After surprising the league with a nine-game win streak to surge up the Jap Convention standings, the Knicks had been shocked on Tuesday evening by the lowly Hornets to halt their season-best heater.

Issues gained’t get any simpler on Thursday towards the Kings, who’ve quietly been one of many NBA’s finest groups over the previous two months.

In early January, Sacramento sat simply two video games above .500 and clinging to the West’s fifth seed.

Knicks vs. Kings prediction

(10 p.m. ET)

Since then, the Kings have boasted the league’s fourth-best document (18-8) and web score (+5.4) behind the NBA’s best offense — producing a stellar 123.3 factors per 100 possessions with high marks in true capturing (63.3 p.c) and assist-turnover price (2.14).

A lot of the credit score belongs to star huge man Domantas Sabonis, who has averaged 19 factors and 12.2 rebounds on 60.8 p.c capturing throughout this 26-game run.

However the true catalyst has been former All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, who’s considered one of simply 5 gamers to common no less than 28 factors and 7 assists since Jan. 7.

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The Knicks have been scorching, clearly, however 4 of these 9 wins got here towards groups and not using a profitable document — and that doesn’t embody two wins towards the stripped-down Nets.

The one-two punch of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle has been potent recently, however Brunson has missed the previous two video games with a foot harm, and I’ll take Fox and Sabonis at residence with a relaxation benefit, as well.

Knicks vs. Kings decide

Kings (-3.5, FanDuel)