The Sacramento Kings would love to score a consolation win against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are eyeing a victory before hitting the playoffs.
After a 112-106 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, will the Kings leave Disney World on a positive note with a W at the expense of the Lakers? Or, will the Lakers complete a sweep of the Kings this season? Catch this game live on Friday at 1:30 AM (Manila time).
HOME TEAM: Los Angeles Lakers (52-18, 25-9 at home)
Kyle Kuzma had his 15 minutes of fame on social media last Tuesday when he drilled a game-winning 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 124-121 win against the Denver Nuggets last Tuesday.
Despite Kuzma’s heroics, the Lakers weren’t able to beat the spread for the fourth consecutive game. The last time the Lakers rewarded their spread bettors was on August 6, when they edged out the Utah Jazz, 116-108.
The trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kuzma accounted for 81 points of the Lakers’ total points against Denver, further showing the lack of scoring support from other players. The Lakers’ bench looked anemic again with its 28 points.
The Nuggets bench, on the other hand, had 61 points. Perhaps Dion Waiters and Los Angeles’ second unit can show more signs of life against the Kings’ defense that is among the worst in the NBA since the season restart.
ROAD TEAM: Sacramento Kings (30-41, 14-22 on the road)
The Kings have their bags packed for their departure from Disney World, where their long-shot dreams of making the playoffs didn’t come close to materializing. But before exiting the Happiest Place on Earth, the Kings would love to have a souvenir in the form of a win against the Lakers.
Sacramento is 0-2 this season against the Lakers, though, the Kings came close of beating Los Angeles at STAPLES Center last November in a 99-97 loss. They held LA down to only 42.9 FG% and 29.7 3FG% while easily covering their +10.5 spread despite not having De’Aaron Fox (injury).
Fox is the brightest star for the Kings in Orlando, and he’s very much capable of torching the Lakers’ shaky defense against opposing guards. But with the Kings’ playoff fate decided, it’s hard to count on Fox’s availability in the team’s season finale. If Fox misses the Lakers game, Cory Joseph and Yogi Ferrell will split the duties in the backcourt for Sacramento.
PREDICTIONS:
This is the last game before the playoffs for the Lakers, who could treat this contest like a glorified exhibition game against a bad team in Sacramento. They need a win here for momentum, so expect the Lakers to crush the Kings and win via a 129-115 score.
