Kings Seek Third Straight Win Against Struggling Pelicans on Wednesday

SACRAMENTO, California — The Sacramento Kings are looking to extend their winning streak to three games as they prepare to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night at the Smoothie King Center. Following a series of roster changes ahead of last week’s trade deadline, the Kings have seen mixed results but are gaining momentum going into the All-Star break.

After two losses that included the debut of two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, the Kings rebounded with two consecutive victories, aided by recent additions Jonas Valanciunas and Jake LaRavia, who have emerged as key bench contributors. The Kings’ latest victory came against the Pelicans, where they managed to edge out New Orleans 123-118 on Saturday.

In their upcoming matchup, both teams have released their injury reports. The Pelicans are facing significant challenges, with four players sidelined: Brandon Boston (ankle), Herb Jones (shoulder), Dejounte Murray (Achilles), and Kelly Olynyk (not with team). In addition, star forward Zion Williamson is listed as questionable as he deals with conditioning issues after a recent 40-point performance against the Kings.

Despite these setbacks, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum is available for Wednesday’s game after missing a prior contest due to personal reasons. McCollum has historically performed well against the Kings, averaging 32.0 points with a 59.7% shooting percentage over their last four matchups. His presence will be crucial for New Orleans as they look to break a nine-game losing streak.

The Kings enter this game at full strength, positioning them well to overcome the Pelicans. Coach Mike Brown emphasized the importance of maintaining their focus and momentum heading into back-to-back games. “We need to continue to grow and not take any team lightly,” Brown stated.

As the Kings and Pelicans face off again, Sacramento aims to capture their third consecutive win and build on a successful recent performance. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 p.m. CST.

Logan Struck is the Deputy Editor for Inside the Kings – SI.com’s team website following the Sacramento Kings.