In their 4th stop of the road trip, the Kings travel to Miami to take on Hassan Whiteside and the Miami Heat. Can they learn from the mistakes of the previous game and sneak out a win in Miami?

The Sacramento Kings, fresh off a disappointing loss against the Orlando Magic, look to bounce back vs. the Miami Heat. The Heat have a lot of weapons, even with the unfortunate loss of Chris Bosh, so this is not a game to skate through. Record aside, a team with Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, and Hassan Whiteside (yes, THAT Hassan Whiteside), has the talent to be a problem on any given night. South Beach is bringing the heat, but will the Kings party in the city where the Heat is on? We will see. The Kings are going to Miami at 4:30 on CSN California and KHTK Sports 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. The Kings defense was perplexing last night, and not in a good way. It seemed at times like the guys just did not want to pick up their man, or make a pointless switch, or double Kyle O'Quinn when he didn't have the ball in his hands. If the Kings play that defense with the four players I mentioned earlier, it will be a long night.

2. Ben McLemore was non existence, and will have his hands full offensively and defensively vs. Dwyane Wade. Dwyane Wade is still a very good player, and not one to slack off on. Ben needs to be more aggressive for the Kings to have a shot at this game tonight. He needs to come nothin' less than ill and he needs to dress to kill.

3. Smart Passes. I love the increased passing that has come in the George Karl era, but, unfortunately, it has also brought some mind-numbingly terrible passes. With some of the passes they think are scooping something hot, but end up basically handing the team the other ball. Even Andre Miller (aka Not Ramon Sessions) has been guilty of this.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Hassan Whiteside vs. DeMarcus Cousins

There is something I didn't think I'd say a few months ago. Whiteside hasn't just been been putting up good numbers, he is putting up some downright perplexing numbers. While Boogie had his number last game, and got Hassan into some quick foul trouble early, he still needs to be prepared to go at him. Boogie is still much bigger than Hassan, and should be able to have his way on both ends of the court.

PREGAME LIMERICK

The Kings find themselves in Miami,

Hopefully they don't find no Whammies,

And Boogie goes off,

And the Kings will all scoff,

And bring me closer to family.

PREDICTION

Kings 105, Heat 99, with all the Kings fans screaming "Ayy Papi"

It's hard not to feel bad for Beasley.

Poor Michael Beasley, he's trying so hard to guard DeMarcus Cousins.

Sadly, it's didn't go very well.

The Atlanta Hawks jumped out to a big early lead but faltered late in a 92-84 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Atlanta Hawks ran out of gas Saturday night as their six-game winning streak comes to an end with a 92-84 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Hawks played without starters Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll but had no trouble jumping out to an early lead. Atlanta used a 23-5 run over the first and second quarters to build a 36-20 lead. At that point it looked like they had the opportunity to blow the game wide open and to take Philadelphia out of the game completely.

That didn't happen however and the Sixers were able to cut Atlanta's 16-point lead down to 53-47 at the half thanks to a barrage of three-point baskets. Atlanta went stone cold in the third quarter as Philadelphia outscored the Hawks 25-16 to take a three point lead into the fourth. Atlanta's shooting woes continued in the fourth and any hope for a comeback disappeared as Luc Mbah a Moute buried a three with 1:05 remaining to put the Sixers up 91-84.

Philadelphia outscored Atlanta 45-31 in the second half. The Hawks made just 11-40 field goal attempts in the second half. The Sixers used the three-ball as an equalizer and finished 13-37 for the game.

Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 17 points but scored just four points in the second half. Dennis Schroder added 16 points and six assists off the bench but was saddled with five of Atlanta's 19 turnovers. Al Horford scored all 12 of his points in the first half and was 0-6 after halftime.

Mbah a Moute and Hollis Thompson led Philadelphia with 19 points each. Thompson knocked down five of seven three-point attempts. Robert Covington and Isaiah Canaan finished with 12 points each. Nerlens Noel was a big factor defensively especially in the second half and finished with 11 points, 17 rebounds and five steals.

This game was another reminder that you can't let any team up off the deck once they are down. The Hawks had a chance to bury Philadelphia early and couldn't. The Sixers hung around long enough and was able to make enough plays down the stretch to earn the win.

The Hawks will learn from it and put it behind them quickly. They will look to get back on track Monday when they host the Sacramento Kings at Philips Arena.

A season that continues to get more and more entertaining one comeback at a time.

