The Los Angeles Lakers are heading north for a showdown against the head-scratching Sacramento Kings, who’ve transitioned from exciting playoff upstarts to play-in tournament-bound, offense-only old guys in just two years.
Both clubs will be missing key bodies.
For the Lakers, 21-time All-NBA power forward LeBron James, 33-year-old power forward/center Maxi Kleber, and rookie forward Adou Thiero all have yet to make their season debuts, and will sit out their third straight game. All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic and backup center Jaxson Hayes are doubtful to play with a sprained finger and sore knee, respectively.
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Sacramento, meanwhile, will be without newly-extended power forward Keegan Murray and rookie-first round pick Nique Clifford. Two-time All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine is questionable to play.
So can LA power through and win its second straight game against lowly competition, despite all its absences? Here are our expert predictions.
The three-time All-Star big man is Sacramento’s best player, an excellent passer, scorer and rebounder who can be exploited defensively.
After wiping out badly during LA’s season opener against the Golden State Warriors, a 119-109 loss on Tuesday, Deandre Ayton enjoyed a respectable second official contest as a Laker on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He flashed some mobility rolling to the rack as a lob partner for Doncic, finishing with a decent 15-point, eight-rebound line.
Hayes could have been an interesting option for the Lakers defensively in spot minutes against Sabonis. For now, the more mobile Rui Hachimura and Ayton will likely tag-team the Kings standout big man. Hachimura should look to disrupt passing lanes and isolate Sabonis from getting into actions in the high post.
The Lakers will be striving to fend off not one, but two former 2022-23 Los Angeles point guards in Westbrook and Kings starter Dennis Schröder.
In a frustrating misstep, Lakers general manager opted to let Schröder walk in free agency during the summer of 2023 — despite a really solid showing the previous season — and effectively replaced him with the younger Gabe Vincent, fresh off a strong run with Miami Heat to the NBA Finals.
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Vincent got hurt immediately and barely played, while Schröder cemented himself as an excellent point-of-attack pressure player and beloved NBA vet elsewhere. Vincent has been relatively healthy since his first Lakers season, but is not the same offensive threat Schroder has been in that timespan.
Schröder has been well-traveled since the end of his Lakers tenure, but could prove a tough matchup for either Doncic or Austin Reaves, depending on if Doncic plays.
Los Angeles is a better squad than Sacramento, and even with these absences has a decent shot of taking down the Kings. This will serve as a major opportunity for Reaves to step up as a scorer, should Doncic indeed miss the fun.
Lakers 115, Kings 105.
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