Sacramento is rolling with a two-game winning streak and consecutive upsets. Can the Kings add a third?
One of the east's best pulls into the Golden 1 Center. Yet the New York Knicks are getting a Sacramento Kings team that's suddenly red-hot.
Sacramento is rolling with a two-game winning streak -- beating two teams nearly 10 games above .500 and rolling by double digits in both contests. This makes the 10-30 record on the Kings' side a growing afterthought for the Wednesday night game.
Then there's Mike Brown making his return to Sacramento, only this time leading the Knicks.
NBC Sports California in the Sacramento region is where fans can watch. Or there's the NBA League pass avenue featuring the premium ($114.99) and standard ($79.99) avenues. Knicks fans can tune into The MSG Network for coverage.
But do the bets still favor the Knicks? Fernie Ruano is here to break it down:
Perhaps, the Sacramento Kings can convince Mike Brown to wear a commemorative patch during Wednesday night's 10:00 p.m. (ET) run vs. the New York Knicks.
Two nights after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 124-112 behind a stellar overall shooting performance led by, among among others Malik Monk (26 points, 7 3-pointers), DeMar DeRozan (32 points and 6 assists) and Russell Westbrook (22 points, 7 assists), and in the process putting a stain on the inauguration of LeBron James' '23rd year' patch, the home underdog Kings (10-30, 14th in the Western Conference) welcome back Brown, in his first season as Knicks head coach, to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
The Kings (+11, -110) are +375 on the moneyline against their former coach who was sent packing in mid-December of 2024 despite compiling a 107-88 (.548) record in a season and a half, in addition to getting Sacramento into the NBA playoffs for the first time in 16 years, to end one of the longest non-postseason droughts in North American professional sports.
And that seems like a century ago despite the Kings recent mini-run, which includes a two-game winning streak in the midst of playing nine of 10 games at home, including the third of seven in a row tonight when they host the Knicks (25-14, 2nd in the Eastern Conference), who have split their first two games on a current four-game road trip on the West coast.
Sacramento, still plagued by long stretches of defensive lapses during games, not to mention a lack of size, has been getting strong contributions from most of its stars recently, including DeRozan, who has scored in double figure points in his last five games.
DeRozan, averaging 19.0 points per game, has scored 21 points or more in four of the five.
Zach LaVine leads the Kings, 3-7 overall in their last 10 games, with 19.9 points per game.
Sacramento is shooting 46.3% shooting from the floor.
The Knicks (-11, -110), 5-5 in their last 10 games, are 3-7 against the spread during said span and 19-19-1 against the number for the season. New York has lost three of their last four contests.
New York is -500 on the moneyline.
The over/under is 225 (o, -110, u -110).
Brown, the 2023 NBA's Coach of the Year Award recipient, won 48 games in his first full season behind the bench with the Kings before being let go for the fourth time as an NBA head coach.
Now, Brown, hired by the Knicks last summer, is just three months into one of the league's most scrutinized jobs, while looking to keep New York, 9-10 on the road this season, afloat in their attempt to rundown the Eastern Conference's leading Detroit Pistons.
New York, averaging 119.5 points per game, are getting 28.9 points, 6.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game from star guard Jalen Brunson, in addition to a solid contribution from F Mikal Bridges (15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game).
F Domantas Sabonis (meniscus tear), F Keegan Murray (left ankle sprain) and G Dennis Schroder (league suspension) are out for the Kings, while Knicks F Landry Shamet (right shoulder sprain) is unavailable.
Knicks vs. Kings betting analysis:
Perfect spot to jump on the home 'dog Kings. especially with a variable attached to the game.
Sacramento, 7-13 at home this season, is also in the middle of a long stance at Golden 1 Center.
And the Knicks haven't been so hot lately -- no matter, where they've played.