The Kings and Lakers face off for the last time this regular season in a nationally televised game. Sacramento has won all the previous games in this season series and will look to make it a clean sweep tonight. LeBron James is listed as questionable but given the game’s importance for both teams, I’d be shocked if he didn’t play.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Wednesday, March 13th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: ESPN
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Last Time
The Kings and Lakers last faced off exactly one week ago in Los Angeles. The Lakers got off to a hot start in that one, going up by 19 points near the end of the 1st quarter. But the Kings proceeded to go on a 54-20 run to close out the half as Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox got whatever they wanted. Monk would finish with 26 points off the bench and the Fox tied his career-high with 44 as the Kings came away with the 130-120 victory.
Three in the Key
StarFox shines bright
De’Aaron Fox clearly loves playing against the Lakers. Maybe it’s the fact that L.A. passed on him in the draft in favor of Lonzo Ball or simply because it’s a contractual obligation to hate the Lakers as a Sacramento King, but Fox tends to play his best basketball against the Lakers. For his career, the only team Fox averages more points against than the Lakers is San Antonio. This year over three games against them he’s averaged 36.3 points on 55.1% from the field to go with 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds. The Lakers have yet to figure out an answer for him, and if they can’t figure it out tonight, he could be due for another huge performance. In their last matchup, Fox tied his career-high with 44 points, and 32 of those points came in the paint with a healthy Anthony Davis in the middle. It just didn’t matter.
Beware the Slamurai
To a lesser extent than Fox showing up against the Lakers, Rui Hachimura seems to show up against the Kings. Over the three game matchup this season, he’s averaging 15 points on 64.3% from the field and 60% from three in just 22 minutes a game. In the last matchup, which was the only one in which he started, Rui scored 29 points on 13-17 from the field. Rui has size, athleticism and a soft shooting touch, all skills that have troubled the Kings all season long. It could be even worse tonight if Keegan Murray’s ankle causes him to miss another game.
Team Defense
Sacramento’s defensive performance has stepped up the last couple of games. Against Milwaukee the Kings held the Bucks to just 94 points, almost a season-low for a Kings opponent. Against Houston, it was more Sacramento’s offense that failed to appear as the defense still held Houston just 112 points, below Sacramento’s opponent season average. The Kings will need to keep the defensive intensity up as the season concludes and we head into the post-season so hopefully this is the start of a trend and not just a passing moment.
Prediction
De’Aaron Fox finally breaks the 44 point barrier and gets some bragging rights on Keegan back as he scores 50 points to set a new career-high and complete the season sweep of the Lakers.
Kings 126, Lakers 114
Fan Predictions
Link to Leaderboard (Updated 2/21/24)
