Sacramento Kings vs. Brooklyn Nets Swing Stat of the Game

The Sacramento Kings have a prime opportunity to break their losing streak on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Nov 1, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Before each Sacramento Kings game, I try to find a stat that will dictate the game's outcome. Theoretically, if the Kings win the swing stat, they win the game. If they lose the stat, they lose the game. Make sense? Let’s get into it.

The Kings take on the Brooklyn Nets in Sacramento on Sunday at 6:00 PM PT.

Current Swing Stat Projection Record: 8-4

Kings vs. Nets Swing Stat: Free Throws, Win by at least Six

Season averages

• Kings: 18.7 (8th)
• Nets: 17.0 (20th)

For certain games, the swing stat has an extra stipulation, and today is one of those games. The Nets shoot a ton of threes, getting up 40.8 attempts per game for the sixth most in the league. The Kings are still sitting at 35.1 attempts per contest, and have a 33.1 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc compared to 37.6 for Brooklyn.

That means that once again, they are going to have to figure out how to make up the difference in three-point scoring. A great avenue to do that tonight is by getting to the free-throw line.

While the two teams are close in total free throws made per game, the Nets are sending opponents to the free throw line 25.8 times per game, the third most in the association. Between De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis, the Kings have three players who can get to the line with high volume.

Both of these teams shoot their freebies well, with the Kings 81.9 percent third best in the league, and the Nets 80.7 percent fifth. That makes volume at the line important for the Kings tonight, hence the extra note for the swing stat for the Kings to outshoot the Nets by at least six at the charity stripe.

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