Wizards vs. Kings preview: Washington hosts Sacramento on Saturday

The Washington Wizards host the Sacramento Kings tomorrow night at 7 p.m. The Kings are 42-27 on the season and 8-2 in their last 10 games, and they clinched their first above-.500 record since 2006 last night. The Wizards, meanwhile, sit at 32-37 and are clinging to the final play-in spot by the skin of their teeth, as the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls sit just a half-game back.

The Kings play an explosive style of basketball, and their 119.2 offensive rating is good for not only the best in the NBA but also the best in league history. Though their 25th-ranked defense leaves much to be desired, their performances in clutch situations have been unrivaled all season long. Sacramento’s mind-blowing 129.7 offensive rating in the clutch is farther from the second-ranked Los Angeles Lakers (116.8) than the Lakers are from the 26th-ranked Golden State Warriors.

Sacramento has a pair of All-Stars (and likely All-NBA selections as well) in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, as well as a collection of some of the league’s finest role players such as Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk and rookie Keegan Murray.

Meanwhile, the Wizards are below average in both offense and defense and have zero All-Stars to show for their season. Though Washington has three 20-plus point per game scorers to Sacramento’s one, Monte Morris is the only Wizard averaging double-digit points outside of Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma. For the Kings, all five starters plus Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk score in double digits each night.

The Wizards already beat the Kings back in December, but Sacramento has been on fire over the past couple months. They recently took control of the Western Conference’s second seed and have won five of their last six games. The Wizards, meanwhile, will be facing the Kings on the second night of a back-to-back; tonight’s game is against the NBA’s best defense in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Both games are must-wins, and unfortunately both are against some of the best teams in the NBA.