The Sacramento Kings host the New York Knicks at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, January 14, at 10:00 PM ET.
This is a wild contrast game on paper. The Kings come in at 10-30 (14th in the West), while the Knicks sit at 25-14 (2nd in the East).
The Kings last played the Lakers and won 124-112, with DeMar DeRozan going for 32 points. The Knicks last played the Trail Blazers and won 123-114.
This is the first meeting of the season between these teams, with the rematch coming later in January.
For the Kings, DeRozan is at 19.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, while Zach LaVine is putting up 19.9 points per game this season.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson is at 28.9 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, and Karl-Anthony Towns is at 21.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
Injury Report
Kings
Keegan Murray: Out (left ankle sprain)
Domantas Sabonis: Out (left knee partial meniscus tear)
Dennis Schroder: Out (league suspension)
Knicks
Landry Shamet: Out (right shoulder sprain)
Why The Kings Have The Advantage
The simplest path for the Kings is offense-first and tempo-controlled. Even in a rough season, they’re still built to score in bursts, and they’ve got enough creators to manufacture good looks when the game gets messy.
They’re averaging 111.2 points per game with a 46.3% FG clip, and they can get hot from deep on any night (35.0% from three). If that three-ball climbs early, the whole vibe of the game changes, because the Knicks can’t just load up on one guy.
And without Sabonis, it probably turns into more guard-driven basketball. That can actually simplify things: more spread actions, quicker decisions, and more attacking the paint with kick-outs. If the Kings keep turnovers down (14.2 per game), they at least give themselves a chance to hang around.
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
The Knicks are the better team, period, and they play like it. They’re second in the East for a reason, and they’ve got the cleanest “we know who we are” identity of the two.
They’re putting up 119.5 points per game on 49.1% shooting, and they’re also a legit three-point team at 38.5%. That’s not just hot streak stuff, that’s a real offensive base, especially when Brunson is dictating everything.
The Knicks also win the possession game more often than not. They rebound at a high level (45.0 per game) and move the ball (28.2 assists per game), which matters a lot against a Kings group that’s been leaking points and confidence most of the year.
If the Knicks get Towns comfortable early, it’s going to force the Kings to choose between doubling (and giving up threes) or living with one-on-one scoring. Neither option is fun.
X-Factors
For the Kings, Russell Westbrook is the chaos lever. He’s averaging 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists, and his pace can either juice the whole offense or explode it with turnovers. If he wins his minutes, the Kings can actually make this a real game.
Malik Monk is another swing piece. He’s at 11.9 points per game, and he’s the type who can flip a quarter with two tough threes and one ridiculous driving finish. If the Kings are going to survive stretches without clean half-court creation, Monk’s shot-making matters.
For the Knicks, Mikal Bridges is the “quietly decides the game” guy. He’s at 15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, and his two-way steadiness is exactly what punishes teams that don’t defend with focus for 48 minutes.
Josh Hart is the other one, because he’s basically a mini-possession engine. He’s averaging 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, and he can win you a game without “taking over” by just stacking extra plays: offensive boards, hit-ahead passes, loose balls, all that.
And if the Kings are short-handed, Miles McBride becomes even more important as a pressure guard. He’s at 12.7 points per game while shooting 43.9% from three, which is the exact kind of supporting scoring that turns a close game into a Knicks pull-away.
Prediction
This one feels like a “Kings compete early, Knicks win the math” game. If the Kings shoot it like they did against the Lakers, sure, anything can happen. But over four quarters, the Knicks’ efficiency and structure should take over.
Prediction: Kings 104, Knicks 118
