Ready for some opponent whiplash?

The Kings faced what one would call "bad teams" five times in 16 December games: Utah twice, the Lakers, the Bobcats and the Magic. All but two of those games were on the road. So the Kings basically had two likely wins: home games over the Lakers and Jazz. The next two weeks of Kings basketball includes visits from the Sixers, Bobcats, Magic and Cavaliers. Hurray for the NBA schedule!

One note, though: those two winnable home game in December against the Jazz and Lakers? The Kings lost them both. But beat the Rockets (twice) and Heat. I don't know either.

NUMBER OF IMPORT

The Kings currently have the No. 2 strength of schedule in the NBA, per Basketball-Reference.com.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Thaddeus Young vs. Jason Thompson

Young has been incredible lately, averaging 20 and 7 over his last 10 games. He's a combo forward playing up in the weight class but doing pretty well, though the Sixers are predictably awful. Thompson, meanwhile, is not doing so hot right now. If Young starts torching him, expect to see lots of early Derrick Williams. On the other end, Thompson should be able to use his size to get some clean looks against Thad.

3 THINGS

1. Philadelphia has won two straight, and totally pasted the Nuggets on Wednesday night in Denver. What does Philly do well? The Sixers are currently No. 8 in the NBA in opponent turnover rate. So, there's that.

2. The Sixers are absolutely horrid from beyond the arc, which should help out the Kings. The only threats are Spencer Hawes and Thad.

3. Hawes could cause some problems for DeMarcus Cousins due to that range; as Philly plays Hawes and Young up front, you can't really let Boogie take the power forward. Hawes might have a big game.

PREGAME HAIKU

Wins on wins on wins!
Or disappointing losses.
Never know with Kings.

PREDICTION

Kings 110, Sixers 90.

More from Sactown Royalty

Follow @sactownroyaltyFollow @SBNationNBA

• Goodbye 2013: The end of one era and the beginning of another
• Kings vs. Rockets final score: DeMarcus Cousins takes over late , Sacramento wins 110-106
• Kings vs. Rockets Fan Predictions
• Kings vs. Rockets preview: Finishing the year in Houston
• Benchmarking Isaiah Thomas' Success

It's Prediction Time!

Link to The Leaderboard

Below are a series of prediction questions for tonight's game. The first four questions will be asked every game, while the 5th will change each game.

Point value for predictions are listed next to the questions. If you believe that more than one player will lead a category, you can vote for multiple players, and this is worth double points if you are correct, but zero if you are wrong. Alternately, if you only guess one player when multiple players are tied, you get zero points.

All submissions must be input before tip-off. Any submissions after tip-off will not count. You are allowed only one submission and may not change unless specifically stated.

Questions:

1. Who do you think will win the game, and what will the final score be? (1 point for guessing winner. 2 points for guessing winner and correct score of one team. 5 points for guessing winner and exact score)

2. Who will be the game's leading scorer? (1 point for guessing scorer, 2 points for guessing exact points scored)

3. Who will be the game's leading rebounder? (1 point for guessing rebounder, 2 points for guessing exact rebounds)

4. Who will be the game's leading assist man? (1 point for guessing assist man, 2 points for guessing exact assists)

5. Predict Spencer Hawes' total missed FGs, FTs and turnovers (1 point for one right answer, 3 points for two right, 5 points for all right)

After the game, Sean O'Connor of Liberty Ballers joins us to talk about the game and the season so far.

The Sactown Royalty Show is back!  We took a week off for the holidays and some family obligations, but we're back to kick off the new year.  This week I'm joined by Sean O'Connor.  Sean writes for Liberty Ballers, SB Nation's 76ers blog.

We covered a wide range of topics on this week's show.  We talked about the Kings/Sixers game, of course.  But we also talked about DeMarcus Cousins and his max extension, about the Kings' rumored interest in Andre Miller, and about the merits of tanking.  It was a fun show.  Sean was a great guest.  Be sure to check it out.

Like the show? Subscribe to us on iTunes or on Stitcher! Leave us ratings, leave comments, let us know how we're doing. Ratings and comments on iTunes really help us out with promoting the show. And of course, continue the discussion in the comments below.

As always, thanks for listening.

