A battle out west will take place under the lights as the Los Angeles Lakers square off with the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Let's check out our NBA odds series where our Lakers-Kings prediction and pick will be made.
After a resounding 130-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks that saw the Lakers extend their winning streak to four games, Los Angeles is certainly beginning to click on all cylinders. Obviously, it is greatly needed as the Lakers enter play on Saturday with an 18-21 record and are dead last in the Pacific Division Standings.
Who could've thunk it, but here are the Sacramento Kings holding on to a first-place division lead with a 20-17 record and a one-game lead on both the Warriors and Clippers. One of the feel-good stories of the first half of the NBA campaign, the Kings also faced off with the Hawks in their most recent game but it resulted in a three-point loss instead.
Here are the Lakers-Kings NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Lakers-Kings Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +8 (-110)
Sacramento Kings: -8 (-110)
Over: 241.5 (-110)
Under: 241.5 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Kings
TV: NBC Sports California/Spectrum SportsNet
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 6:00 ET/9:00 PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
No Anthony Davis, no big deal! While the Lakers are a more formidable squad when Davis is suiting up for play, the Lakers have handled business in an impressive way especially of late. In an attempt to dig their way out of a massive hole when they started the season 2-10, the Lakers are in the driver's seat to make a winning runner the course of the next month before the All-Star Break if they can continue balling out.
When it comes to covering the spread on the road against the Kings tonight, keeping their foot on the gas with their willingness to score the basketball could end up deciding the outcome. in fact, during LA's four-game winning streak, the Lakers have managed to score at least 130n points twice and are simply attacking the opposition with stellar offense.
Of course, the NBA community is starting to run out of words for how dominant LeBron James has been playing at the ripe age of 38, as he looks like he could play another five years at an extremely high level. While the key to victory may fall on King James' shoulders, others will need to step up in a big way especially with the team's bench depth getting hit with the injury bug as Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves will approximately miss two weeks apiece.
Nevertheless, if Los Angeles can find a way to dominate the paint and get out and run on the fast break like they did versus Atlanta, then bettors putting a few dollars on the Lakers ability to cover may end the night with a large grin upon their faces.
Why The Kings Could Cover The Spread
Even though Sacramento's overall record doesn't raise eyebrows on paper, a 20-18 record 38 games into the season is a huge deal for an organization that boasts the longest active playoff drought in the entire NBA. With tonight's action serving as the second contest of a five-game home stand for the fifth-place squad in the Western Conference, the Kings have reeled off an 11-8 record at home this year and already hold two wins over the Lakers in previous months.
Saturday night's task at hand in covering the spread and ultimately coming away triumphant will be an uphill climb against a red-hot Lakers crew, but the single biggest advantage that Sacramento has over Los Angeles is the fact that they are fully healthy for the most part. Not only that, but one that makes this Kings team stand out from Sacramento rosters in the past is the amount of depth at their own disposal. Whether it's Domantas Sabonis doing work in the paint or the backcourt of Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox showing off their shifty playing style. it is hard to argue that the Kings are an absolutely dangerous bunch and clear playoff threat.
Most importantly, Sacramento will need to establish some sort of defensive prescience. It has become common knowledge how effective this offense can be with over 117 points per game, but the defense has been lackluster at times and has often struggled with the basic fundamentals of guarding their opposition. For obvious reasons, the Kings cannot afford to be lazy with their defensive rebounding and need to try to stay out of foul trouble to keep the shorthanded Lakers from hanging around.
Final Lakers-Kings Prediction & Pick
This divisional matchup between two California rivals should be an entertaining one, but it will end up being the Lakers that should keep this one close and possibly even put this game in the win column when it is all said and done.
Final Lakers-Kings Prediction & Pick: Lakers +8 (-110)
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