Game Preview: Kings At Knicks
(AP) -- The New York Knicks are enjoying some surprising success with a one-two punch of Andrea Bargnani and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Sacramento Kings are searching for answers without their one-two punch of DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison.
The Knicks seek a third straight win Tuesday night against a Kings team that will likely start its longest trip of the season without two of its top players.
New York (12-46) won 121-115 at Detroit in double-overtime on Friday and ended a four-game home slide the next night with a 103-98 victory over Toronto. Bargnani totaled 44 points and Hardaway 40 in those contests.
"I think this group really is embracing this opportunity to try and kind of build some cohesion and connection as a group despite the win-loss record," coach Derek Fisher said.
New York is allowing opponents to shoot a league-high 38.6 percent from 3-point range, but it held the Pistons and Raptors to 26.7 over the weekend.
"Both nights were great teamwork. Everybody that stepped on the floor did something good for the team," Bargnani said.
Sacramento (20-37) begins an eight-game trip without Collison, who averages 16.1 points and a team-high 5.6 assists and could be out for the season with a "core muscle injury." Cousins, averaging team highs of 23.7 points and 12.2 rebounds, has missed the last two with a left ankle sprain and bruised left hip and the Kings are 2-12 without him.
"It's a team that right now without DeMarcus and without Darren, you're kind of trying to figure out to plug in the holes, who's going to be responsible for what, who's going to fill in the holes," coach George Karl said.
Sacramento fell to 2-3 under Karl with Sunday's 110-99 home loss to Portland. Rudy Gay scored 24 points for the Kings, who allowed Trail Blazers stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard to combine for 57 points.
Reserve Derrick Williams was a bright spot with 18 points after totaling 15 in his previous three games.
"Derrick's one of our more skilled players and (I'm) trying to figure out how he fits in with the team," Karl said.
The Kings aren't poised to take advantage of any problems New York may have defending the perimeter since they're shooting 32.4 percent on 3s - one of the league's worst marks.
Sacramento has also dropped 15 of 17 on the road.
"The road trip, most of the teams we are going to play are going to be mostly somewhat playoff teams," Karl said Sunday. "It's going to be an important game for them and we're going to have to play probably better than we played tonight to win a game on the road."
New York's Alexey Shved is making the most of his third stint with an NBA team this season. The reserve guard is averaging 12.3 points in his last three games.
The Kings' 135-129 overtime home win over the Knicks on Dec. 27 won't mean much. Cousins led Sacramento with 39 points and 11 rebounds and Collison had 27 points and 10 assists, while Carmelo Anthony had 36 points and 11 boards for New York, which was missing Bargnani.
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