More from Sactown Royalty

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• Jason Thompson seems totally over the Kings
• Goodbye 2013: The end of one era and the beginning of another
• Kings vs. Rockets final score: DeMarcus Cousins takes over late , Sacramento wins 110-106
• Benchmarking Isaiah Thomas' Success
• County expects to begin crosschecking arena petition signatures Thursday

Andre Miller is on his way out of Denver. Is Sacramento in the cards?

Andre Miller is likely on his way out of Denver after the veteran point guard was suspended for two games by the Nuggets on Thursday. Miller has his first career DNP-CD on Wednesday as the Nuggets lost their eighth straight game; he and coach Brian Shaw reportedly barked in the locker room afterward.

So here's the Yahoo! team of Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc Spears ...

The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are intrigued with the possibility of acquiring suspended Denver Nuggets point guard Andre Miller, league sources told Yahoo Sports. [...]

Sacramento GM Pete D'Allessandro was a longtime executive with the Nuggets and has long been an admirer of Miller's. The Kings would love to use Miller as a veteran mentor for young point guard Isaiah Thomas, league sources said.

This is Akis, by the way, at 2:30 p.m. today.

I'm calling Andre Miller to the Kings by the deadline. Petey D knows Andre from time in Denver too.

— Akis Yerocostas (@Aykis16) January 2, 2014

Nostradumbass no more!

Miller makes $5 million this season and is on the books for $4.6 million in 2014-15. Only $2 million of that is guaranteed, however; Miller can be waived by the end of June, per ShamSports.

More from Sactown Royalty

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• Kings vs. Sixers Fan Predictions
• Kings vs. Sixers preview: Potential winfest begins at home
• Jason Thompson seems totally over the Kings
• Goodbye 2013: The end of one era and the beginning of another
• Kings vs. Rockets final score: DeMarcus Cousins takes over late , Sacramento wins 110-106

Two teams are interested in taking the disgruntled point guard off of the Nuggets' hands.

The Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors are interested in trading for Denver Nuggets point guard Andre Miller, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. Both teams would like to add Miller as a veteran presence off the bench and are in need of point guard depth.

Miller has been suspended by the Nuggets for their next two games for conduct detrimental to the team after he lashed out at head coach Brian Shaw during the team's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. Miller reportedly felt disrespected after Shaw sat him out of the game. Denver is currently on an eight-game losing streak.

The Warriors lost their reserve point guard last summer when Jarrett Jack signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Toney Douglas was brought in to replace Jack, though he's averaging just 12.3 minutes per game.

Kings general manager Pete D'Alesandro previously worked with Miller when he was still a part of Denver's front office and is intrigued with the idea of using him as a mentor to Isaiah Thomas. Thomas has stepped into the Kings' starting lineup after Greivis Vasquez was traded to the Toronto Raptors when they acquired Rudy Gay.

No deal is imminent. however, and the Nuggets intend to "smooth over" the issues between Miller and Shaw, according to Wojnarowski. Miller is averaging 5.9 points and 3.3 assists in 19 minutes per game. This is his 15th season in the NBA.

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• Eberhardt: What do NBA assistant coaches do during games?

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• Prada's Pictures: The Knicks' sad, terrible defense

There's no 'd' in Sacramento, obviously.

The Kings are horrible at defense, and the Sixers beat them 113-94 in Sacramento on Thursday just to prove it. Thaddeus Young had 28 and Evan Turner added 24 as the Sixers shot an effective field goal percentage of better than .500. DeMarcus Cousins finished with 33 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings, and Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas put up big offensive numbers, too. Jimmer Fredette had his best game of the season with 15 on 5-9 shooting.

The Sixers (especially Turner) hit some tough shots, but at the same time he, Young and Tony Wroten got to the rim at will. Without guards who can stop the ball or a big who can deter layups, the Kings give up way too many easy buckets to opponents.

The Kings are 10-21 and continue to lose to bad teams at home. Also, the Kings beat the freaking Heat at home. I don't know either.

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• Kings mentioned in Andre Miller trade rumors
• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 29: Sean O'Connor talking Kings/Sixers
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• Jason Thompson seems totally over the Kings

With the Sixers now winners of three-straight road games, is it time to abandon #TeamChill ship?

The Sixers set off on this six-game road trip with only one victory outside of the Wells Fargo Center all season. After falling to Milwaukee and then Phoenix a pretty competitive contest last Saturday, the Sixers have now won three-straight road games.

Tonight was Brett Brown’s game plan perfectly executed. The Sixers raced up and down the floor, attacked the rim with reckless abandon and shared the selflessly shared the ball on every possession.

