The Sacramento Kings have only 13 wins this season, but somehow they found a way to win two of their first three games against the Houston Rockets.
The Kings have a chance to win the season series when they face the Rockets for the final time Wednesday at Toyota Center in Houston, but they’re going into the game as 13 ½-point underdogs.
The Kings (13-46) ended a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a 123-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, their first win since Jan. 16. They will play the Rockets in the third game of a five-game road trip before visiting the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
The Rockets (35-21) have won two of three since the All-Star break. They are tied with the Denver Nuggets for third in the Western Conference behind the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
The Kings have the worst record in the NBA. The Indiana Pacers (15-44) have the second-worst record followed by the Brooklyn Nets (15-42), Washington Wizards (16-41) and New Orleans Pelicans (17-42).
The teams with the three worst records will have a 52.1% chance of landing one of the top four picks and a 14% chance of securing the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft. The team with the worst record an finish no lower than fifth in the draft lottery.
The Kings will be shorthanded once again. Devin Carter is questionable due to lower back soreness. Dylan Cardwell is out with a left ankle sprain. Zach LaVine (finger), Domantas Sabonis (knee) and De’Andre Hunter (eye) had season-ending surgeries.
The Rockets have a number of players out as well. Fred VanVleet has been out all season with an ACL injury. Steven Adams is recovering from left ankle surgery. The Rockets are also missing Amen Thompson (left quadriceps tendinitis) and Jae-Sean Tate (right knee sprain).
Kings at Rockets
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Toyota Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Rockets -15.5
Over/under: 221.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Devin Carter (back). OUT — Dylan Cardwell (ankle); De’Andre Hunter (eye); Zach LaVine (finger); Domantas Sabonis (knee); Isaiah Stevens (G League).
Rockets: OUT — Steven Adams (ankle); Tristen Newton (G League); Jae’Sean Tate (knee); Amen Thompson (quadricep); Fred VanVleet (knee).