Kings-Jazz Matchup of the Game: Battle of the Benches

The Sacramento Kings look to win their second straight against the depleted Utah Jazz.

Feb 8, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Jake LaRavia (33) after scoring a basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings (29-28) took care of business on Monday with a win over the Charlotte Hornets, and now have a similar must-win game against the Utah Jazz (14-43).

Picking a matchup of the game tonight is nearly impossible, with the Jazz's injury report making up almost a whole rotation. Walker Kessler is available for the contest, and Jordan Clarkson is a worthy candidate as an explosive scoring option, but this game boils down to the Kings not letting someone random go off for a career-high.

With that in mind, the matchup of the game becomes a battle of the benches.

It's not necessarily that the Kings bench needs to outscore the Jazz's bench, but they should at least outplay them. With defensive players like Keon Ellis, Markelle Fultz, and Jake LaRavia, the Kings have multiple players who can impact the game without scoring. Even Trey Lyles and Jonas Valančiūnas can have positive minutes without scoring.

A key player to watch off the bench for Utah will be Keyonte George, who is having a breakout second season with 16.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. His shooting efficiency isn't great, but he will get up his shots, especially from three, with 7.7 attempts from deep per contest.

George has scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games, and had 14 three-point attempts on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Between players like George, Clarkson (who may start instead of come off the bench), Kyle Filipowski, the Jazz have a random assortment of options that could get hot if the Kings lower their guard. After beating the Hornets by 42, it'll be crucial for the Kings to come out with the same intensity as Monday and not fall into the trap of back-to-back "winnable" games.

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