The Philadelphia 76ers will seek to continue their dominance over the Sacramento Kings when the teams meet Monday night in the capital city of California.
Philadelphia will look to notch its 11th straight victory over the Kings. Sacramento hasn’t beaten the 76ers since long-departed Buddy Hield scored 34 points in a 115-108 win on Feb. 2, 2019.
On Monday, both clubs badly need a win as they try to avoid the play-in round in their respective conferences.
The Kings (41-29) are part of a three-way battle for the sixth and final automatic playoff berth in the Western Conference.
The Phoenix Suns (42-29) currently possess the spot while the Dallas Mavericks (41-29) are tied with Sacramento. The Kings will host Dallas twice this week in a pivotal set.
The 76ers (39-32) are tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference with the Miami Heat. Both teams are a half-game behind the Indiana Pacers, who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Philadelphia notched a solid 121-107 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. It was only the 76ers’ fourth victory in the past 11 games.
Cameron Payne scored a season-best 23 points and matched his season high of five 3-pointers to fuel the victory.
“We finally put two halves together, and it felt good,” Payne said afterward. “Shots were falling. Everybody came locked in today. Shots were falling, and everybody played the right way.”
The 76ers have been without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid (left knee) for the past 25 games. They have gone 10-15 without him.
Embiid, who underwent meniscus surgery on Feb. 6, has yet to be cleared for contact, and the team hasn’t placed a timetable on his return.
Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris scored 24 points apiece against the Clippers.
Maxey has topped 20 months seven times this month, including three straight 30-points efforts. Harris has four 20-point outings this month.
Harris scored a season-high 37 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the field when the 76ers routed the visiting Kings 112-93 on Jan. 12. De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 21 points.
Fox scored 31 points on Saturday as the Kings recorded a 109-107 road win over the Orlando Magic.
Fox has tallied 20 or more points in seven straight games and 15 of his last 16 appearances.
The victory was the seventh in the past 10 games for Sacramento, which will open a five-game homestand on Monday.
Domantas Sabonis had 21 points and 14 rebounds for his 53rd consecutive double-double to match Kevin Love (2010-11) for the longest streak since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. Love played with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the time of his streak.
“Obviously a big, big accomplishment by Domas,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “But it’s like clockwork for him with the 14 rebounds and 21 points.”
Sacramento received a surprise contribution from Keon Ellis against Orlando. Ellis scored a career-high 19 points and had six assists in 37 minutes while again starting in place of Kevin Huerter (possible season-ending shoulder injury).
“Keon was huge. He was freaking phenomenal,” Brown said.
Sacramento sixth man Malik Monk will look to bounce back after missing all 11 shots and going scoreless against Orlando. Monk averaged 20.8 points over the previous four contests.
–Field Level Media