Thad Young continued his All-Star level play, finishing with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists on 9-16 shooting from the field. Young also hit 1-2 from downtown and was a perfect 9-9 from the line. Young has now scored 25+ points in five of his last six games.

Evan Turner put up All-Star worthy numbers of his own, scoring 24 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 6 assists on 11-22 shooting. Tony Wroten also chipped in a vintage junkyard dog performance, dropping 21 points and getting to the line 13 times.

Daniel Orton (Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen in foul trouble for much of the evening.

With the Sixers play of late, a certain member of the LB fam has even begun questioning his position on #TeamChill.

Ahem, trade season, please happen soon. This team is enjoyable to watch but is quite clearly too good for now with MCW healthy.

— Sean O'Connor (@soconnor76) January 3, 2014

Three-straight wins? Is it time to FREAK?

Of course, check SactownRoyalty for their coverage as well.

The Kings' defense desperately needs a long, athletic big man to help slow opposing offenses.

So long as the Kings star Isaiah Thomas, Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins, rim protection is a huge, glaring need. Thomas and Gay allow guard/wing penetration with regularity. Cousins still struggles to make the right decision in guarding the pick and roll, and isn't any sort of shotblocker at the rim. Ben McLemore has also been troubling as a defender, but he's so danged young that you hope it's an experience issue. The other three have been around long enough that it doesn't seem like being a plus defender is in the cards.

I don't blame Jason Thompson for not being a stud defensive big man: that's not what he's ever been billed to be. I don't blame Michael Malone for not playing Hamady N'Diaye more frequently, because N'Diaye, bless him, has some other on-court issues and might not even be a plus defender in total. I don't blame Pete D'Alessandro for not having addressed this problem because he's already addressed a few other problems and there's plenty of time still.

But put all of it together, look at a game like the Kings' loss to Philadelphia, and it's plainly obvious that Joel Embiid would be perfect for Sacramento. Or at least the idea of Embiid would be a perfect match.

Embiid is the 7-footer from Cameroon who has perhaps been Kansas' best freshman this season, despite the presence of, you know, Andrew Freaking Wiggins. Embiid has a 7'5 wingspan and is considered a basketball savant; despite being introduced to organized basketball at age 16, he's quite skilled. This Bleacher Report piece by Jason King will make you lose saliva in envy. A key passage:

"He can do things that only a few people in the world can do," one NBA scout said.

It's no stretch to say Embiid is a basketball savant. Self calls him a "sponge" because he soaks up so much information. No college player in America has a higher ceiling than Embiid, and that's if he has one at all.

"It comes easy to him," Self said. "He moves like a 6-footer with his feet. He can move in a way that very few guys in the past have been able to move. There's a skill set there that very few 7-footers have.

"He has a natural feel, natural instincts. Of all the guys on our team, he's the most instinctive basketball guy we have."

Interestingly enough, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute "discovered" Embiid at a camp in Cameroon, where the former King is from. Embiid, who had no experience with organized basketball -- he was on track to play volleyball professionally, perhaps -- was good enough to make the team of five Mbah a Moute sent to South Africa for the big Basketball Without Borders confab in 2011. He was so good there against seasoned African prospects that he ended up leaving a comfortable life in Cameroon for a prep academy in Florida. That was three years ago. Now he's one of the best players in college basketball.

The top four defenses this season feature Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah, Serge Ibaka and Andrew Bogut. All four are smart, skilled players. Their respective wingspans are 7'4, 7'1, 7'4 and 7'3. Again, Embiid's wingspan is 7'5. That's right in line with some of the best paint defenders in the world.

No prospect is a sure thing; Hasheem Thabeet was sure as heck long and had a record of successfully defending the rim. It didn't work out too well for him (or the team that spent the No. 2 pick on him). Notably, of the four paint anchors mentioned above, only one was a top-5 pick (Bogut, No. 1) and only two were even top-10 (Noah, No. 9). But based on the Kings' acute need for a defender who erases mistakes and Embiid's incredible promise ... man, that's a match made in heaven.

And yes, this is in fact a Sixers vs. Kings recap. Check out how many shots the Sixers got in the restricted area on Thursday.

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• Kings vs. Sixers final score: Philadelphia wins 113-104, because defense
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• Kings vs. Sixers Fan Predictions
• Kings vs. Sixers preview: Potential winfest begins at home

Spencer Hawes came to town and Kings fans let him have it. Plus, DeMarcus puts blame for lack of energy on his own shoulders?

