Lowly Nets, Kings trying to finish season strong
Turning positive signs into wins will be the focus for both the Sacramento Kings and visiting Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
Sacramento (18-53) is anchored to the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but the Kings have shown steady improvement recently with four wins in their past seven games.
Brooklyn (17-53), meanwhile, sits a lowly 13th in the East while mired in a six-game losing streak, though the Nets came agonizingly close to ending that skid against the higher-ranked New York Knicks in a 93-92 home defeat on Friday.
It was Brooklyn's 14th straight loss in the New York rivalry, but the Knicks had to dig deep against their little brother.
The Nets trailed 84-70 in the fourth quarter before pinching the lead by scoring the next 17 points.
The Knicks rallied and recaptured the lead before Ben Saraf missed a 45-foot heave at the buzzer that would have clinched it for Brooklyn.
"The guys played the right way," Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. "The guys played hard, they gave ourselves a chance to score at the end and win the game."
Josh Minott scored 22 points -- including 6 of 9 from 3-point range -- off the bench for Brooklyn. Ziaire Williams added 17.
With Michael Porter Jr. -- the Nets' best player and leading scorer, averaging a career-best 24.2.points per game -- still out with a hamstring strain, Terance Mann absent through illness and Noah Clowney sidelined with a wrist injury, the Nets received valuable contributions from lesser-known sources.
Fernandez played Minott, Ochai Agbaji and rookie trio Chaney Johnson, Malachi Smith and Saraf for the majority of the final period that Brooklyn dominated 27-18.
"Great experience, but they're all positive (plus-minus) when you look at the box score," Fernandez said of his inexperienced closing lineup. "Even though you see the loss, we got better. And that's a win where we are, because we know that we can compete at this level."
Sacramento is in a similar state.
Already sporting a long injury list headlined by Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray, the Kings were also without Nique Clifford (left hamstring soreness) and Devin Carter (calf) in Thursday's 139-118 loss to the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.
Compounding those personnel issues, Malik Monk left the game with an injured right shoulder late in the first half.
Center Maxime Raynaud poured in 30 points against the Sixers -- two nights after outscoring fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama 32-18. Daeqwon Plowden scored a career-best 20 points while Dylan Cardwell reeled in nine offensive rebounds - and 13 in total - in just 21 minutes of action off the bench.
"He's showing his growth," Plowden said of Raynaud. "He's very versatile on the offensive end, whether it be in a pocket, him with his floater in the paint, or him stretching the floor shooting the 3-ball. He's showing that he's very capable."
Raynaud has started in 45 of his 63 games in his debut NBA season, which he began as Sacramento's third center behind Sabonis and Drew Eubanks.
"He's smashed through the ceiling," Christie said of the former Stanford standout. "First of all, the kid is ready and he wants the opportunity to continue to improve. Sometimes you get the opportunity and you're not ready to seize it. He's seized the opportunity."
The teams play again a week from Sunday with the Nets as the home squad.