By the time the starters were announced for the Heat tonight, you would think it was Miami that was 18 games under .500 entering tonight.  A final lineup of Shabazz Napier, Dwyane Wade, Henry Walker, Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen were announced only minutes before tip off, the 25th lineup of the year. Just let that sit for a second. That means out of 62 games, almost every third game would have a different lineup. If Coach Spo decided to start Michael Beasley it would of been 2008 all over again. What a season.

First Quarter

Miami scored it's first basket three minutes in (seriously) and were down 20-17 with three minutes left in the first. Sacramento was shooting 50% along with being 4/5 from down town compared to Heat's 1/4 from three point land. Although it was temporary, Miami took it's first lead with a line up of Tyler Johnson, Mario Chalmers, Walker, James Ennis and Michael Beasley on the floor. That's a lineup where three guys were playing in the D League THIS season and one was playing in China. After one Miami trailed 30-26 and  was led by Johnson (7 points) and his nifty passes

GIF: Birdman threw down this nice dunk earlier in the 1st quarter! pic.twitter.com/Mgm7lZUtYs

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 8, 2015

Second Quarter

Sacramento led 35-30 with over nine minutes left in the second and the offense was revolved around Demarcus Cousins. Fortunately for Miami, Cousins picked up picked up his third fouls with over eight minutes remaining. The lead grew due to the offense provided by Rudy Gay, who had 18 points in 19 minutes. At the half Miami trailed 61-47. If there's anything you've learned recently, its to NOT give up on Miami when they're down, but can Miami comeback when the production leader is...Tyler Johnson?

Third Quarter

Beasley and Johnson started the second half for Miami. Demarcus Cousins then became Whiteside and  fullfilled the role of  "dunk on people" and gave Sacramento a 69-56 lead with over six minutes left. Wade then got into "three pointer mode" and Henry Walker got kept followed with "missing three pointers" mode. Kings took control 74-58 with under four minutes left but Miami ended the quarter with a 10-4 run behind Johnson Wade and Beasley and at the end of the third trailed by only 10, 78-68. Comeback?

Fourth Quarter

Mario Chalmers opened up the fourth with a three. The offense started to flow around Beasley as the Heat trailed by four with nine minutes left. The Tyler Johson effect continued and got Miami down within one.

Tyler Johnson is becoming the . . . Hassan Whiteside of guards.

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 8, 2015

Beasley then stepped up with defense!! Yes you read THAT right. Beasley and defense in the same sentence. Call it Be-fense? Miami then took the lead with this Wade basket:

GIF: This @DwyaneWade jumper gave Miami the lead just moments ago! pic.twitter.com/AFdL2rQuN8

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 8, 2015

and then went up by 4 with a Henry Walker three pointer. Who is he you ask? Remember Orlando? yea him. Beasley then fouled out and his exit was followed by a standing ovation (yes you read that right too.) With 40 seconds left, the game was tied at 96 all and 40 seconds later, the game was heading into overtime. Unusually exciting for two teams with a combined record of 49-73.

GIF: Check out the EL HEAT bench reaction to some exciting 4th quarter basketball! pic.twitter.com/zxCpCgrtIM

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 8, 2015

Overtime:

Johnson continued to go beast mode and with three minutes left the game was tied at 100. Without the defense of Beasley, Miami gave up two back to back layups from Cousins and Andre Miller, and then trailed 104-103 with dos minutos remaining. Cousins then fouled out amd free throws from Chalmers and Andersen made it a 105-104.

TYLER JOHNSON THEN PUT THE GAME AWAY WITH A THREE POINTER!!

So can the Heat afford Whiteside after giving Johnson and Beas max deals? Discuss.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 8, 2015

Tyler Johnson is the 3rd Dragic brother.

— Will Manso (@WillManso) March 8, 2015

The Heat went up 108-104 on that basket and eventually won the game 114-109.

#ELHEATgame Final (OT): EL HEAT 114 - Kings 109. Wade 28pts, Johnson 24pts, Beasley 18pts, Chalmers 12pts, Andersen 11pts, Walker 11pts.

