Santa Cruz vs. Stockton
STOCKTON, Calif. (Interstat) — The Stockton Kings will look to solidify their playoff positioning and continue their dominance over the last-place Santa Cruz Warriors when the Northern California G League rivals meet Sunday at Stockton Arena.
The Kings (28-16), among the Western Conference’s top teams, have won both meetings this season, including a 113-104 victory at home on March 2. The Warriors (14-31) arrive on a five-game losing skid, most recently falling 108-99 to Rio Grande Valley on Thursday.
Stockton guard Isaiah Stevens is coming off a high-performance outing in a loss, scoring 25 points and dishing 7 assists on March 17. His playmaking will be central against a Santa Cruz defense that has allowed an average of 124.3 points during its current losing streak.
Santa Cruz will lean on the hot hand of guard Chance McMillian, who has averaged 18.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists over his last 10 games. He scored 30 points in a road loss on March 14 and had 15 points and 7 assists in the earlier loss this month in Stockton.
The Warriors’ recent struggles are underscored by a 2-8 record in their last 10 contests. Conversely, the Kings have gone 7-3 over the same span despite a road loss in their last outing. Stockton’s home-court advantage has been significant, while Santa Cruz has found consistent wins elusive on the road.
Sunday’s contest is the final regular-season meeting between the affiliates of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. Stockton will embark on a two-game Southern California road trip after this game, while Santa Cruz heads to Salt Lake City on Tuesday.