Gameday: Kings face Heat without force of Cousins

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SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings return to their home floor on Friday night to take on the Miami Heat.

With seven games remaining in the 2015-16 season, the Kings sit at 30-45 and will have to face the Heat without star big man DeMarcus Cousins.

[KINGS NEWS: Cousins suspended after 16th technical of season]

Cousins picked up his 16th technical foul of the season in Wednesday’s 120-111 win over the Washington Wizards, drawing an automatic suspension from the league. The Kings are just 2-10 without Cousins this season.

Miami is in a dogfight for playoff seeding in the east. They are currently tied for fourth place with Charlotte with a 43-31 record, but they trail the Hawks by a game for third and the Celtics are just a half game back. Homecourt advantage won’t likely be decided until the last game or two of the season.

LINE

Heat by 6.5

WHERE THEY STAND

Kings: 30-45, third place in Pacific

Heat: 43-31, second place in Southeast

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Rajon Rondo vs. Goran Dragic -- Rondo has spent the season rewriting the Kings record books for assists. He leads the NBA in assists per game at 11.7, but he’s also set a new Sacramento-era record and personal high with 817 total assists on the season. Dragic has a different role than he had in Phoenix where he orchestrated the bulk of the Suns offense, but he’s still an effective passer and scorer in Erik Spoelstra’s system.

INJURY REPORT

Kings: C DeMarcus Cousins (league suspension) out, SG Marco Belinelli (sore right foot) out.

Heat: G Dwyane Wade (neck) doubtful, PF Chris Bosh (blood clots) out, G Tyler Johnson (rotator cuff) out.

SERIES HISTORY

THe Kings have lost three straight to the Heat, including a 116-109 loss in Miami back on Nov. 19. The Heat hold a 37-17 advantage all-time over the Kings.

QUOTABLE

“We have so many good players on this team depth-wise it’s almost scary that, what could we have done if we had been a little more consistent. I think it irks the fans, it irks the coaching staff, it irks us. But that’s what good teams do – they build off their first year together and they come back stronger the next year.” -Darren Collison on the Kings frustrating season

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