Kings-Hornets Matchup of the Game: Malik Monk vs LaMelo Ball

The Sacramento Kings (28-28) stumbled out of the All-Star break with a big loss to the Golden State Warriors and look to get back on track against the struggling Charlotte Hornets (14-41).

The Kings desperately need a win, so going up against the second to last Eastern Conference team in the Hornets should be good news for Sacramento, it's the exact type of game that they've lost and shot themselves in the foot this season and in years past.

Charlotte's injury report is filled with big names, leaving a clear choice for the matchup of the game. The Hornets may have just 14 wins on the season but have one of the most dynamic scorers in the league on their team in LaMelo Ball.

Season Stats:

Malik Monk: 18.0 PTS, 5.8 AST, 3.8 REB, 1.0 STL, 0.6 BLK, 44.1 FG%, 32.4 3P%

LaMelo Ball: 26.7 PTS, 7.1 AST, 5.1 REB, 1.3 STL, 0.3 BLK, 41.4 FG%, 33.6 3P%

Since Zach LaVine's debut, the Kings have looked disjointed on offense while they try to figure out their new dynamic. Part of that is the struggles of Malik Monk. Over the seven games, he's averaged 16.4 points and 5.6 assists, but on 39.6% shooting from the field and 28.3% from three.

Pair that with his 3.3 turnovers per game and it shows that one of the Kings main offensive weapons is in a bit of a funk.

The duo of Monk and Domantas Sabonis in the pick and roll game has been great for the Kings all season, but lately, it feels like the team has gone away from the action while integrating LaVine.

For Ball, he's averaging a career-high 26.7 points per contest but on decreased efficiency. With so many injuries teams are able to focus almost solely on the talented guard, which the Kings are likely to do tonight.

While he can fill up a stat sheet on any given night, the Hornets have lost five of Ball's six highest-scoring games this season, including his 50 and 44 point games. While the Kings should do everything they can to stop him from scoring big tonight, they shouldn't overreact if he starts rolling.

What stands out more in Charlotte's wins and losses is Ball's assist numbers. They are 6-5 this season when he has nine or more dimes.

Stat Predictions:

Malik Monk: 20 PTS, 7 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK

LaMelo Ball: 34 PTS, 6 AST, 5 REB, 3 STL, 0 BLK

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