Kings fans don't forget. That's why they showered 76ers center Spencer Hawes with boos once again on Thursday night.

From the player introductions all the way until he fouled out at after 17 minutes of action, the crowd at Sleep Train Arena let Hawes know every time he touched the ball that they didn't appreciate his past support for moving the Kings to Seattle.

Hawes, of course, is a Seattle native and was a staunch supporter of the Kings relocating to the Emerald City last year on Twitter after the potential deal between the Maloofs and Chris Hansen was announced. Hawes also showed up in person at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City last April, sporting a Seattle Super Sonics hat during a crucial NBA Board of Governors meeting during which the league discussing the fate of the Kings.

Last March, during Here We Buy Night 2 and in the heat of the fight over the Kings between Sacramento and Seattle, Hawes faced an onslaught of boos when the 76ers visited Sacramento.

The center, who was drafted by the Kings with the 10^th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, took Thursday's punishment from Sacramento's fans in stride. Following the 76ers' 113-104 win over the Kings, Hawes took a jab at the fans that booed him.

"Three for three ... third time came back here and we got a win," Hawes told reporters. "No it was fun, I don't think it was as good as last year, but always a good time."

Hawes said he expects the boos from now on in Sacramento. When asked what he was thinking when it was announced the Kings were not going to be moving to Seattle, he said he was surprised.

"It caught me off guard, I think it caught everybody off guard; it probably caught most people here off guard," he said. "But, you know, it is what it is, that's what happened so I don't spend too much time sitting around thinking about it."

Hawes had an average game Thursday, scoring 10 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, while trying to defend DeMarcus Cousins, which would eventually result in him fouling out of the game. Cousins finished the game with 33 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot.

Despite Cousins' performance, the Kings looked lethargic for three quarters against the Sixers. They finally made a brief run in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough.

Cousins, interestingly, put the blame for the team's lack of energy and defense on himself.

"I'm trying to come out and lead by example, come out and play with a high energy and I take the fall for it," Cousins told reporters. "I'm not doing a good job leading these guys and not doing a good job of having my teammates prepared to come out and play every night. As the leader of this team it's going to fall back on me."

The Kings let a winnable game at home slip through their hands. They'll get another chance Saturday when the Charlotte Bobcats come to town.

Hat tip to MartyFromPhilly for the awesome photo.

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• Kings mentioned in Andre Miller trade rumors
• The Sactown Royalty Show Ep. 29: Sean O'Connor talking Kings/Sixers
• Kings vs. Sixers Fan Predictions
• Kings vs. Sixers preview: Potential winfest begins at home

A great time was had by a quality group of StR members, some of whom stuck around for a post-game photo shoot:

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 1, as that will be our first Sactown Royalty "away game night." We have tentatively booked O'Mally's Irish Pub in Old Sacramento - more deets to follow next week.

A report from Ken Berger indicates that the Kings are being very aggressive in trade talks and that one long-term target could be Golden State's sharpshooting shooting guard.

Pete D'Alessandro certainly hasn't been shy about making moves in his first few months as Kings general manager.  First he traded Luc Mbah a Moute to Minnesota for Derrick Williams and then he made an even bigger move last month by acquiring Rudy Gay from the Raptors.

Given this team's 10-21 record and glaring weaknesses, it's clear that more moves will have to be made.  According to CBS' Ken Berger, the Kings, along with the Cavaliers, have been among the most aggressive teams in trade talks.

From Berger:

On the heels of acquiring Rudy Gay from Toronto, the Kings are "swinging for the fences" on the trade market, one rival executive said. One top priority is shoring up the point guard position, with Andre Miller jumping to the top of the list after his falling out with Nuggets coach Brian Shaw and ensuing two-game suspension. But Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro's true long-term target is said to be Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who will be a restricted free agent after next season.

We had heard the Andre Miller rumor yesterday from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, but Sacramento's interest in Klay Thompson is new and somewhat surprising at first glance.  Golden State loves Thompson and probably wants to keep him and Steph together long term.  Still, the Warriors will have $50.57 million in salary locked in for just Bogut, Lee, Iguodala and Curry in 2015-16, the year Thompson becomes a Free Agent.  Sacramento has just $30.82 million locked up for that season (although that number goes up if you think the Kings re-sign Isaiah and/or Gay long term).

