The Kings have just two more games before the All-Star break and they're likely also the last two games with Tyrone Corbin as head coach. Sacramento is coming off a fun buzzer-beating win against Phoenix but they haven't won back to back games since November. Fortunately they've had some luck against Chicago in recent years. Today's action tips off at 5:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.
3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. Derrick Rose will be available tonight which is not something the Kings have not seen for a while. The last time that Rose actually played against the Kings was over 3 years ago on December 29th, 2011. In every game since then he's been out with an injury. Rose isn't the same player since that game because of all his injuries but he's still able to add another dimension to Chicago with his ability to penetrate and make big shots.
2. It'll be interesting to see how the Kings react now that it is all but official that Tyrone Corbin is gone after these two games. They seemed to play well for the most part against the Suns and that was immediately after the news had started to leak about Karl.
3. Weirdly enough, Chicago is a much better road team (19-9) than a home team (13-11). They're also without Mike Dunleavy and Kirk Hinrich which hurts their shooting and depth respectively. The Kings might still be without Darren Collison and Rudy Gay but if they can play with the same intensity that they played with in the first three quarters against Phoenix, they'll have a good chance.
MATCHUP OF THE GAME
Joakim Noah vs. DeMarcus Cousins
Noah and Cousins is always a fun matchup and Cousins has gotten the better of it in recent games. Noah hasn't been the same defender this year due to a variety of ailments that he's tried to play through, but he's still effective and chippy. Boogie needs to make sure that Noah doesn't get under his skin and play through the non-calls that are sure to come.
PREGAME LIMERICK
31 more times of making things rhyme?
Where the hell did I think I'd have the time.
This was ambitious,
and not expeditious,
think I'll go have a Corona with lime.
PREDICTION
Kings 194, Bulls 68 as Tyrone Corbin decides he doesn't have anything to lose and decides to try some crazy new ideas he has (Darren Collison sitting on Ryan Hollins shoulders, intentionally missing all second free throw attempts to try to get the putback, yodeling) that end up working out way better than expected.