It didn’t take as much effort as their last win over the Los Angeles Clippers, but the San Antonio Spurs’ Monday night victory in Southern California still went down to the wire. The Spurs nearly blew a 24-point lead in the 119-115 victory. Now the team will have a short rest before traveling north for the second game of a back-to-back against the Sacramento Kings.
The Spurs won both of their previous matchups with the Kings this season. Most recently, they defeated Sacramento 139-122 on February
21st, thanks to a dominant performance from Victor Wembanyama. Sacramento will be without key players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray, and will rely on former Spur Demar DeRozan to generate offense.
On top of missing key players, the Kings are near the bottom of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating. If the Spurs can quickly recover from a tough game in Los Angeles the night before, they will have a favorable matchup awaiting them in Sacramento.
San Antonio Spurs (50-18) vs. Sacramento Kings (18-51)
March 17th, 2026 | 9 PM CT
Watch: KENS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Injury report filed at 1 p.m. CT
Kings Injuries: Devin Carter – Out (calf), Drew Eubanks – Out (thumb), De’Andre Hunter – Out (eye), Zach LaVine – Out (finger), Malik Monk – Questionable (ankle), Keegan Murray – Out (ankle), Domantas Sabonis – Out (knee)
What to watch for:
Sustaining defensive effort for 48 minutes
San Antonio thrived in spurts against the Clippers. When their defensive intensity was high, the Spurs locked down Los Angeles. When they took their foot off the gas, even a little bit, the Clippers went on big runs in the first, third, and fourth quarters that forced the Spurs to turn up the pressure. On paper, the game shouldn’t be close, but with limited rest and several players nursing injuries, the Kings can make things interesting. A consistent defensive effort could lead to a blowout Spurs victory.
Points in the paint
The Kings are particularly weak inside. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud shows a lot of potential, but he is not a rim protector. San Antonio should dominate on the interior. Wembanyama torched Raynaud in their last matchup, and the Spurs’ guards should have no issues getting into the paint and scoring against Sacramento’s defense. Relentlessly attacking the paint will be San Antonio’s best offensive strategy on Tuesday night.
Bench productivity
San Antonio’s bench struggled against the Clippers on Monday. Most of the Clippers’ late-game run came against second-unit dominated lineups. San Antonio is really missing Luke Kornet and Dylan Harper, who are recovering from minor injuries. The Kings are struggling with depth as well, as they battle injuries. Tuesday’s game represents a chance for the Spurs’ bench players to bounce back against a depleted Sacramento squad. San Antonio could use good performances from Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes to sustain momentum when the starters go to the bench.
