Rockets vs. Kings: Updated playoff picture, Davion Mitchell injury news, scouting reports
The Kings moved up in the Western Conference playoff race Saturday night when the Phoenix Suns lost to the Boston Celtics.
They will try to maintain their position when they play host to the Houston Rockets at 3 p.m. Sunday at Golden 1 Center.
The Kings (36-26) are sixth in the Western Conference, percentage points ahead of the Suns for the last automatic playoff bid in the West. They have a one-game lead over the No. 8 Dallas Mavericks, a 2 ½-game lead over the No. 9 Los Angeles Lakers and a 3 ½-game lead over the No. 10 Golden State Warriors.
The Kings are coming off back-to-back wins over the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. They beat the Lakers 130-120 on Wednesday in Los Angeles and the Spurs 131-129 on Thursday in Sacramento. Davion Mitchell is questionable for Sunday’s game due to chest soreness.
The Rockets (28-35) are 11th in the West. They are five games behind the Warriors for the last spot in the play-in tournament with 19 games remaining.
The Rockets are coming off a 123-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. They have won three of their last four games, including wins over the Phoenix Suns and Spurs. Their only loss during that stretch was a 122-116 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This is the third and final meeting between the Kings and Rockets this season. The Rockets blasted the Kings during a two-game set in Houston earlier this season, winning 107-89 on Nov. 4 and 122-97 on Nov. 6. De’Aaron Fox and Trey Lyles missed those games due to injuries.
Scouting Sacramento
Fox is averaging 27.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.9 steals in his seventh season out of Kentucky. He is shooting 47.4% from the field and 36.3% from 3-point range.
Fox tied his career high with 44 points in Wednesday’s win over the Lakers. He had 33 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals with 17 fourth-quarter points in Thursday’s win over the Spurs.
Domantas Sabonis averages 20.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 8.4 assists. He has recorded 45 consecutive double-doubles. Sabonis leads the league in rebounding, double-doubles (58) and triple-doubles (22).
Malik Monk, one of the top candidates for Sixth Man of the Year, is averaging 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Monk scored 39 points with Fox out due to injury in an overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 1. He had 26 points, five rebounds and eight assists in Wednesday’s win over the Lakers and hit a crucial 3-pointer late in Thursday’s win over the Spurs.
Keegan Murray is averaging 14.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals. Harrison Barnes averages 12.2 points. Kevin Huerter averages 10.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists, but he had a total of two points on 1-of-8 shooting in 28 minutes over the past two games.
Scouting Houston
Alperen Sengun is averaging 21.2 points, 9.4, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals for the Rockets. The 21-year-old center had 23 points, 19 rebounds and 14 assists in Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers.
Jalen Green averages 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. However, he is shooting just 41.6% from the field and 31.6% from 3-point range.
Fred VanVleet is averaging 16.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game. Jabari Smith averages 13.4 points and 8.5 rebounds. Dillon Brooks averages 13.0 points and 3.6 rebounds. Cam Whitmore, a rookie forward from Villanova, averages 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Status update
Mitchell was cleared to play in Sunday’s game against the Rockets about two hours before tipoff. Over the past four games, Mitchell averaged 10.8 points while going 18 of 21 (.857) from the field and 5 of 8 (.625) from 3-point range.
Rockets at Kings
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -6.5
Over/under: 233.5
Injury report
Rockets: OUT — Steven Adams (knee); Tari Eason (tibia); Nate Hinton (G League); Jermaine Samuels Jr. (G League).
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Davion Mitchell (chest). OUT — Jordan Ford (G League); Jalen Slawson (G League); Sasha Vezenkov (ankle).
Upcoming schedule
March 10 vs. Houston Rockets
March 12 vs. Milwaukee Bucks
March 13 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
March 16 vs. New York Knicks
March 18 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
