NBA Gameday: Battle Between the League's Two Best Big Men

SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings return home from their five game road trip with a bounce in their step. After a surprise win over  the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, they face the 0-7 New Orleans Pelicans.

Darren Collison will be in uniform for the first time this season after serving his eight-game league mandated suspension for a domestic violence conviction over the summer. Collison averaged 14.0 points and 4.3 assists off the bench for Sacramento last season and the Kings desperately need the point guard’s scoring punch. Whether he starts or comes off the bench in his first game back is unknown at this time.

The Pelicans got lit up for 13 3-pointers by reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry on Monday night. They are struggling mightily through the first two weeks of the season, but Anthony Davis is playing at an incredible level and guards Tim Frazier and E'Twaun Moore have been solid additions.

OPENING LINE

Kings by 6

MATCHUP TO WATCH

DeMarcus Cousins vs. Anthony Davis -- An epic battle of two of the best bigs in the game, Cousins and Davis will likely start the game matched up against each other. Davis is off to a red hot start, averaging 30.4 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.9 blocks in 37.6 minutes per game, but the three time All-Star is getting very little help from his surrounding cast. Cousins is still trying to adjust his game to the Kings’ new high post system, but he’s carrying the team, along with Rudy Gay, on most nights.  

WHERE THEY STAND

Kings: 3-5, fourth place in Pacific

Pelicans: 0-7, last place in NBA

INJURY REPORT

Kings: F Rudy Gay (rib cartilage strain) probable, Anthony Tolliver (right knee contusion) questionable.

Pelicans: G Tyreke Evans (knee) out, PG Jrue Holiday (personal) out, Quincy Pondexter (knee) out.

SERIES HISTORY

The Pelicans swept the season series 4-0 last year and have won six straight over the Kings. New Orleans holds a 41-37 lead in the all-time series between these two clubs.   

QUOTE

“I feel a lot better now that we won.” -Rudy Gay on playing through injury and helping his team snap a four-game skid on Sunday in Toronto