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 8, 2015

Conclusion

Let's put this game into perspective. Miami was missing 3/5's of it's starting lineup. Dragic, Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside make up 41.7 points of offense. You couldn't expect the 2/5 that came to play to make up that offense, especially considering how it's a defensive minded UD and a hobbled Wade. The take aways from tonight should be that Tyler Johnson can be a solid rotational player and Beasley 3.0 is the best Miami has had so far. The potential of these type of players heading into next season continues to be the only picture that can be used to combat the reality of this season. But the players mentioned refuse to think about next season. They instead fight for this season. A season that continues to get more and more entertaining one comeback at a time. A 16 point deficit became a five point victory. What a night.

The Kings offense is completely shut down by the zone defense in the fourth quarter and overtime, leading to the loss.

No Chris Bosh, no Goran Dragic, no Luol Deng, no Hassan Whiteside... but all the Miami Heat needed tonight was a zone defense to completely shut out the Sacramento Kings offense in the second half. After a blistering start, the Kings led by 16 in the first half, only to come crashing down to earth by one of the simplest defenses in basketball to lose 114-109.

The Kings in the first half did exactly what they needed to do, the complete opposite of what happened last night in Orlando. The Kings scored 61 points and were blazing hot from three point range at a 8/12 clip. Ben McLemore and Rudy Gay combined for 35 points on 23 shots, with Ben hitting threes and getting out in transition, and Rudy working his smooth inside-out game to perfection. After some porous defense in the first quarter, the Kings tightened up in the second, only allowing the Heat 21 points in that quarter.

The second half, however, was a nightmare. The Kings were able to maintain a double digit lead on the back of DeMarcus Cousins, who shook off some early foul trouble to rumble his way to 27 points and 17 rebounds in only 35 minutes, helping the Kings run out to a 74-58 lead with about 4 minutes to go in the third quarter. Unfortunately, thats when the Heat instituted the zone defense, which had the Kings scratching their heads as if they've never seen one before. The Kings are already a poor passing team still learning George Karl's offensive system, and with the Heat going small and athletic to harass the passing lanes, it was both extremely sad and oddly wondrous at the same time to watch the Kings offense die a horrible death. The lead began whittling down slowly and surely, and sure enough, well into the fourth quarter, Miami found itself leading 94-90. Thankfully, a Boogie inbounds play and an Andre Miller driving layup tied up the game. Gay had an excellent chance to win the game at the last second in regulation, but his driving layup spun out and the game headed into overtime.

The extra period was going decently, with the Heat and Kings exchanging baskets, until Cousins fouled out of the game on a charge call where he didn't get his feet set. From then on out, the Heat pulled away from the Kings as once again, the defense fell apart without Cousins anchoring the paint. Dwyane Wade was unstoppable, scoring 10 points in the extra period, both getting into the paint and hitting his patented midrange jumpers.

Ultimately, its another day, another disappointing loss in Florida. The Kings have now lost 13 straight in Miami and fall to 1-3 on the road trip. This is really a game they should have won, with Miami missing practically half of its rotation. And they were well on their way to doing just that before they crumbled against the mighty zone defense, the same one that terrorizes middle school teams and rec league games alike. I don't know how much work Karl has put in beating the zone, but clearly it wasn't enough yet. Again, the Kings are a poor passing team learning a new system, and against Miami's small and quick lineup those passes never stood a chance. The fact that it was their fourth game in five nights didn't help, after flying halfway across the country within a few days time. The schedule doesn't exactly get easier with a league-best Atlanta Hawks team on tap for Monday.

Random Observations

• Ray McCallum needs to do a better job keeping his head up when he drives to the rim. He's gotten into this habit of throwing himself into the paint without any kind of plan, which leads often to offensive fouls and some wild chucks in the general direction of the rim.
• Ben McLemore had a nice bounceback game with 20 points, but most of those were in the first half. Part of why the zone was so effective was because McLemore went 0/3 in the second half from three point range, never really getting the ball in a position to take shots.
• Karl went with Gay on Dwyane Wade in overtime, which turned out to be a big mistake. Some shots Wade hit were unguardable, but Rudy frequently couldn't get through screens fast enough while Wade got deep into the paint, kicking out to shooters, including the backbreaker by Tyler Johnson
• Speaking of Johnson, the guy could not miss and was in general extremely impressive. Makes me sad that Nik Stauskas, who is only a year younger, hasn't shown nearly as much as some other rookies in the league.
• Derrick Williams had a solid offensive game, but I get the feeling that Karl is getting tired of his constant defensive breakdowns. He has an extremely quick hook.

10 more days for Beasley

Michael Beasley is back...for 10 more days at least.

