PREMIUM
3-Game NBA SWEEPER PASS
(NBA) Sacramento vs. New Orleans,
Point Spread: 10.50 | -110.00 Sacramento (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 10.50 | -110.00 Sacramento (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Sacramento Kings traded their franchise player, DeMarcus Cousins, to the New Orleans Pelicans at the trade deadline and tonight, Cousins plays against his former team or the first time, as the 32-43 New Orleans Pelicans host the 29-46 Sacramento Kings on Friday. The All-Star center played six-plus seasons with the Kings until being traded to the Pelicans during the All-Star break for a package that included shooting guard Buddy Hield.
Sacramento: The Kings beat Denver 116-100 in their first game without Cousins but after getting trounced 112-82 by the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, have lost 13 of their last 17 games. Hield was the player Sacramento most wanted in the trade but he sure struggling against Utah, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting. However, he had averaged 16.8 points over the previous six contests and in his 18 games with the Kings, is averaging 14.0 PPG on 47.7 percent shooting.
New Orleans: The addition of Cousins was supposed to allow the Pelicans to climb up and snag the West's No.8 playoff spot but that hasn't been the case. New Orleans is just 9-9 since the All Star break and with only seven games left in their season, is five games out (slim just left town!). Cousins returned from a two-game absence due to an ankle injury to record 29 points and 16 rebounds in Wednesday's 121-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He's averaging 22.9 & 11.9 in 14 games with the Pelicans. Davis 27.9 & 12.0) also had a huge game against Dallas with 30 points and 13 rebounds and he is the first player to record at least 30 points and 13 rebounds in four consecutive games since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. He and Cousins get along well - they are both Kentucky products - and the duo is committed to making their budding partnership work, and point guard Jrue Holiday has noticed. "They for sure have a groove," Holiday told reporters. "They pass to each other kind of like they've done it before. I think it's a lot easier when you see coming off a screen one person diving and one person popping. (They're) definitely figuring that out."
The pick: Holiday is entitled to his opinion but in the 14 games Cousins has played in for the Pelicans, they are just 6-8 SU and 6-7-1 ATS. That's not playoff-level basketball. The Kings have won the previous two meetings against the Pelicans this year and just who is New Orleans to be laying this much wood? Make Sacramento an 8* play.
Sacramento: The Kings beat Denver 116-100 in their first game without Cousins but after getting trounced 112-82 by the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, have lost 13 of their last 17 games. Hield was the player Sacramento most wanted in the trade but he sure struggling against Utah, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting. However, he had averaged 16.8 points over the previous six contests and in his 18 games with the Kings, is averaging 14.0 PPG on 47.7 percent shooting.
New Orleans: The addition of Cousins was supposed to allow the Pelicans to climb up and snag the West's No.8 playoff spot but that hasn't been the case. New Orleans is just 9-9 since the All Star break and with only seven games left in their season, is five games out (slim just left town!). Cousins returned from a two-game absence due to an ankle injury to record 29 points and 16 rebounds in Wednesday's 121-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He's averaging 22.9 & 11.9 in 14 games with the Pelicans. Davis 27.9 & 12.0) also had a huge game against Dallas with 30 points and 13 rebounds and he is the first player to record at least 30 points and 13 rebounds in four consecutive games since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. He and Cousins get along well - they are both Kentucky products - and the duo is committed to making their budding partnership work, and point guard Jrue Holiday has noticed. "They for sure have a groove," Holiday told reporters. "They pass to each other kind of like they've done it before. I think it's a lot easier when you see coming off a screen one person diving and one person popping. (They're) definitely figuring that out."
The pick: Holiday is entitled to his opinion but in the 14 games Cousins has played in for the Pelicans, they are just 6-8 SU and 6-7-1 ATS. That's not playoff-level basketball. The Kings have won the previous two meetings against the Pelicans this year and just who is New Orleans to be laying this much wood? Make Sacramento an 8* play.
