Sacramento @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2019 ) Sacramento 123, Golden State 125

The losses keep piling up for the Golden State Warriors, who own the worst record in the NBA a third of the way through the season after representing the Western Conference in each of the last five NBA Finals. The Warriors will try to snap their current slide at three in a row when they host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Golden State fell in overtime to the New York Knicks on Wednesday in a battle between the two worst teams in the NBA and again played well in spurts on Friday and held a late lead in Utah before dropping a 114-106 decision to the Jazz. "I like where we're headed, I really do," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the loss. "I know that may sound crazy, given our record, but I think we're going to start winning some games. I think we're getting better." The Kings also know the feeling of dropping a home game to the Knicks after a 103-101 setback on Friday ended their three-game winning streak. Sacramento squandered a 16-point, second-half lead against New York in what coach Luke Walton described as a "letdown" after a series of impressive performances in wins over Dallas, Houston and Oklahoma City.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE KINGS (11-14): Sacramento guard Buddy Hield tried to carry the team on Friday and finished with 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting and a career-high 12 rebounds in 36 minutes. The Oklahoma product scored at least 20 points in each of the last 10 contests and knocked down at least five 3-pointers in each of the last four. Hield is shouldering the scoring load while the team awaits the return of point guard De'Aaron Fox, who has been out since Nov. 9 with an ankle injury but is practicing with the team and is expected to return next week.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (5-22): Golden State's record is largely the result of a series of crippling injuries, which started in the 2019 NBA Finals when All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson tore his ACL and continued when two-time MVP Stephen Curry went down with a broken hand in the fourth game of the season. Kerr has had to make do with makeshift lineups in nearly every contest and was without former All-Star Draymond Green (rest) and rookie standout Eric Paschall (hip) in Friday's setback. Shooting guard Alec Burks took the opportunity to step forward with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting in Friday's loss while Marquese Chriss posted his second straight double-double.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Warriors PG D'Angelo Russell is shooting 38.5 percent from the floor in five games since returning from a thumb injury.

2. Kings SG Bogdan Bogdanovic is 12-of-22 from the floor over the last two games after shooting under 50 percent in eight consecutive contests.

3. Golden State swept the four-game series last season and took the last five from Sacramento.

PREDICTION: Kings 118, Warriors 113