Boston @ Sacramento preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 14, 2019 ) Sacramento 120, Boston 126

The Boston Celtics stretched their winning streak to double digits when they outlasted the Golden State Warriors on Friday, but bigger tests await on the current road trip. The Celtics will try to make it 11 in a row when they continue the five-game trip by visiting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

The Warriors would have been the highlight of a west coast trip in previous seasons, but the depleted former champions now own the worst record in the NBA and managed to push Boston to the end before the Celtics pulled out a 105-100 win. "This is a hard stretch coming up and we have to just keep getting better," Boston coach Brad Stevens told reporters of a road trip that includes stops at Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver. "We have a lot of things that we have to clean up, especially when we're not full. That's part of it." Sacramento is 4-2 in its last six games with the two losses coming by a total of six points at Toronto and the Los Angeles Lakers and Friday's setback coming with point guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) sidelined. The Kings nearly knocked off the Lakers on the road in a 99-97 loss when Bogdan Bogdanovic got hot down the stretch.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Boston, NBCS California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE CELTICS (10-1): Boston lost its season opener but hasn't fallen since despite losing swingman Gordon Hayward to a broken hand. Kemba Walker is leading the way while averaging 24.5 points and is settling in as a member of a team with some real expectations after eight seasons in Charlotte. "I've never had a start like this at this level," Walker told reporters after scoring 20 points in Friday's win. "I'm just liking the way I'm feeling after the game. Like, I just feel good. That's all I'm thinking about. I could care less about the streak. Just the feeling of winning, it feels good."

ABOUT THE KINGS (4-7): Bogdanovic scored the team's final seven points on Friday to finish with 18 and is averaging 21.3 points over the last four contests. Bogdanovic totaled 15 assists over the last two games to help ease the sting of losing Fox, who could miss up to a month after suffering the ankle injury during practice on Monday. Shooting guard Buddy Hield knocked down six 3-pointers en route to a team-high 21 points on Friday - his fifth straight game scoring at least 20 points.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Celtics G Marcus Smart is 13-of-24 from 3-point range in three games while starting in place of Hayward.

2. Kings SF Trevor Ariza (groin) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.

3. Boston took the last four in the series, including a 111-109 win at Sacramento last season.

PREDICTION: Celtics 121, Kings 116