Sacramento Kings vs Cleveland Cavaliers prediction and match preview - March 22nd, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
2020-21 NBA action continues with a bottom-table matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings.
Both teams are in the lottery spots of their respective conferences and their season's ending is a foregone conclusion.
Both sides will be looking to give their younger guys more minutes and time to develop chemistry for a potential playoff run in the future.
Match details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, March 22; 7:30 PM ET (Tuesday, March 23rd; 5:00 AM IST).
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers are ranked 28th in offensive rating and are below 25th in most major offensive categories.
Andre Drummond played in 25 games this season while averaging 13.5 boards a night. But on February 15, the team announced that they don't intend on playing Drummond while they actively look to trade him.
The franchise acquired several new assets in the famous James Harden trade and their future looks bright. The Cleveland Cavaliers can use these players to get a bevy of picks at the upcoming trade deadline and secure their rebuilding mission.
The silver lining in the Cleveland Cavaliers' season has been the breakout campaigns of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
Both guards are averaging career-highs in several statistical categories and fans believe the team will build around these two young guards.
Key Player - Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton is leading the team in scoring this season with 24.2 points a night. He also plays the most minutes, grabs the most steals and averages the second-highest assists on the roster.
The Cleveland Cavaliers won their last outing against the Toronto Raptors as Sexton exploded for 36 points including 6-9 from three-point range.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
G Darius Garland, G Collin Sexton, F Isaac Okoro, F Larry Nance Jr., C Jarrett Allen
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings have struggled defensively this season. The disparity in their strategy on both ends of the floor is enormous.
For a 17-25 team, the Sacramento Kings are interestingly the 10th-best rated offense and score the ninth-most points in the league. Meanwhile, they are ranked dead last in the NBA in defense at 30th and also grab the third-least rebounds.
The team needs to find some pieces to bolster their defense and rebounding. Opposition teams clean up the glass amazingly against them and the Kings desperately need size on their roster.
On the positive side, the Kings drafted an incredible player in Tyrese Haliburton. He is a solid playmaker and shooter and now has a starting role on the team.
Key Player - De'Aaron Fox
De'Aaron Fox is the Sacramento Kings' leading scorer. He is averaging a career-high 23.7 points per game and also leading the team in assists with 7.5 a night.
Fox signed a max contract extension in the offseason and a lot of eyes are on him and his performances.
Fox's free-throw shooting has been a concern as he shoots just 69% from the charity stripe, which is way below average for an NBA point guard.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G De'Aaron Fox, G Tyrese Haliburton, F Buddy Heild, F Harrison Barnes, C Richaun Holmes
Kings vs Cavaliers Match Prediction
This game is quite evenly matched. The Sacramento Kings are a decent offensive team but abysmal on defense, whereas the Cleveland Cavaliers are 16th in defense and quite poor on offense.
The Cavaliers are third-best in the league in offensive rebounds and would dominate the glass against the Kings.
It is important to note that both the teams are in the lottery spots and probably don't intend to win in the first place. Tanking their season and finishing at the bottom of the table will guarantee them draft picks in the upcoming NBA draft.
Where to watch the Kings vs Cavaliers game?
The Sacramento Kings vs Cleveland Cavaliers game will have local coverage on FOX Sports Ohio and NBC Sports California. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers reveal asking price for Andre Drummond, unwilling to buy him out immediately