Brooklyn Nets vs Sacramento Kings 2/2/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream
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Brooklyn Nets vs Sacramento Kings Matchup Preview (2/2/22)
The Brooklyn Nets continue their road trip against the ailing Sacramento Kings Wednesday night. Since Durant’s MCL injury, the Nets have struggled to maintain their brilliance by going 2-5 (before Suns game). Those five losses have come against stiff competition though – Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Lakers, Nuggets, and Warriors. Luckily, four of them were to Western Conference teams, so apart from the Cavaliers, the Nets did not lose ground in tie-breakers against the heavyweight Eastern Conference teams. Because of this stretch, the Nets have plummeted down the standings to the 6th seed, and the 7th seed Hornets are only two games behind. The Nets will look to rebound and claim a victory against a horrible Kings team. Besides Durant, Joe Harris and LaMarcus Aldridge are also out. The starting backcourt will be intact because James Harden is probable and Kyrie Irving is allowed to play in away games.
The Kings are currently enduring a 7 game losing streak. They are 18-34 and 13th in the tough Western Conference; however, the Kings are only 3.5 games back of the 10th seed Trail Blazers. The 10th seed is the last play-in spot, so technically the Kings are still in position to fight for the playoffs. Realistically, the Kings are severely lacking in talent and would get blown out by any current playoff team. Player development and draft position needs to be the focus for the Kings now. Perhaps most importantly, they must solve the dilemma of what to do with De’Aaron Fox. Do they hand the reins over to Haliburton and trade Fox, or do they commit to this backcourt and leave Mitchell on the bench? The future is murky, but the Kings have the whole season and off-season to answer this vital question. For this game, Fox and Marvin Bagley are game time decisions, while Terence Davis is out. If Fox cannot play, then rookie Davion Mitchell will get the start.
Brooklyn Nets vs Sacramento Kings Betting Odds
This is the first matchup between the Nets and Kings this season, so no prior information can be extracted. In a game with no injuries, the Nets would obliterate the Kings by double-digits. Durant, Aldridge, and Harris are out, but the Kings are also potentially affected. Fox’s appearance – 21 PPG, 5.2 APG – would significantly boost the chance of an upset. In the end though, I still like the Nets to convincingly win even with Fox playing. With Fox, the Nets will win by 7+ points because Harden and Irving are too deadly. Without Fox, the Nets can absolutely win by 12+ points and get back on track. The Kings are 28th in Defensive Rating, so look for the Nets to clear 115 points.
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TV Schedule
Date: 2/2/22
Time: 10:00 PM ET
Arena: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
Channel: NBA League Pass
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Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup
PG: James Harden
SG: Kyrie Irving
SF: Patty Mills
PF: Kessler Edwards
C: Nic Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Analysis
In Kyrie Irving’s eight games, he has failed to score 20+ points in only one matchup. He torched the Warriors for 32 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals while looking like his old self. Irving’s role has been the isolation assassin because Harden owns the responsibility of being the main facilitator and ball handler. Harden is averaging 10+ APG for the third time in his career while still pouring in 23 PPG and grabbing 8.1 RPG. The Kings have a talented backcourt in Haliburton and Fox, but they are not at the same level as Harden and Irving. The Nets also have a talented backcourt rookie in Cam Thomas. Thomas is extremely hit or miss; he perfectly displayed this trait the last two games where he scored 25 points and then 2 points. If Thomas finds his groove, it will quickly be a blowout.
The Nets need Nic Claxton to protect the rim and stop the Kings from driving. The Kings are 7th in the NBA in terms of percent of total points that come from the paint, so Claxton will be essential in slowing the Kings offense. Claxton will have his hands full with Kings center Richaun Holmes – 12.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 69.4 FG%. Holmes does not take many shots, but he is hyper-efficient, especially on his floater. Holmes cannot stretch the floor with his perimeter shot, which means Claxton will worry about a pick and roll, not a pick and pop.
Sacramento Kings Starting Lineup
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: De’Aaron Fox
SF: Maurice Harkless
PF: Harrison Barnes
C: Richaun Holmes
Sacramento Kings Analysis
A productive night from Haliburton and/or Fox is a must for the Kings. Besides their duo, the upset can be achieved through Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, and Buddy Hield. Barnes can expose the Nets weak forward rotation through his smooth shooting stroke (40.4 3PT%). Barnes has scored 10+ PPG since the 2014/15 season, and he is consistently solid. He has the potential to explode on offense, like his 28-point performance on January 26th and his 29-point performance on January 22nd. If the Kings can get 20+ points from Barnes on an efficient shooting night, then they will be closer to the upset.
The Nets bench backcourt is a weakness right now with all of their injuries, so Davion Mitchell and Buddy Hield can win those minutes. Mitchell is still developing on offense, but his on-ball defense is already one of the best in the NBA. Mitchell will relish the challenge of guarding Harden and Irving, and the Kings would be ludicrous to not use Mitchell to disrupt them. Buddy Hield can’t mimic Mitchell on defense, but he can shoot the Kings to victory. He has struggled with his shot this season, yet he is a career 40% shooter from three. Hield is a weapon on catch and shoot threes who can swing the game in the Kings’ favor on a scorching night from deep. The Kings need everything to come together, but it’s definitely possible for them to beat the favored Nets without Durant.
Brooklyn Nets vs Sacramento Kings Daily Fantasy Picks
In this matchup, I like Kyrie Irving and Harrison Barnes to thrive. Irving is an isolation monster who can drop 30 with ease. Mitchell would likely mark Harden over Irving, which leaves an open path for Kyrie to score. In addition to his innate talent, Irving is in much better physical shape than the typical NBA player due to him playing only eight games. His legs are fresh and as a part time player, Irving is motivated to leave it all on the court while he gets the chance to play. Look for Irving to score 30+ points and thrash the Kings defense. For the Kings, I expect Harrison Barnes to play above expectations. The Nets forward rotation can be exploited by Barnes. As a spot up shooter, Barnes will have plenty of good looks since Haliburton is a great facilitator (7.2 APG). Look for Barnes to score 20+ points and flirt with a double-double on rebounds.
