NBA Picks 2/13 – Sacramento Kings @ Phoenix Suns

NBA Picks 2/13 – Sacramento Kings @ Phoenix Suns

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Sacramento Kings (30-22) visit the Phoenix Suns (31-22) tonight at the Footprint Center on TNT. Phoenix is a 4.5-point favorite and the total is 245.5. Today’s game is the fourth of five meetings, Sacramento won the first two matchups and dropped the most recent one 119-117 on Jan. 16 after blowing a 22-point fourth quarter lead.

Kevin Durant hit two free throws with 1.8 seconds left to secure the win. Phoenix guard Grayson Allen scored 29 points and tied a franchise record with nine three-pointers in the win. Sacramento is coming off a 127-113 loss at Oklahoma City on Super Bowl Sunday, they’ve lost three of their last four games. Phoenix is coming off a tough 113-112 loss at Golden State on Saturday night, the loss snapped a three-game winning streak. 

GAME STORYLINES: SACRAMENTO

Last season, the Sacramento Kings were the surprise of the NBA as they finished 48-34 and won the Pacific division, they increased their win total by 18 games. It was their first division title in 20 years (2002-2003) and their first playoff appearance since the 2005-2006 season.

The season ended with a hard-fought seven-game series loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. But the new “light the beam” culture has been established in Sacramento and the long-time dormant franchise looks to be on the rise. 

A big reason for last season’s turnaround was the acquisition of Indiana Pacers All-Star forward/center Domantas Sabonis in February 2022. Pairing Sabonis with star guard De’Aaron Fox proved to be a shrewd move as both were named All-Stars in their first full season playing together last season, and they continue to play at a high level again this season.

The 26-year-old, dynamo point guard Fox is averaging a career-high 26.4 points, along with 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals through 46 games. Fox is averaging 30 points per game in four games against Phoenix this year. Sabonis is averaging 19.9 points along with career highs of 13.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 62.3 percent shooting from the floor across 52 games. Sabonis has also posted 15 triple-doubles on the season.

Sacramento has an outstanding supporting cast for Fox and Sabonis in a versatile foursome of double-digit scorers in shooting guard Malik Monk (15.2 pts, 5.3 asts), second-year forward Keegan Murray (15.2 pts, 5.3 rebs, 1.1 stls), veteran Harrison Barnes (12.1 pts, 47.9 % from 2) and swingman Kevin Huerter (10.9 pts, 3.6 rebs). Monk’s 15.2 points per game is a career-best for the 8-year guard, he is a contender to win Sixth Man of the Year. The Kings selected Murray with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 draft and he’s progressing nicely in his second year. 

GAME STORYLINES: PHOENIX

After going up 2-0 on the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns organization has seemed to be a bit snake-bitten as they would go on to lose four straight games to Milwaukee in dropping the NBA Finals.

That would be followed by embarrassing playoff exits over the next two seasons and internal team dissension which led to the firing of head coach Monty Williams. Phoenix’s next move was to go the Big Three route by first adding Kevin Durant in February 2022 and then Bradley Beal prior to the start of this season in June. They paired the talented duo with their homegrown All-Star Devin Booker. 

Phoenix got off to slow starts of 4-6 and then 14-15 due to their Big Three being limited by injuries, specifically to Booker and Beal. Beal missed 24 of the Suns first 29 games due to back and ankle injuries. However, Beal has not missed a game since Dec. 27, and the Suns have gone 16-6 with a healthy Beal playing alongside Booker and Durant.

If all three can remain healthy, they’ll have an excellent chance of making the NBA Finals as it will be almost impossible to effectively guard three elite scorers of their caliber in a playoff series.

Collectively, the Suns Big Three are having tremendous success as Bradley Beal has remained healthy of late and settled into his role as the third scorer. Kevin Durant is averaging 28.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and is shooting 53.5 percent from the floor and 44.5 percent from beyond the arc. The 35-year-old Durant was voted as a starter for the All-Star game, it will be his 14th appearance in the game.

Devin Booker is averaging career-highs of 28 points and 7.1 assists, along with 4.7 rebounds while shooting 50.2 percent from the floor. Booker was named an All-Star for the fifth time this season. Bradley Beal is averaging 18.7 points, 4.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 49.3 percent from the floor.

THE PICK

Phoenix is playing its best ball of the season now that their Big Three are healthy, Lay the Points and take Phoenix!