Kings-Pelicans Matchup of the Game: Malik Monk vs. CJ McCollum

The Sacramento Kings look to get back in the win vs. CJ McCollum and the struggling New Orleans Pelicans.

Dec 4, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) talk during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings (25-26) are still looking for their first win with Zach LaVine playing, and face the struggling New Orleans Pelicans (12-39) at the Golden 1 Center.

Last season, the Pelicans were the Kings' arch-enemy, beating them six times through the regular and postseason. But this year with the Pelicans sitting at last place in the West and with a drastically different roster, they don't invoke the same fear as they used to.

But they still have one of the biggest Kings killers of all time; CJ McCollum.

Season Stats:

• Malik Monk: 18.1 PTS, 5.7 AST, 3.8 REB, 1.0 STL, 0.6 BLK, 44.6 FG%, 33.0 3P%

• CJ McCollum: 22.0 PTS, 3.8 AST, 3.6 REB, 0.8 STL, 0.5 BLK, 44.8 FG%, 37.5 3P%

No matter how much the Pelicans are struggling, CJ McCollum remains one of the biggest fears of Kings fans. Carrying the grudge of Sacramento not drafting him, he seemingly always lights up the Kings en route to big games.

Already this season, he scored 36 points against the Kings on 14-of-24, 58.3%, from the field and 6-of-11, 54.5%, from beyond the arc.

Zion Williamson may be the leading scoring on the Pelicans, but even he doesn't scare me as much as McCollum does, especially with the Kings' continued struggles defending the three-point line.

For the Kings, Malik Monk hasn't looked like himself in the last two games. He scored 21 points in the loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, but on an inefficient 8-of-20, 40%, from the field and 2-of-6, 33.3%, from three.

The Kings looked better in Zach LaVine's second game but looked like they still needed more time to gel. With Monk running the point position, he's crucial to Sacramento's success, especially without them having a true point guard to back him up.

With foul trouble in the loss to the Orlando Magic and the poor shooting game against the Blazers, he'll need to be better for the Kings to make a playoff push. And he'll be the first one to say just that. I expect a bounce-back game from the electric guard tonight against the worst defense in the league.

Stat predictions:

Malik Monk: 21 PTS, 9 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK

CJ McCollum: 31 PTS, 5 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 0 BLK

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