Getting Thompson from the Warriors will be no easy feat, especially since he can get an extension this summer and render all this moot anyway.  Still, it's nice to hear how aggressive this front office is being in seeking improvement.  I expect a trade or two more before the deadline in February and maybe again at draft time.  We're not likely to become a good team this season, but we can definitely lay the foundation.

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• Sactown Royalty at Sleep Train Arena II - The Revenge of Tyreke Evans, the photos
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• Joel Embiid really would be a perfect fit for the Kings
• Kings vs. Sixers final score: Philadelphia wins 113-104, because defense
• Kings mentioned in Andre Miller trade rumors

Charlotte's on a bad, no-fun losing streak. Can they put their road woes to an end in Sacramento?

Gametime: 10:00 p.m. EST

The Bobcats have now lost 6 of their last 7 games, including a current 5-game losing streak. It's been a real blast, but I'd rather it end soon.

The Bobcats beat the Kings once already this season in an 8-point win at Time Warner Cable Arena, but the Bobcats have significantly slipped on defense, especially without Jeff Taylor. Charlotte's last two games had a combined deficit of 57 points, so I'm not exactly psyched to see the Bobcats play an opponent that's scored 100+ points in each of the past eight games.

But that's not to say Sacramento's been an amazing turn-around story. They haven't. They've had some strong wins, including one against Miami in overtime and one in Houston. They also took San Antonio nearly to the brink, but couldn't execute late in the game against Time Duncan and the Spurs' defense.

Save for an unsavory game against the 76ers the other night in which the Kings' defense couldn't shut down Evan Turner, Tony Wroten and Thaddeus Young, Sacramento has strung together a nice stretch of competitive games against decent squads.

DeMarcus Cousins is the clear focal point of the offense as the most versatile offensive player. He tore up Al Jefferson for three of four quarters last time around before sputtering out in the final stanza, and I'm sure he can do the same if not more tonight with his quickness and footwork. Cousins' foul trouble can be a factor any night as well as his temper, so keep that in mind, too.

Isaiah Thomas is no small threat either. He's a speedster with a good jump shot and terrific finishing ability at the rim. And it seems Rudy Gay's moved back into more of a supporting role rather than a dominant one on offense. With his usage rating back in line with his time in Memphis, Gay's had as much scoring success in Sacramento as in Toronto but on fewer shots, which has to be encouraging for Kings fans, especially since his three-point shooting should balance out toward his career averages at some point. We shall see, I suppose.

Charlotte will undoubtedly need a much better defensive effort for an entire game than we've seen recently if they want to take down Sacramento. The Kings don't have the dynamic shooting of Portland, but they can exploit the disparity between their offense and Charlotte's defense and their defense and Charlotte's offense for a healthy differential if things go the way we've seen on this West coast trip.

The Bobcats have really struggled with offensive difficulties of Kemba Walker as of late, so if he can get back to his usual rhythm of getting to the hoop, Charlotte should have a better chance on offense.

Or so we hope. Shoot, can't be any worse than the last game, right?

Don't answer that.

The Kings assigned Hamady N'Diaye to the Reno Bighorns on Friday. They lost to the Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday night.

The Kings on Friday assigned Hamady N'Diaye to the Reno Bighorns for the second time this season. N'Diaye played 32 minutes in the Bighorns' loss to the Santa Cruz Warriors on Friday. He registered 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.

N'Diaye has played minimally in 14 games with the Kings, but he's gotten more time than the other part-time Bighorn, Ray McCallum. McCallum was recalled from Reno when the Kings traded Greivis Vasquez and company to Toronto, but has played only a spritz of minutes for Sacramento since. McCallum averaged 38 minutes per game with the Bighorns in three games.

The D-League Showcase in Reno begins on Sunday. All 17 D-League teams and scores of NBA GMs will be in Reno for the five-day, 17-game event. It's compared to a miniature All-Star Weekend, with trades potentially sprouting legs. It's interesting that McCallum hasn't yet been assigned to Reno to get shown off a little; the Bighorns next play Sunday evening, so it could still happen.

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• Sacramento "swinging for the fences" in trade talks
• Sactown Royalty at Sleep Train Arena II - The Revenge of Tyreke Evans, the photos
• Spencer Hawes gets booed, reacts to Kings fans
• Joel Embiid really would be a perfect fit for the Kings
• Kings vs. Sixers final score: Philadelphia wins 113-104, because defense

Will the Kings bounce back to repel the Bobcats?

