Preview: Valley Suns at Salt Lake City Stars

SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — A clash of G League extremes is set for Monday night at Bruin Arena as the surging Salt Lake City Stars host the struggling Valley Suns.

The Stars (10-2) enter as one of the league’s elite, riding an offense that has scored 136 or more points in four of their last five games. Their most recent outing was a historic 174-146 rout of Rip City on Thursday, fueled by 34 points from guard E.J. Harkless and a 20-point, 22-rebound performance from center Oscar Tshiebwe.

Tshiebwe, a player to watch, has been a dominant force on the glass, averaging a double-double and posting two 20-rebound games this month. His physical presence inside will be central to Salt Lake City’s game plan.

They face a Valley squad (3-9) that has shown flickers of life, winning two of its last three contests. The Suns are coming off a 121-118 victory over San Diego on Thursday, led by a breakout performance from center Khaman Maluach.

Maluach, the Suns’ key player to watch, is in the midst of a stellar individual stretch. Over his last three games, the 7-foot-2 center is averaging 21.3 points, 16.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks, including a 22-point, 19-rebound, 4-block effort in Thursday’s win. His rim protection and rebounding will be critical against Tshiebwe and the Stars’ potent attack.

Beyond Maluach, Valley has received consistent backcourt production from Damion Baugh (23 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists Thursday) and JaQuori McLaughlin (18 points, 9 assists).

The matchup presents a stark contrast in momentum. Salt Lake City’s high-octane attack, which leads the league in several offensive categories, will test a Valley defense that has allowed 118 or more points in eight of its nine losses this season. For the Suns to pull an upset, they will need to control the tempo and win the battle on the boards behind Maluach.

Monday’s contest is the first of a quick home-and-home set between the teams, who will meet again in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST.