Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz Swing Stat of the Game

The Sacramento Kings host the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

Oct 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) looks to move the ball against Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-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 are home to take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday at 7:00 PM PT.

Current Swing Stat Projection Record: 5-4

Kings vs. Jazz Swing Stat: Points in the Paint

Season averages

• Kings: 50.9 (10th)
• Jazz: 46.5 (18th)

The Utah Jazz come into Saturday’s game with the 29th-ranked offense, defense, and net rating. Even with the poor ratings, they’ve been able to win three out of their eleven games.

A number that stands out in their win/loss splits is the points in the paint. In their wins, they score 56 interior points, while in their losses that drops to 43.

On the second night of a back-to-back, especially one that went to overtime, the Kings will need to come out strong against the Jazz. Letting Utah get going in an area they don’t excel in could make this game interesting quickly.

The good news for Sacramento is that they are allowing just 43.4 points in the paint per game, fourth-fewest in the league. Their three-point defense has been the concern on that side of the ball, but the interior defense has held strong through 13 games.

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