One thing about these Sacramento Kings is that they do typically respond to embarrassment. The problem with the response is that it is, as it would be for most people, a short-lived motivating force. There is a shelf life on shame, and for the Kings it appears to be roughly one game.

So if the Kings are embarrassed by Thursday's embarrassing loss to the Sixers after such a wonderful stretch of play, then the Bobcats might be in for a world of hurt. Maybe.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Rudy Gay vs. Anthony Tolliver

The biggest offensive problem when these teams met in Charlotte last month was Rudy Gay, who had just four points on 1-6 shooting. Given the Kings' defensive problems, they cannot win games in which Gay gets outplayed by Jeff Taylor. Fortunately for the Kings, Taylor is injured (a real blow to Charlotte, actually) and it's Anthony Tolliver. Gay can outplay Tolliver, right? Right?

3 THINGS

1. DeMarcus Cousins fouled out Al Jefferson last time around and outscored him 30 to 10. And the Kings lost. Needless to say, Cousins probably needs to vastly outplay Jefferson again. That'd be good for the Kings.

2. Isaiah Thomas is always a key piece of Sacramento's attack, but the Kings really need him to slow the small, lightning fast Kemba Walker, who had a really strong night last time around. Ben McLemore's defense on Gerald Henderson needs to improve as well.

3. Given Jimmer Fredette's strong fourth quarter on Friday, I'm really interested to see how much run he gets with Isaiah, given the Kings' shooting guard struggles.

START FOUR UPDATE

We're working with Start Four to get the drawing set up, etc.

PRE-GAME HAIKU

The Kings stay the Kings.
Great against greats; bad 'gainst bads.
The Kings stay the Kings.

PREDICTION

Kings 99, Bobcats 98-1/2.

Game's at 7 p.m. on Comcast.

BREAKING: Thaddeus Young has played really well as of late.

Since December 19th, when Jake Fischer first reported Thad's trade request (which has since also been reported by Yahoo's Marc Spears), Young has scored an average of 25.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, all while taking more than 4 threes and free throws on average. While 6 games is nothing major in terms of sample size, the timing of his surge is very convenient given the circumstances.

With that in mind, I've got three questions. It's been a quiet news week aside from all this winning, and I'd like to hear your thoughts on these:

1. Has his recent uptick changed your mind about wanting to keep or trade Thad?

2. If traded, what team is the best fit for Thad?

3. If traded, what type of deal do you expect in return? (links to ESPN's trade machine would be helpful here)

Discuss below in the comments - I'm interested to see if things have changed now that he's playing so well.

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It's Prediction Time!

Link to The Leaderboard

Below are a series of prediction questions for tonight's game. The first four questions will be asked every game, while the 5th will change each game.

Point value for predictions are listed next to the questions. If you believe that more than one player will lead a category, you can vote for multiple players, and this is worth double points if you are correct, but zero if you are wrong. Alternately, if you only guess one player when multiple players are tied, you get zero points.

All submissions must be input before tip-off. Any submissions after tip-off will not count. You are allowed only one submission and may not change unless specifically stated.

Questions:

1. Who do you think will win the game, and what will the final score be? (1 point for guessing winner. 2 points for guessing winner and correct score of one team. 5 points for guessing winner and exact score)

2. Who will be the game's leading scorer? (1 point for guessing scorer, 2 points for guessing exact points scored)

3. Who will be the game's leading rebounder? (1 point for guessing rebounder, 2 points for guessing exact rebounds)

4. Who will be the game's leading assist man? (1 point for guessing assist man, 2 points for guessing exact assists)

5. Predict the largest lead for both teams (1 point for one right answer, 3 points for two right)

Two weeks in a row, I've had the Sixers recap at the same time as the Eagles game. Horsecrap.

The Sixers play the Blazers in Portland tonight and if they don't lose this game, I'm fairly certain that will be the end of Team Chill once and for all (actually no, the February 20th Trade Deadline will mark the true end of Team Chill). Brett Brown's team has won three straight road games after losing their previous thirteen, because Sixers Be Crazy. This loss is especially vital because there are many, many winnable games on the horizon with the team as currently constructed.

