Sacramento Kings vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction: Can Kings keep Jarrett Allen off the boards

The NBA Regular Season has been on and we have seen a bunch of riveting battles already. This has been a stellar beginning and we have been witnessing multiple close matches already. There have been game-winners and some missed calls late in the game. Thus, there has been the rise of some teams that weren’t expected to do well but at the same time, others have struggled to get going. And one of the regular strugglers, Sacramento Kings will take on Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Kings come into this game after losing 113:116 to the Golden State Warriors in a game where they led for most of the part. First, they were unable to contain Steph Curry who launched 40+ points, and on the other hand, late in the game, they made a bunch of defensive errors. The officials also missed an obvious call as Kevin Huerter was fouled from beyond the arc by Klay Thompson on the buzzer. As it happens, luck keeps escaping the unfortunate team.

Except for one game, eight out of nine games for the Kings have been decided in single digits. Most of the games have gone to the last second and there is no doubt that the Kings are giving a hard time to their opponents. However, they have bagged just three wins thus far and have lost nine which also means that they have often been unable to keep their leads intact. This is a matter of concern at this point.

De’Aaron Fox has been a consistent 25+ Points scorer whereas Kevin Huerter has been among the best shooters in the league. Meanwhile, Domantas Sabonis has been an all-around performer while rookie Keegan Murray has made early impressions. Harrison Barnes’ production has been hit this season. Overall, the Kings are still searching for momentum and they have a lot of work to do.

The Cavaliers come into this game after losing 117-119 despite a 30 points outburst by off-guard Donovan Mitchell. Jarrett Allen had 20 rebounds and Darius Garland had 12 assists. Cavs held the lead for most parts even during last few minutes when they were up by 12-0 but the Clippers played some amazing defense late in the game, forcing turnovers and forcing tough shots. The Cavs didn’t move the ball around in the end and relied on isolation plays.

Still, the Cavaliers have been off to a stellar start, they have won eight out of ten games. Most of their games have been by double-digits and they have formed a cohesive unit on both ends of the floor. The Cavs have been showcasing some tremendous defense and their length has posed multiple problems. Apart from playing stellar defense, they are also able to limit the second-chance opportunities and having Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen helps in the frontcourt to undertake all these endeavours.

Coming to the guards, Donovan Mitchell has been an amazing fit and his shooting has been explosive. Darius Garland can find open players well whereas Caris LeVert alongside Donovan Darius acts as one of the playmakers and has adjusted to the system on both ends. The bench is mainly led by Kevin Love and Cedi Osman, Love has been a consistent rebounder and scorer but Cedi has had ups and downs rather way too much. Overall, the Cavs look like a better-rounded unit than last season, having multiple playmakers, scorers, and a strong defensive frontline.

• Cavaliers: OUT: Ricky Rubio, Dylan Windler;
• Kings: Malik Monk is a “Game-Time Decision”.

• Expected Leading Scorers: De’Aaron Fox (26+ Points), Donovan Mitchell(25+ Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Domantas Sabonis(10-14 Rebounds), Jarrett Allen(13-18 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Assists Makers: Darius Garland(9-13 Assists), Domantas Sabonis(7-11 Assists), De’Aaron Fox(6-9 Assists).

The Kings may have a poor record but they have been able to play quality basketball, with luck running out multiple times. They don’t back down against quality squads and have showcased tremendous poise many times. However, their late-game basketball has let them down and at some point, losing these many close games will dent their confidence, so it is better to sort out these issues early in the season.

The Cavaliers play a physical brand of basketball and trust in help defense at a high frequnecy. The rebounding battle between Jarrett Allen and Domantas Sabonis is crucial here. However, if the Cavs shut down De’Aaron Fox, they can have this one in the bag as their guard rotation is incredible. However, Kevin Huerter has lifted the mood as an off-the-ball shooter and is raring to have the best season of his career so the Cavs will have to patrol the perimeter careful. Overall, I see another close game but the Cavs taking a win and not fumbling the bag late. I expect a 222-232 Points Range.