San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings: Prediction and Betting Tips for 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament | Nov. 17, 2023
The Sacramento Kings will face the San Antonio Spurs as part of the in-season tournament on Friday, Nov. 17. The Spurs have lost their first two appearances in the inaugural competition. The Kings, however, won their first contest and currently sit second in the West Group C.
Sacramento will be missing Alex Len and Trey Lyles, who are both out with injuries. The Spurs will be sweating over the availability of Tre Jones, who is listed as doubtful. Moreover, Keldon Johnson is probable, and Devin Vassell is out with left adductor tightness.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings: Game Details, prediction and betting
Game Details
Teams: San Antonio Spurs (3-8) vs. Sacramento Kings (6-4)
Date and Time: November 17, 2023 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, Texas
Sacramento Kings. vs. San Antonio Spurs: Preview
The San Antonio Spurs have struggled to begin the season. Their sole focus is on developing the young talent at their disposal. Victor Wembanyama has been impressive, but it's clear he's still a raw talent. The same can be said for sophomore Jeremy Sochan.
A low-seeded finish and high draft picks are projected to be in the Spurs near future. However, given where they are currently in their development cycle, that's exactly what they need. This is the reason why they will be underdogs when they face the Kings on Friday.
For the Sacramento Kings, they're looking to build off their playoff appearance last season. Some internal development from Keegan Murray will ensure they're a stronger roster than last season. Furthermore, they will want to taste success in the in-season tournament as they continue to build winning habits.
Sacramento Kings. vs. San Antonio Spurs: Projected starting lineups
The San Antonio Spurs starting lineup could look like this: Devonte' Graham, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, Victor Wembanyama, and Zach Collins.
The Spurs have size, length, and interior scoring on their roster. However, they do lack some legitimate floor spacing in their starting five, and that will lead to some disjointed offensive possessions.
The Sacramento Kings starting five could look like this: De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis.
Sacramento likes to play an up-tempo brand of basketball. The two-man game between Sabonis and Fox is deadly, especially when being initiated from the elbows. Murray and Huerter provide elite secondary scoring and can spread the floor.
Sacramento Kings. vs. San Antonio Spurs: Betting tips
De'Aaron Fox is -113 to score over 28.5 points against the Spurs. The All-Star guard is currently averaging 30 points per game. San Antonio will struggle to contain his speed. You can get the same odds on the under, if you prefer.
Victor Wembanyama is -115 to score over 18.5 points. He's struggling from the perimeter, hitting just 28.3% of his threes. So, his offense would likely come around the rim. Sabonis could have a tough task on his hands. The rookie is averaging 18.5 points per game.
Kevin Huerter is knocking down an average of 2.8 threes per game this season. He enters the contest against the Spurs with odds of -111 to score over 3.5 threes. Given San Antonio's lack of perimeter defense, those odds are certainly attainable.
Zach Collins is listed as -136 to secure over 6.5 rebounds against the Kings. He's currently averaging 6.2 boards per game.
Sacramento Kings. vs. San Antonio Spurs: Prediction
The Sacramento Kings are favorites to secure a win over the San Antonio Spurs for a reason. They're trending towards being a contending team. The pace of their play and the floor spacing around their star duo of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis make them a difficult prospect for any team.
The Spurs, on the other hand, are still trying to figure things out. They've already lost two in-season tournament games and don't look like a franchise ready to turn the corner yet.
The Kings enter the game as -7 favorites on the spread and -290 on the money line. Both of those are good odds, considering the talent disparity that will be on display.