When the team's last met, the Blazers scored 139 points, which was a lot more than the Sixers scored. Expect something similar tonight. I'm especially looking forward to Thomas Robinson yelling "LUNCH MEAT" at Spencer Hawes guarding LaMarcus Aldridge. Google it.

But really, all of that is secondary to Eagles/Saints tonight. By the time the Sixers game comes on (10:00 EST), your scrotum will be so tight shoving a full Christmas ham up there watching playoff football, I highly doubt you'll want to watch this lovable bunch of Davieses lose by 45 to one of the best teams in the NBA.

Thad is Good

Since his trade request, Thad has been excellent.

So I'd like to direct you to this fancy Eagles preview written by the Started From The Bottom Now He Here managing editor of Bleeding Green Nation, Brandon Gowton, formerly Brandon Lee AKA PhiladelphiaEagles AKA PhillyFollower. It's a big night for him and he's a big man. He's always got a place at LB, and he's actually got the game thread in three weeks vs. OKC so dude better not bail.

Some bullet points for #blogsynergy:

• Run the ball. And keep running it. Don't pull an Andy and stop when it doesn't work on the first drive.
  
• Tackle. This seems important.
• Get to the free throw line. Wait, that's not supposed to go here.
• Pierre Thomas isn't playing. Don't let the 8th-string running backs beat us. Matt Asiata is dead.
• Sign Jeff Thomason.
• Try not to be cold. Not sure how to do that though, it's 65 degrees here.
• I don't know what to do about Jimmy Graham. You'll think of something.
• Score more than them.
  

That should do it. Go Eagles. Go Not Sixers. Let's rock.

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Welp.

The Kings' impressively bad defense again allowed a bad opposing offense to be dominant as Sacramento fell 113-103 to the Bobcats on Saturday.

Charlotte dropped 32 points in the opening quarter. The Kings had a good defensive second quarter until all hell broke loose. Charlotte had scored just 16 points with 4:30 left in the quarter. Then the Bobcats went on a 17-0, scoring on nine of 11 possessions to finish the half. Charlotte had 65 at the half.

In the third, the Kings defense looked noticeably better, but Kemba Walker kept Charlotte on top with some hot three-point shooting. (He just shot over the top of Isaiah Thomas repeatedly.) The fourth quarter was a tribute to Al Jefferson; he dropped 10 points over 3-1/2 minutes to ensure Charlotte would hold on.

The Bobcats had a road effective field goal percentage of .452 before Saturday night. Their eFG against the Kings: .596. The Bobcats have a road points per possessions figure of 0.97 this season. Their points per possession on Saturday: 1.15.

The Kings' offense was just fine. They get so few stops that no amount of fine offense can help on nights like this. DeMarcus Cousins scored 26 points on 8-23 shooting (10-14 line). Isaiah added 21 on 9-17 shooting. Walker had 30, Jefferson finished with 27. They shot a combined 23-40.

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The Bobcats finished their season sweep of the Kings behind great play from Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, but strong team shooting numbers played a huge role as well.

What happens when a team with no offense plays a team with no defense? The Charlotte offense and Sacramento defense both ranked 28th in the NBA in terms of efficiency going into Saturday's game, and it seems that after this game, both of those rankings will change, but only Charlotte's will improve.

The Bobcats finished with a 54.2 field goal percentage and a 60 percent mark from three, making this one of the best offensive performances of the season. Was that because of the Kings' woeful defense? Definitely. Was that because, for seemingly the first time in weeks, both their open and contested shots fell? Probably. Was it because Ben Gordon didn't play? Well, I can't rule that out. Regardless of cause, the Bobcats offense thrived at every possible level, scoring on fast breaks following turnovers, scoring 50 points in the paint, and knocking down nine shots from behind the arc.

This offensive prowess was fueled by Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson, who had the type of chemistry tonight that normally leads to sitcom deals (or, at the very least, a lot of points). Walker dropped 30 points on 12-for-19 shooting, and Jefferson contributed 27 with an 11-for-21 line, combining for over half of the team's points. Lest you think the effort was coming from only two areas, Gerald Henderson, Ramon Sessions, and Chris Douglas-Roberts also put double figures on the scoreboard, and all finished with more points than field goal attempts.

The Bobcats defense didn't look like its usual strong self for a good portion of the game, but it required a shift midway through the second quarter. With DeMarcus Cousins neutralized for most of the first half, Rudy Gay had begun to drive through the lane and get consistently open or easy looks. From there, the defense packed in and let the shooters work while trying to contain penetration into the paint. This didn't always work, and the defense broke down more often than we've become used to this season, but it slowed down Gay long enough to keep the Bobcats in front for the entire second half.