The Miami Heat announced today that Beasley has been signed to a second 10-day contract. Beasley signed his first 10 day on February 26th and was meant to fill the void of offense as best as possible due to the sudden loss of Chris Bosh.

He has responded well so far, by averaging 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds in 23.6 minutes while shooting 44.6 percent from the field. In the past two games itself, he had 13 points against the Washington Wizards, which was then followed by a season-high 18 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block against the Sacramento Kings.

Beasely has recently moved to playing center for Miami every time they switch to small ball and might be featured that way even more now due to an undisclosed injury to Udonis Haslem, as well as an injury to Hassan Whiteside.

The biggest difference with Beasley this time compared to his previous two stints have been his defense. He has stepped up as a role player providing effort on the defensive side of the floor, and just that effort has him playing more.

I have a strong feeling Beasley will be staying for the rest of the year and if he continues to play like this, then he may play himself into a key role off the bench next season too.

Chris Bosh went down hours after the Heat traded for Goran Dragic. But players like Henry Walker and Tyler Johnson have emerged as pleasant surprises for the Heat.

The All-Star break has come and gone, and the Miami Heat are trying to make a playoff push in what has become one of the wildest seasons for this franchise. Check out Matt Pineda's mid-season progress report and my first-quarter progress report from earlier this season.

For a brief moment, the Heat seemed to be back. Pat Riley had pulled off the improbable yet again Feb. 19, trading for 2014 All-NBA Third-Team point guard Goran Dragic for spare parts and two draft picks (he managed to ship off Danny Granger's carcass in the process). With Dwyane Wade back and Hassan Whiteside established as the starting center, Miami appeared poised to emerge as the sneaky-good low seed top teams try to avoid.

Within hours, though, Twitter became aflutter about Chris Bosh entering a Miami-based hospital. Reminiscent of Alonzo Mourning's crushing kidney ailment diagnosis in 2000, the Heat announced that Bosh would miss the rest of the season with blood clots in his lungs.

LeBron James left over the summer, and Bosh's 2014-15 campaign ends with just 44 games played. You could say this Heat season has not gone according to plan -- at all.

Still, this team has shown grit recently. Miami's theme for this season could be one of resilience and perseverance -- even in the faces of countless obstacles, this team has played hard. New players have emerged as quality NBA players.

Heat fans could see it in victory and defeat -- take the Heat's two most recent games. Miami overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat the Sacramento Kings Saturday night. Whiteside, Luol Deng and Dragic were all out, Tyler Johnson and Michael Beasley combined for 42 points on 16-for-29 shooting from the field. Without Wade, the Heat nearly rallied from a 35-point deficit in a two-point loss to the Washington Wizards.

Take the Heat's crazy comeback in Orlando Feb. 25. Miami was down eight points with 42 seconds left. I repeat, Miami was down eight points with 42 seconds left. Henry Walker made two clutch 3s to send the game into overtime, and Wade took control in the extra session.

Riley may not have many draft picks, but he's found some quality young players through the Heat's D-League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This New York Times piece on the Skyforce from last year highlights the partnership between the pro team and the D-League club. Riley estimated that 80 to 90 percent of the Sioux Falls sets are identical to those used by Erik Spoelstra. The result? When Miami needs bodies after injuries deplete the team, it can find players who will fit in seamlessly with the team. It's no accident that Johnson and Walker played well once they came aboard.

We've also seen Michael Beasley reinvent himself as a hustle player and Whiteside gobble up boards and develop a preternatural level of chemistry with Wade on the fly.

All of these positives don't discount the uneven nature of the Heat's play as a young team. The Heat blew a winnable game in New Orleans Feb. 28. Indiana is riding a five-game winning streak and moved past Miami in the playoff standings for seventh. Miami is in eighth place, with Charlotte right behind. Every game counts post-All Star break.

Moreover, this Heat team has questions going into next season. How will Hassan Whiteside's impending free agency affect his play next season? Will Miami pay Dragic? The list goes on.

But this team has come together and played with exuberance and toughness after Bosh went done. As a fan, that's all you can hope for -- that the team will play together and play hard whoever is on the court.

FINAL GRADE: B

The Atlanta Hawks suffered an uncharacteristic defeat on Saturday, but they'll have the opportunity to remove that sour taste on Monday against the Sacramento Kings.

