DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
Tuesday's match at Wells Fargo Arena will feature the battle between arguably the league's best offensive bigman against the future at the position. The Sacramento Kings will try to get back to winning column as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on the road.
Preview:
The Kings are set to continue their six-game road trip in Philadelphia after yet another overtime loss at the hands of DeMarcus Cousins' buddy John Wall and the Washington Wizards 101-95 last Monday.
As expects, Cousins once again voiced out his frustration after failing to close out the deal in overtime situations. The All-Star center dropped 36 points and 20 rebounds in that game to up his season average to 28.7 points and 10.4 rebounds. Unfortunately, despite putting up monster numbers every single night, the Kings remain four games below .500 at 7-11/
"Overtime, I'm sick about that," Cousins told the Sacramento Bee via ESPN.com "I feel like I completely choked in overtime. I'm not happy about the overtime."
Waiting for Cousins and company are the vastly improving Sixers led by Rookie of the Year candidate Joel Embiid. The former Kansas Jayhawks standout is slowly getting consistent playing time from head coach Brett Brown, as he's now logging in beyond 25 minutes per game in the last three games.\
Embiid is a big reason why the Sixers are optimistic of their future despite another mediocre start for the ball club. The Sixers are currently dead last in the Atlantic division at 4-14, but they nevertheless scored victories against the Indiana Pacers, Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards.
Players to Watch:
Kings: Again, Booogie Cousins is widely considered as the most dominant offensive big man in the league right, making this Tuesday's duel with Embiid a must to watch. Expected to back up Cousins is Rudy Gay, who is averaging 19.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game this season.
Sixers: Embiid is averaging 18.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game in his first year as professional basketball player. It would be a great measuring point for Embiid to go up against Cousins.
Prediction:
At this point, the Kings are much well-rounded team with a double-double machine at the center of their offense. They are the favorites in this game, but don't count out the Sixers especially if Embiid puts up another dazzling performance. At the end of the game, the Kings will take a decisive win on the road.