If there was one area where the Bobcats struggled, it was with rebounding, as they allowed the Kings to pull down 17 offensive rebounds from 50 missed field goals. Individually, Jefferson had 9 rebounds, while Josh McRoberts led the team with 11, but no other Bobcat was able to come up with five, leading to a lopsided 52-38 margin in total rebounding in favor of the Kings, despite the Kings missing more shots than the Bobcats.

It should be mentioned that Anthony Tolliver continues to slide in nicely to his three-and-D role, shooting 2-for-2 from the perimeter (and 2-for-3 overall) to raise his already-strong season three-point percentage.  He occasionally struggles against more athletic small forwards, and we saw some of that against the Kings, but if his ability to guard multiple positions stays the way it has been so far, he could be a valuable defensive contributor due to his versatility.

Other assorted notes:

• Bismack Biyombo fouled out after playing only nine minutes, but he played good defense during his short time in the game.
• Cody Zeller looked good tonight, seeming to thrive in a faster-paced game than the Bobcats typically play. He didn't record a block, but used his athleticism to alter the paths of shots, and made many plays on that side of the ball. He only managed two rebounds in 11 minutes, partially due to the role he was playing keeping him away from the defensive glass, but also had two assists.
• Along with that, the Bobcats' ball movement looked good tonight. Occasionally their passing has been listless and just a way to slow pace, but tonight it looked purposeful on almost every possession. It was a good team night on offense.

I'm running out of ways to say how bad our defense is.

1. Mondays

2. Traffic Jams

3. Foster's Beer

4. Taking C.J. Spiller and David Wilson with the first two picks of my fantasy football draft this year

5. The Twilight Books

6. The Twilight Movies

7. Jerry Reynold's chances of joining Twitter

8. Rudy Gay's Pass to Section 104, Row M

9. My chances at landing a date with Jennifer Lawrence

10. The post-Michael Scott seasons of the Office

11. Shaquille O'Neal's Free Throw Stroke

12. Getting gum in your hair

13. Doing laundry

14. The Dexter Series Finale

15. DeMarcus Cousins' body language

16. Ben McLemore's ballhandling skills

17. Dolores Umbridge

18. Hangovers

19. Having to pay $1.90 for guacamole at Chipotle

20. A Good Day to Die Hard

21. Charles Barkley's golf swing

22. Isaiah Thomas' decision to opt for a tough layup rather than an easy pass to an open Jason Thompson.

23. Marcus Thornton's shot selection

24. Greece's economy

25. Travis Outlaw's shot selection

26. Gaius Baltar

27. Myspace

28. Trying to hold Asia in a game of Risk

29. TLC's programming

30. Day-old Fries

31. Nails on a chalkboard

32. Drivers who don't use their turn signal

33. Bitcoin's stability

34. Jason Thompson's opinion of referees

35. The average person's ability to pronounce Giannis Antetokounmpo's name correctly

36. Getting that bit of popcorn unstuck from in between your teeth

37. Power Balance Bracelets

38. Peter Jackson's love of brevity

39. Pouring a bowl of cereal and then realizing you don't have any milk

40. Stuffy noses

41. The Lannisters

42. Getting back to your seat in a crowded movie theater

43. Zing Vodka

44. Rob, Arnie & Dawn

45. Justin Bieber

46. Mosquitoes

47. Getting the middle seat on an airplane

48. John Salmons tenure as a King

49. Autoplay video advertisements on webpages

50. All Caps internet comments

51. Ric Bucher's reporting skills

52. Telemarketers

53. Cars that take up two parking spaces

54. Drafting Thomas Robinson over Damian Lillard

55. The O.C. Register

56. LeBron's hairline

57. Sacramento's late game execution

58. Driving next to bicycles

59. Nickelback

60. Crocs

61. Working on a holiday

62. Stepping in dog poop

63. Darren Rovell

64. Broken A/C units in summer

65. Bill Walton's color commentary

66. Spam

67. Jim Gray, Sideline Reporter

68. The acting in the Walking Dead

69. So-Cal water

70. Bathing a cat

71. Aaron Gray's three point stroke

72. Jimmer's tan

73. Sleep Train Arena's long term viability as a professional sports arena

74. Overly long lists