Saturday evening was one to forget for the Atlanta Hawks. The admittedly undermanned Hawks suffered a negative decision in Philadelphia, and with that as the most recent effort on the floor for this group, you can bet that Mike Budenholzer's club will be looking to remove that sting on Monday night as they host the Sacramento Kings at Philips Arena.

This will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season, with the second on the horizon in just one week when the Hawks land in California as part of their West Coast swing. Sacramento enters this match-up scuffling a bit, as the Kings have lost five of their last six games, including an active three-game losing streak.

Things have been in a state of flux for the organization as well, as George Karl took over the reins midseason after a receiving a lucrative multi-year contract. However, the biggest issue for Atlanta in this game has little to do with Karl, and a lot to do with monster Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound center is averaging 23.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game on the season, and while any report of Atlanta's inability to deal with this type of size is highly exaggerated, no one in the NBA has an "easy" time with Cousins. Monday night could be another prime spot to deploy Elton Brand, as the longtime veteran has success in post defense, and with Pero Antic's status in limbo as a result of an ankle injury, we could see an Al Horford-Elton Brand combo at the center spot.

In addition, Monday could be a nice spot for the home team to get things going offensively. Saturday's effort was ugly to watch at times, but with Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap ready to line up against the Kings, Atlanta will be looking to take advantage of a bottom-five defensive team in the league.

"Must-win" spots are few and far between in the NBA, and this certainly isn't one of them given Atlanta's monstrous lead in the Eastern Conference standings. Still, the Hawks are set to hit the road for a six-game trip following this contest, and any momentum that could be gained to jumpstart that journey would be beneficial. Stay tuned.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Monday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

TV: SportSouth

Radio: 92.9 "The Game" FM

The Atlanta Hawks suffered an uncharacteristic defeat on Saturday, but they'll have the opportunity to remove that sour taste on Monday against the Sacramento Kings.

Saturday evening was one to forget for the Atlanta Hawks. The admittedly undermanned Hawks suffered a negative decision in Philadelphia, and with that as the most recent effort on the floor for this group, you can bet that Mike Budenholzer's club will be looking to remove that sting on Monday night as they host the Sacramento Kings at Philips Arena.

This will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season, with the second on the horizon in just one week when the Hawks land in California as part of their West Coast swing. Sacramento enters this match-up scuffling a bit, as the Kings have lost five of their last six games, including an active three-game losing streak.

Things have been in a state of flux for the organization as well, as George Karl took over the reins midseason after a receiving a lucrative multi-year contract. However, the biggest issue for Atlanta in this game has little to do with Karl, and a lot to do with monster Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.

The 6-foot-11, 270-pound center is averaging 23.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game on the season, and while any report of Atlanta's inability to deal with this type of size is highly exaggerated, no one in the NBA has an "easy" time with Cousins. Monday night could be another prime spot to deploy Elton Brand, as the longtime veteran has success in post defense, and with Pero Antic's status in limbo as a result of an ankle injury, we could see an Al Horford-Elton Brand combo at the center spot.

In addition, Monday could be a nice spot for the home team to get things going offensively. Saturday's effort was ugly to watch at times, but with Kyle Korver, DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap ready to line up against the Kings, Atlanta will be looking to take advantage of a bottom-five defensive team in the league.

"Must-win" spots are few and far between in the NBA, and this certainly isn't one of them given Atlanta's monstrous lead in the Eastern Conference standings. Still, the Hawks are set to hit the road for a six-game trip following this contest, and any momentum that could be gained to jumpstart that journey would be beneficial. Stay tuned.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Monday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

TV: SportSouth

Radio: 92.9 "The Game" FM

After a road loss in Golden State, the Clippers come back home to meet up with a rested Minnesota squad that features all the key components to upset Los Angeles. The team cannot lose focus.

2014/2015 NBA Regular Season
	vs
40-23		14-47
March 9, 2015, 7:30 PM
STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, California)
Prime Ticket, Fox Sports North, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM
Win-Loss Breakdown (2014-2015)
14-11	East	8-16
26-12	West	6-31
8-3	Division	3-8
23-9	Home	9-24
17-14	Road	5-23
17-19	.500+	5-32
23-4	.500-	9-15
1-1	OT	0-2
6-4	L10	3-7
Probable Starters
Chris Paul	PG	Ricky Rubio
J.J. Redick	SG	Kevin Martin
Matt Barnes	SF	Andrew Wiggins
Spencer Hawes	PF	Kevin Garnett
DeAndre Jordan	C	Nikola Pekovic
Advanced Stats
96.79 (11th of 30)	Pace	97.51 (9th of 30)
109.4 (1st of 30)	ORtg	99.6 (27th of 30)
103.4 (18th of 30)	DRtg	108.5 (30th of 30)
Injuries/Other
Blake Griffin (Out) Elbow		Shabazz Muhammad (Out) Finger
Jamal Crawford (Out) Calf		Anthony Bennett (Out) Leg
		Robbie Hummel (Out) Hand

For More: Visit Canis Hoopus

Prediction
110101

Darington Hobson and David Stockton have been named RidiculousUpside.com's Top Prospects for the week of March 1st through March 7th.

