) in a row and tonight is a perfect game for him to bounce back as the Pelicans are light in the big man department aside from Davis (who isn't nearly strong enough to guard Cousins man to man).
2. Last time the Kings played the Pelicans, Tyreke Evans carved his old team up for 25 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in what was probably his best game of the season. The Kings have been playing better defense in January, but stopping penetration continues to be a problem. Hopefully we can keep Tyreke closer to his season averages this time.
3. Rudy Gay had his worst game as a King against New Orleans, scoring just 11 points on a woeful 2-12 from the field and being outplayed by Al-Farouq Aminu. That's a matchup that Gay needs to (and probably should) dominate.
PRE-GAME HAIKU
First Post-Ziller Game.
Good thing I can't get fired,
if and when we lose.
PREDICTION
Kings 108, Pelicans 97
