In this NBA regular season preview between Kings and Pelicans, see who like to win the game and cover the spread.
- The Kings hold a 12-13 record so far.
- The Kings are averaging 116.4 points per game so far.
- The Kings are coming off a 141-97 win vs. the Pelicans.
- The Pelicans possess a 5-20 record so far.
- Defensively, New Orleans are giving up 116.7 points per game.
- The Pelicans are looking to bounce back from a loss to the Kings.
Kings vs Pelicans Prediction
At 8:00 ET, the Sacramento Kings (-231) will travel to the Smoothie King Center to take on the New Orleans Pelicans (+192). The Kings are favored by 6 points and have won two straight games. The Pelicans are 5-20 and have lost two in a row.
This Western Conference matchup can be seen on NBCS.

Kings vs. Pelicans Matchup At A Glance
- Sport: NBA
- Teams: Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans
- Where: New Orleans at Smoothie King Center
- Date: Thursday, December 12th
- Betting Odds SAC -6, SAC -231 | NO +192 O/U 231.5
Kings Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for Sacramento?
The Kings moved to 12-13 on the season after a dominant 141-97 win over the Jazz on Sunday. Sacramento, playing at home, entered the game as -11 point favorites and covered the spread with ease. The total points for the game reached 238, just surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 235.
After a close 1st quarter (26-23), the Kings took control by outscoring the Jazz 36-22 in the 2nd quarter. A 12-0 run extended their lead from 89-72 to 101-72, and they finished strong by outscoring Utah 36-23 in the 4th quarter.
The Kings put up 141 points in their win over the Jazz, shooting 57% from the field and hitting 22 threes at a 50% rate. Kevin Huerter led the way with 26 points, knocking down 6 threes at 66.7% efficiency.
De'Aaron Fox added 21 points, and Domantas Sabonis contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds. Sabonis scored 12 of his points in the 3rd quarter, while Doug McDermott poured in all 18 of his points in the 4th.
The Kings put together a strong defensive performance on Sunday, holding the Jazz to just 97 points. Sacramento gave up 23 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters and allowed 29 in the 3rd. Their best defensive stretch came in the 2nd quarter, where they allowed just 22 points.
Overall, the Kings held the Jazz to 38% shooting from the field. Utah made 15 threes on 35% shooting. Sacramento also sent the Jazz to the line 21 times, where they made 20 free throws. The Kings finished with 10 steals and 7 blocks.
Pelicans Preview: Will the Pelicans Exceed Expectations at Home?
The Kings improved to 12-13 on the season with a dominant 141-97 win over the Jazz on Sunday. Sacramento, playing at home, covered the -11 point spread with ease, winning by 44 points. The total score of 238 points narrowly went over the pre-game line of 235.
After a close 1st quarter, the Kings took control by outscoring the Jazz 36-22 in the 2nd quarter. A 12-0 run extended their lead from 89-72 to 101-72, and they finished strong, holding the Jazz to 23 points in the 4th quarter while scoring 36.
Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 25 points, hitting 4 threes at 40% efficiency in their 121-116 loss to the Spurs. CJ McCollum added 19 points and 3 made threes, while Yves Missi contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds.
The Pelicans shot 43.4% from the field, with an average 34.2% from beyond the arc, making 13 threes in the game. Murphy scored 10 points in the 1st quarter and added 9 more in the 4th.
The Pelicans struggled defensively in the 2nd quarter, giving up 43 points, which proved costly in their 121-116 loss to the Spurs. They did manage to tighten things up in the 3rd, allowing just 21 points. Overall, New Orleans held San Antonio to 45% shooting from the field.
From beyond the arc, the Pelicans limited the Spurs to 12 threes on 30% shooting. However, they sent San Antonio to the line 31 times, where the Spurs converted 25 free throws. New Orleans finished with 9 steals and 8 blocks.
Kings vs Pelicans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis
- In their last ten games away from home, the Kings have a straight up record of 5-5 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 114 points per game in this stretch.
- Through their last three home contests, the Pelicans offense has averaged 104 points per game while allowing an average of 121. New Orleans posted an overall record of 0-3 while going 1-2 ATS.
- Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
- The Kings have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 3-2 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
Kings vs Pelicans Prediction
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: Kings -6 Be sure to check out our other NBA Basketball betting previews for this week. KnupSports.com also updates their sports betting picks page daily with plays across all sports.