Both the Santa Cruz Warriors and Reno Bighorns have overcome obstacles this season. As something that has become a common occurrence on the D-League level, each team has watched key contributors drift away to begin playing basketball internationally. The Warriors have lost the likes of Joe Alexander and Ronald Roberts, whereas Brady Heslip left the Bighorns.

But where one door closes, another opens. As such aforementioned players have departed, others have taken advantage of the opportunity at hand to step in and fill the necessary voids.

After being re-acquired by Santa Cruz midseason, Darington Hobson has steadily emerged to help lead his team on what has progressed into an eight game winning streak. Just this past week, he accomplished somewhat of a more unlikely (but even more impressive) feat, logging back-to-back triple doubles. While the Warriors took care of business and logged three victories in the first week of March, Hobson more than carried his weight, averaging 24.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. He shot an ever efficient 60% from the field.

Returning from playing out a recent ten-day contract with the affiliated Sacramento Kings, David Stockton came back to the Reno Bighorns and provided quite the boost. The son of Basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton averaged 40 points (on 54% from the field), 16 assists, and 5 steals. He tied an NBA D-League record with 22 assists in one contest last week, all the while leading Reno to a 2-0 mark.

For their most recent efforts, Hobson and Stockton collectively double up as RidiculousUpside.com's Top Prospects of the Week for March 1st - March 7th.

As the Warriors and Bighorns each propel towards the postseason, they can only hope each aforementioned player continues to step up in unique fashion to lead the way.

If I would have told you in October that the Atlanta Hawks would have the East's best record (and nearly the NBA's best record) in mid-March, you'd think I'm crazy.  Yet that's where we are, and even more crazy is that with a win tonight, the Hawks would become the first team this season with 50 wins.  Tonight's game tips off at 4:30 pm Pacific on CSN California and KHTK Sports 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. The Hawks are essentially San Antonio East.  They've got a driving, penetrating PG in Jeff Teague, a defensive-minded unselfish big man in Al Horford, and a bevy of roleplayers who know exactly where they need to be and what they need to do.  This team is not a fluke.  They're 6th in Offensive Rating, 5th in Defensive Rating and don't even have anybody on the team averaging 17 points a game.  There isn't a guy you can really point to on the Hawks and say "if you can stop him, you can stop their whole team".

2. Atlanta's a ridiculously good three point shooting team, ranking 3rd in makes and 2nd in percentages.  Kyle Korver and his obscene 49.2% from three point range plays a large part of that, but the Hawks as a team have 9 players hitting at least 33% of their three pointers and 4 above 39%.  For comparison's sake, the Kings have just 3 guys shooting above 33% from three (not including DeMarcus Cousins' 2 of 3 on the year) and nobody shooting above 39%.

3. If there is one area that Atlanta is weak it's on the glass.  They're not a great rebounding team and they're actually one of the worst offensive rebounding team, mainly because their team is so perimeter oriented.  The Kings are pretty good on the glass so if they can control the second chance points on both ends that could be a key to hanging in close with this tough Atlanta squad.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Al Horford vs. DeMarcus Cousins

Horford's as close to the heart and soul of this Atlanta team as you're going to get.  The Hawks of this year aren't much different roster wise from the Hawks of last year aside from the fact that for the first time in a few seasons, Al Horford has finally been fully healthy.  He's a gifted center who has the ability to win his matchup on both ends of the court, and he is not someone that DeMarcus Cousins will be able to easily push around.  Cousins will have to bring his A-game and not get frustrated by what is sure to be a tough matchup.

PREGAME LIMERICK

Taking a look at the NBA standings,
don't like where I see the Sac Kings.
We play the Hawks?
Their record rocks!
Maybe I should just rewatch Lord of the Rings.

