Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers: Prediction and Betting Tips
The LA Lakers and the Sacramento Kings face off for the third time this season as Sacramento makes a quick trip to the Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday (Mar. 6) before starting off their six-game home stretch.
The visitors have had the better of the Lakers in both clashes this season and will hope to close out the series before they clash again at the Golden 1 Center on Mar. 13. LA heads into the matchup off a much-needed 116-104 win over the OKC Thunder, while the Kings were humbled 113-109 by the Chicago Bulls.
The Purple and Gold lead the head-to-head 281-166 in 447 regular season games. However, like the Denver Nuggets, who by LeBron James' admission, have "their number", Sacramento seems to be on the same page, leading the Lakers 4-1 in their last five encounters.
Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers preview, betting tips, odds, and prediction
The game will be televised live on NBC and can be live streamed on Fubo TV. Tip-off is slated for 10:30 pm ET. The clash of the Pacific Division rivals can be watched using the NBA League Pass as well.
Moneyline: Kings +142, Lakers -168
Spread: Kings +3.5 (-110), Lakers -3.5 (-110)
Total (o/u): Kings o239.5 (-105), Lakers u239.5 (-110)
The odds could change close to the game The aforementioned odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers preview
The Kings have been one of the teams to have regularly troubled the Lakers despite the latter's significant size advantage.
Placed seventh in an unforgiving West, the visitors find themselves in a play-in spot alongside ninth-placed LA. Both teams have chalked up 34 wins this season, so the matchup holds paramount importance, especially for LA. The Dallas Mavericks' loss to the Indiana Pacers earlier makes this matchup more intriguing.
While the Kings come off as an undersized team, they have personnel who can be more than a handful. This is one of those games where individual player battles could make a huge difference. The likes of De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk have robbed LA of wins before, and much will depend on the backcourt of Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell to fend off Sacramento's threat.
This season, the Kings are 14th in the NBA in adjusted offensive efficiency (117.3 points) and 21st in adjusted defensive efficiency (117.1). The Lakers, meanwhile, are propping up 115.3 points (18th in the league) and are defensively 17th, with the absence of Jarred Vanderbilt playing a major role in that dwindling rating.
Another key 1v1 that takes the spotlight is the battle of the bigs. Domantas Sabonis has been on a tear for Sacramento this season, averaging 19.9 points and 13.4 rebounds.
He has clawed his way into Top 10 players in MVP contention. Add to that the chatter that the Lithuanian should have made the case for All-Star reserves, the pressure will be on Anthony Davis to show why he was the right pick. Davis is also in contention for DPOY this year, so the meeting between the two could be more spicy.
Moving on to the injury list, Sacramento will be without Sasha Vezenkov (right ankle sprain). LA, meanwhile, has the usual names on the report with Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy) and Cam Reddish (right ankle sprain) being probable.
LeBron James is questionable with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy. Vanderbilt (right foot soreness), Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery), Collin Castleton (right wrist fracture) and reserve big Christian Wood (left knee effusion) are ruled out.
Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers: Predicted starting lineups
Kings lineup
PG - De'Aaron Fox, SG - Kevin Huerter, SF - Keegan Murray, PF - Harrison Barnes, and C - Domantas Sabonis
Lakers lineup
PG -D'Angelo Russell, SG - Austin Reaves, SF - LeBron James, PF - Rui Hachimura, and C - Anthony Davis
Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers betting tips
James is the player to watch out for as he heads into the contest with an o/u of 26.5. The veteran forward is averaging 25.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
Fox, meanwhile, has been the offensive presence for the Kings with his clutch plays, averaging 26.8 points, 4.2 boards and 5.7 assists. He's 47.2% from the floor and 36.8% from 3-point land. The guard enters the game with an o/u of 25.5 and is likely to be the most profitable bet.
Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers: Prediction
LA has been in better form compared to the Kings, whose erratic defense has been a bane.
LA's starters are in form. Should D'Angelo Russell continue his streak of shooting lights out from beyond the arc, the Lakers will have the advantage if they contain the Kings trio of Fox, Murray and Sabonis. Take the hosts for a win at home.
