Nets vs Kings Picks and Odds

• The Brooklyn Nets continue their West Coast road trip against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night
• They’re fresh off a big victory over the Golden State Warriors, while Sacramento lost to the Grizzlies on Sunday
• Get the odds, preview, and best bet for this game below

The Brooklyn Nets will take on De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings on Monday, February 15th, tip-off 10 PM EST at the Golden 1 Center.

After just returning to the lineup on Saturday in time for a reunion with his former team in the Warriors, Kevin Durant will now miss at least two games with a left hamstring strain. He put forward a good showing in the Bay Area though, dropping 20 points in 33 minutes for the Nets.

The Kings were on a four-game winning streak, but they’ve slipped up lately, losing three straight. This will be the first meeting between these two teams in 2020/21, with Brooklyn winning all four previous games dating back to 2018.

Nets vs Kings Odds

Odds taken Feb 14 at DraftKings

Another Game Without KD

Brooklyn can’t seem to catch a break with Durant. His absence will be felt again on Monday against the Kings, although James Harden and Kyrie Irving will suit up. There has been no question of the talent Steve Nash’s team possesses. But their defense has lacked this season, sitting 24th in Defensive Rating, although they’ve tightened it up lately. Brooklyn has allowed just 105.5 points in their last two games, compared to a season average of 117.5.

The Nets took down Golden State in convincing fashion just two nights ago, beating them 134-117. Irving dropped a team-high 23 points, while Harden collected 19 and dished out a ridiculous 16 assists. All five starters had double-digit scoring nights, while Brooklyn also shot 41 percent from downtown.

It was simply just a cold shooting night for the Warriors, but nevertheless, the Nets still played a lot better defensively. Harden’s playmaking was one of the clear highlights of this contest as he made some crafty passes.

Behind-the-back finds, drawing in opponents to open up guys on the perimeter, you name it.  There were concerns to how the rock would be shared with two ball-dominant players like Harden and Irving, but the former Houston star has shown no issue taking on more of a  facilitator role. He’s currently averaging 11.3 assists per contest, which would be a career-high, and currently leads the NBA.

Brooklyn lost three of four without Durant earlier this month as they struggled to really find their identity without the 10-time All-Star. It should be interesting to see how the Nets fare without him over their next few appearances.

Can The Kings Break Out of Losing Streak?

Sacramento has been one of the pleasant surprises of the Western Conference this season. Tyrese Haliburton has emerged as a key piece of the rotation in his rookie season, while De’Aaron Fox is deserving of an All-Star appearance, although he’s not exactly in favor of the league holding the game.

Consecutive victories over the Celtics, Nuggets, and Clippers in early February were very promising, but the Kings have now fallen into a bit of a cold spell. Currently on a five-game set on home court, they’ve lost their first three. Sunday’s defeat to the Grizzlies wasn’t necessarily a bad performance as they made a late run, but their slow start ended up hurting them.

We just wanna be friends with this game…😬

But here are the good times we shared together ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/YmNCS7NWjb

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) February 15, 2021

Sacramento was down by 14 at the half, while missing eight of their first 10 shots in the opening quarter. Fox and Haliburton both showed out, with 23 and 22 points, respectively. But Luke Walton’s squad really struggled from three-point range, shooting just 24 percent. They were also sloppy with the ball at times, piling up 16 turnovers which turned into 24 points for Memphis.

With Brooklyn missing Durant, the Kings will be looking to take advantage and pull off an upset victory.

Best Bet

We’re looking at two of the better offensive teams in the league. But also, the Kings and Nets sit towards the bottom of the association in Defensive Rating. You’d think betting on the over here would be safe. However, without KD, the Nets averaged just 110 points through four contests when he was out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

With this in mind, put your money on the under here. Brooklyn has been atrocious as ATS favorites with a 7-14 record, while Sacramento is 10-8 as ATS underdogs. With the home team boasting a completely healthy lineup, take a chance and bet on the Kings.

Pick: Sacramento Kings ATS -4 (110), Under 237.5 (+100)