PREDICTION

Kings 111, Hawks 97 in the "We finally get revenge for the terrible Mike Bibby trade" game

The second-year guard averaged in excess of 30 points as the Magic went 2-1, but Mo Williams came away with the award.

Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo was nominated for the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, the league announced Monday, but it conferred the honor on Charlotte Hornets point guard Mo Williams instead.

From March 2nd-8th, Oladipo averaged 30.7 points per game, 4.7 rebounds, six assists, and 3.3 steals, leading the Magic to a 2-1 record. His scoring and steal averages rated best and second-best, respectively, among all East players.

Oladipo tallied a career-best 38 points in a losing effort to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, and scored 32 in Orlando's next game, a close victory over the Sacramento Kings. Those two scoring performances rank among the five best in his young career.

Meanwhile, out West, the NBA made the no-brainer decision to honor Russell Westbrook as the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard continued his recent tear: he averaged 40.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 11.3 assists on the week.

The Hawks run a clinic on how to execute offensively while running circles around the Kings

The Sacramento Kings are now ten games into the George Karl era, but the Atlanta Hawks tonight flat out showed them how its done. Behind a flurry of three pointers and crisp passes, the Hawks dissected an already wobbly Sacramento defense and utterly crushed the Kings 130-105.

The Kings' offense wasn't actually that bad. Rudy Gay continued his recent stretch of strong play with 23 points on only 15 shots. Ray McCallum chipped in 15 points on 10 shots and dished 5 assists. DeMarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore both struggled on the night. Cousins was harassed by multiple Hawks in the paint, and the Kings could not find him in scoring position. Boogie only had 12 points, but he had 14 rebounds and 6 assists. McLemore really struggled with his jumper all night, scoring 12 points on 16 shots. The Kings overall shot 48% from the field and 40% from three point range. They had 21 assists and 16 turnovers, which is not ideal but hardly a major factor in the game.

What tonight was really about is what the Hawks did on the offensive end that really matters here. The Kings still haven't quite figured out how Karl wants them to play defense, and when you have a team like the Hawks who can pinpoint a defensive mistake with laser-like precision, be prepared for pain. And pain is exactly what the Hawks delivered tonight. Atlanta shredded the nets for 20 three pointers, the highest total for an NBA team this season. The Hawks dished a ridiculous 42 assists, also an NBA season high. The Hawks dropped 76 points on the Kings in the first half, which was the second highest total this season. Kyle Korver and DeMarre Caroll paced the Hawks with 20 points apiece, combining for 10 three pointers just between the two of them.

The Kings now fall to 1-4 on this hellish road trip. At this point, the team just has to keep its morale in tact before they can get some more practice time in with George Karl's offensive and defensive system. This is like an extended training camp for the team and it would be unfair to judge them against championship contenders like the Hawks who are quite literally in midseason form. But it does highlight just how far the Kings have to climb before they can call themselves a respectable opponent.

Random Observations

• Nik Stauskas is alive! The rook is really taking well to George Karl's offensive system, scoring 10 points tonight on only 5 shots. Karl is giving him more ballhandling responsibility and its helping his feel for the leather when he shoots the ball.
• Kyle Korver is the most frightening shooter I've ever seen. It doesn't help that the crowd starts buzzing before his shot even reaches the rim, its like charging an attack. Korver hit six three pointers tonight.
• Carl Landry just looks slower and slower every game. Being undersized and slow is an awful combination. He got the start tonight, but there just wasn't anything there. Seems like a bad fit for Karl's system. The Kings absolutely need to upgrade the PF spot this offseason
• One interesting thing to note was that the Hawks a bunch of long offensive rebounds off of missed threes because the Kings' perimeter players were leaking out on the fast break. The Kings need to be smarter about that as opposed to just running out on the first opportunity.

The Atlanta Hawks put on an offensive clinic Monday night at Philips Arena in a 130-105 win over the Sacramento Kings.

The Atlanta Hawks were due a good shooting night and that is exactly what they got Monday night against the Sacramento Kings. Atlanta scored 76 points in the first half and finished with 130 for the night in a blowout win. They set an NBA high for the season with 42 assists and looked like a well oiled machine in the process.

"I think it's a night where we were fortunate and we made a lot of shots," head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters following the game. "The ball movement was good. We were able to get a rhythm going offensively. We caught them in the middle of a tough schedule, a lot of road games. It was just a good offensive performance.

