Sacramento can hit a mark that hasn't been made since middle of January. Here's where to watch and where the bets swing toward.
The Sacramento Kings are looking at hitting a mark they haven't seen since middle of January: A three-game winning streak.
Sacramento got here by topping the Chicago Bulls Sunday, then erasing the large 20-point deficit against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening.
The Kings' longest winning roll was four between Jan. 11 to the 16th. Can the beam light up once again with the Charlotte Hornets in town?
Sacramento hosts the back-to-back on Wednesday and riding its two-game winning streak. But the betting lines don't give the Kings any love.
FanDuel Sportsbook calls for the Hornets to win big, handing Charlotte a 13.5-point line. Charlotte earned a similar line from DraftKings.
Why the massive betting line that puts the Kings at a disadvantage? It's multiple factors at play.
For starters, the depth on Sacramento's side is now shaken. Russell Westbrook has to sit this one out as he once again deals with a right quad contusion. But he's not the only ailment here.
Devin Carter is dealing with right calf soreness and will be out. Same with the Sunday top scorer Monk, who has his own ankle dilemma with soreness on his right. Sacramento is already without names like Domantas Sabonis, De'Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine and Dylan Cardwell.
Carter and Monk are the biggest losses here. The former dropped a career-best 24 points in the comeback win over Indiana. Monk delivered 30 points against Chicago and likely helped seal his 2026 future with the Kings after hearing trade chatter before Christmas.
But there's one more reason that points to Sacramento being the huge underdog here.
Charlotte isn't battling for an NBA Draft lottery pick. The Hornets are swinging towards earning one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte stands at 33-33 overall and sitting at No. 10 in the east standings. The Hornets are in strong position to make it in as a play-in postseason representative.
It'll take some time for the Kings to reach where the Hornets are. Sacramento remains the heavy contender to grab the No. 1 overall pick once lottery selections are made on May 10.
NBC Sports California will air the Hornets and Kings game for the 7 p.m. PT showdown. FanDuel Sports South is another outlet that'll air the action for the Hornets fans. But fans who tune in could be watching a one-sided affair inside the Golden 1 Center.
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