Game Preview: Jazz At Kings
DeMarcus Cousins' importance to the Sacramento Kings became clear through a very prolific start to the season.
That value may be even more accentuated through his absence, which won't be ending anytime soon.
Cousins is expected to miss at least another week with an ailment far worse than it originally seemed, leaving the Kings without their star big man again Monday night as they try to end a five-game homestand on a positive note against the Utah Jazz.
Cousins averaged 23.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks through 15 games, but has been sidelined for the last five contests with a viral infection.
Suddenly, it sound like Cousins has far more than a cold. A report Sunday diagnosed Cousins' illness as viral meningitis, and after it originally sounded like he may return Monday, he's likely a week to 10 days away from getting back on the floor.
His absence has been noticeable. Following their best 15-game start since 2004-05, the Kings (10-10) have dropped four of five. Sacramento has allowed 106.4 points in its last five games after giving up 100.1 per with Cousins in the fold.
Orlando shot 50.6 percent in a 105-96 win at Sleep Train Arena on Saturday. The Kings have allowed three teams to hit half of their shots in the past five after just one did that in the first 15.
"We just were not ready to play," coach Michael Malone said. "When we defend like that, when we don't defend at all, we get beat. Defense wins in the NBA, and we didn't defend anybody."
Utah's issues are not as singularly focused. The Jazz (5-15) rank in the bottom 10 in points scored (96.2 per game) and allowed (102.5).
That's added up to eight straight losses, with Friday's 98-93 defeat against Orlando the latest. Utah trailed by as many as 17 in the second half, and now is on the cusp of its first nine-game losing streak since March 4-19, 2005.
"You can talk about position and habits, but at some point you have to compete," coach Quin Snyder said. "That's where we have to find - we have it in spots - but we've got to find it for longer.
"I know our players are committed and invested. It's just got to carry over into more individual determination, a little more resolve in certain situations."
Gordon Hayward (18.9 points per game) and Derrick Favors (16.3) are both enjoying the best offensive seasons of their careers, but Utah's defensive holes are still holding it back. Jazz opponents are shooting 52.5 percent - 42.4 from 3-point range - over the last four games.
That bodes well for Sacramento, as the Kings have managed to shoot 47.4 percent from the field in their last five games and raise their season-long mark to 45.7 percent.
"I don't know if the sky is falling defensively, but there are some possessions where you'd like to be better," Snyder said. "Staying in front of guys, individual situations where we got to stop our man a little bit more."
The Jazz fared better defensively against Sacramento last season. They held the Kings to 42.4 percent shooting and took two of three meetings despite being outscored 164-124 in the paint.
Alec Burks has averaged 17.2 points and shot 50 percent in his last five games against Sacramento, but he's questionable with a shoulder injury that's kept him out of the last two games.
The Jazz initially feared the injury could keep Burks out for a while, but he returned to practice on Sunday.
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