Coming into the game, the focus was on how Atlanta might slow down Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins. Perhaps more attention should have been paid too how the Kings would deal with Atlanta's talented point guard combination of Jeff Teague and Dennis Schröder.

Teague finished with 18 points, hit seven of 11 shots and handed out a game-high 13 assists. Schröder added 12 points and eight assists off the bench. They combined for 21 of Atlanta's season-high 42 assists which was the most by an NBA team this season.

"That's something, obviously, that we emphasize," Budenholzer said. "We talk a lot about our ball movement, people movement. Guys have to make shots for there to be assists. I thought the pace going into our screens and coming out of screens ... there was a good energy. There was a sharpness to our offense that allowed us to get into a good place."

Of course the offense is only half of the story. Atlanta did a good job of setting the defensive tone early against Cousins and held him to just 12 points on 3-9 shooting. That was well under his 23 point average coming into the game. Cousins did finish with 14 rebounds and six assists but was visibly frustrated for much of the night.

"That would probably be one of the things that was a big emphasis coming into the game," Budenholzer said. DeMarcus Cousins is such a good player, such a good low-post player. If you limit his catches, especially deep, where he is so effective ... I thought our guys worked really hard to make his catches tough. Al and Elton mostly, but other guys got switched onto him. The activity in our post defense was something we can build on."

When Cousins did make a catch near the basket, he was met by a swarming Hawks defense. That led to blocked shots by Al Horford on each of his first two shot attempts and it didn't get any easier from there.

"Showing him different looks," Horford said. "Our team did a great job guarding him. Our guys kept coming and helping. He's the type of player who's very capable to get going offensively."

The Hawks responded in a big way after a disappointing loss in Philadelphia on Saturday. Atlanta did rest three starters against the Sixers but built up a big first half lead and seemed to run out of gas in the second half. They delivered another statement on Monday and became the first team this season to reach 50 wins.

"We're just unselfish," DeMarre Carroll said. "We don't care who scores. This is a high-character team. I think that's why we're so unselfish, because we'll pass up a good shot for a great shot. If you have guys like that on your team, who don't care who gets the glory, you set the record in assists."

The win improved Atlanta's home record to 30-4 on the season. Atlanta's magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed in the East is seven. Next up for the Hawks is a six-game west coast run beginning Wednesday night in Denver.

How good can Miami be next season with Bosh back in the mix?

It was a welcome sight to see Chris Bosh back and a sigh of relief to hear if that all goes well, he will be back in September to resume basketball activities. It's been speculated that one reason that it was publicly announced that Bosh would be back was not for reassurance for Miami Heat fans, but also for Goran Dragic. While it certainly doesn't pressure Dragic even more to have a longer stay in Miami, it certainly shows him that this a good team on the verge of being great and as well as a team that is going through one bizarre season of unpredictability.

In all honesty, if the Heat DON'T get into the playoffs, I would be okay with it. I predicted in the beginning of the season that this team would be a #4 seed, but after watching this roller coaster, I fear someone like Dwyane Wade or Hassan Whiteside will get seriously injured in the first round and this misfortune will carry into the 2015-2016 Season.

So now that we can look forward to Bosh being back, let's see what the projected roster may look like when healthy next season.

One benefit of having the young players play heavy minutes of every game is that it not only gives them an opportunity to thrive within a system, but it gives them the experience to fail or succeed in crucial moments. Like Beasley against the Wizards, Walker against the Magic, and Johnson against the Kings. The same players who are leaned on heavily this year can be part of a reliable, deep bench next year. These players are the silver lining of this depressing cloud known as the Heat season.

At their healthiest level and when playing with cohesiveness, this team can very well be fighting for one of the top 3 seeds of the East and Atlanta for the division lead. At the same time, Pat Riley wants to make the big move that takes this team to the promise land. Would Riley trade someone like Deng and young talent like Napier, Ennis or Johnson for a big free agent similar to the way Miami landed Shaquille O'Neal? Or keep this whole roster and see where it goes?

The potential for this team next year is unbelievable. Dragic playing a pick and roll game with Bosh? Whiteside anchoring a line of defense? Wade and Deng being effective on trigger plays? An entire second unit that is comprised of the vision of McRoberts along with the energy of the Heat's guards and forwards? You get the picture.

Every game without Bosh makes you appreciate the game he brought. Seeing Bosh again last night made me look forward to the games we will have....soon.