UPDATE (5pm on Thursday) -- Rudy Gay has been ruled out of Thursday night's game against the Hawks with a left heel contusion, the team announced.
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SACRAMENTO -- Hopefully the Sacramento Kings didn’t stay out too late Wednesday night celebrating their move into the 8th spot in the Western Conference standings. There are still 41 games remaining in the season and the second half begins tonight in Sacramento when the Atlanta Hawks roll into Sleep Train Arena.
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The Kings have won three straight, all of which were on the road. Sacramento is just 10-11 at home this season. Rookie Willie Cauley-Stein notched his first career double-double Wednesday in Los Angeles. He draws a difficult cover in All-Star Paul Millsap, who will try to outhustle him all night long.
Atlanta is fresh off a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Like the Kings, they are playing the second night of a back-to-back and looking to win their fourth straight.
LINE
Kings by 1
NBA
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison vs. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder -- Teague missed the last outing between these two teams in Atlanta earlier in the season, but that didn’t stop Schroder and the Hawks from coming away with a 103-97 victory. Rondo has pushed his league leading assist total to 11.7 a night, but the Kings will need him to play defense tonight against two of the league’s quickest guards. It should be an exciting matchup against two very good 1-2 punches at the point.
WHERE THEY STAND
Kings: 18-23, third place in Pacific
Hawks: 26-17, first place in Southeast
INJURY REPORT
Kings: F Rudy Gay (left heel contusion) is questionable, F Eric Moreland (foot surgery) out indefinitely, F Duje Dukan (right lower leg) out.
Hawks: No injuries to report.
SERIES HISTORY
The Kings have lost 15 straight to the Hawks, including an early season matchup in Atlanta back in November. The Hawks own a 157-152 advantage over the Kings all-time and a 41-17 lead during the Sacramento-era.
QUOTABLE
“We have to stop making those same mistakes. If we have a chance to take the game when we’re ahead or something and then allowing it to be a game in the fourth. Just continue to grow as a team, stop making those same mistakes defensively and stop giving teams life.” --DeMarcus Cousins