It was a successful weekend for the Sacramento Kings as they battled for a top-six spot in the Western Conference.
After Friday's thrilling overtime victory over the then-top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, teams above or around Sacramento in the standings all suffered losses: Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Los Angeles Lakers. , the Kings took 6th place and advanced to the finals. playoff spot.
Sacramento (34-25) will look to continue moving forward against the Chicago Bulls (28-32) on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.
As the 2023-24 regular season draws to a close, the Kings will play 15 of their remaining 23 games at home, including seven of their next eight.
At a time when the standings are more volatile than ever, Sacramento has to do a better job of picking up wins against teams below .500 in the standings. Which version of the Kings will emerge on Monday? The one that beat the Timberwolves on the road, or the one that lost at home to the short-handed Miami Heat a week ago?
Let's check it out.
Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls match information
Date and Time: 7:00 PM PST
Location: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, California
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 11:40 a.m. – Game night starts at 5:30 p.m.
Line: Kings -6.5, O/U 227.5
Tickets: Click here
Catch all Kings vs. Bulls coverage on Sactown Sports 1140 on game night from 5:30 PM PT before tipoff at 7:00 PM PT from downtown Sacramento .
Return of Fox?
De'Aaron Fox has missed the past two games with a left knee contusion, but the All-NBA guard told reporters Sunday he is close to returning. He could return as early as Monday's game against the Bulls.
“I felt better and was able to practice.” [on Sunday]so I'm optimistic [Monday] For sure,” Fox said when asked if he thought he could play against Chicago.
Fox, who suffered a bruise from a knee-to-shoulder collision with a Heat player during last Monday's game against Miami, wore a protective pad on his left leg during practice, but his return appears to be near.
De'Aaron Fox fully participated in today's practice.The status of tomorrow's match against CHI is still undetermined. pic.twitter.com/FayJWUkwAJ
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) March 3, 2024
The Kings are missing their star guard, and having him back against the Bulls would give the starting lineup the scoring punch it lacked during Fox's two-game absence.
A return to Chicago's defense will be especially welcome for Fox. Fox is averaging 29.7 points on 54 percent shooting from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range in the past three games against the Bulls, including a 41-point performance last time out. These teams reportedly met on February 3rd.
keegan consistency
Keegan Murray's development as a defender has taken a remarkable leap forward this season, but the forward has experienced some tough times offensively.
In 10 games from January 29 to February 14, Murray averaged 10.0 points per game on 42 percent shooting and 28 percent shooting. Sacramento needs more from Murray on offense, and the former No. 4 overall pick turned the page in late February.
Murray has scored 20 points or more in two of his last three games and is averaging 18.6 points and 5.2 rebounds on shooting splits of 53/53/100 over his last five games.
Keegan starts OT count 💪 pic.twitter.com/349C8PECi2
— NBCS Kings (@NBCSKings) March 2, 2024
The Iowa State product's offensive skill set looks much different in his second year than it did during his rookie campaign. Murray doesn't just rely on spot-ups or dribble handoffs to get shot opportunities, he also generates off-the-dribbles in the form of stepbacks and floaters, which are very effective within 10 feet of the basket. . .
Murray's ceiling is yet to be established, and the forward's recent brilliance serves as a reminder of why a future All-Star appearance is not out of the question.
point of attack
Chicago's league-leading paint defense may force Sacramento to rely on the three-ball in Monday's game.
The Bulls are holding opponents to 44.3 points per game in the paint this season, the best mark in the NBA starting on March 4. In their last meeting on Feb. 3 at the United Center, Chicago outscored the Kings in the paint 52-50, while Sacramento shot 38 percent from 3-point range.
The Bulls' interior defense has been strong this season, but they haven't had the same success from downtown. Chicago's three-point defense ranked 17th this season as opponents made 36.9 percent of their attempts from deep.
The Kings are shooting 35 percent higher from beyond the arc and own a 27-9 record. That means there's a good chance Sacramento hits a triple and comes out on top Monday night.
Note
The Kings enter the game on a four-game winning streak against Chicago. Sacramento hasn't lost to the Bulls since February 16, 2022, and their last loss was against Chicago on December 2, 2019 at Golden 1 Center.
Kings vs. Bulls injury report
sacramento
De’Aaron Fox – Questionable (left knee contusion) Sasha Bezenkov – Out (right ankle sprain)
Chicago
Alex Caruso – Questionable (right hamstring strain) Lonzo Ball – OUT (left knee surgery) Torrey Craig – OUT (right knee sprain) Zach LaVine – OUT (right midfoot surgery) Patrick Williams – OUT (bone edema of the left metatarsal)
Future schedule
Monday, March 4 – Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls – 7:00 PM PST Wednesday, March 6 – Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Lakers – 7:30 PM PST Thursday, March 7 – Sacramento Kings vs. Sun Antonio Spurs – 7:00 PM Sunday, March 10th – Sacramento Kings vs. Houston Rockets – 3:00pm PT Tuesday, March 12th – Sacramento Kings vs. Milwaukee Bucks – 7:00pm (PT) Pacific Standard Time)
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