Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers game 40 preview
By Tyler Watts
The Sacramento Kings travel to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 9 in a regular season game. This article previews that game from a Kings’ perspective.
The Sacramento Kings hit the road to face the Los Angeles Lakers this evening. The Kings are on the second of a back-to-back tonight. They also have 11 games remaining this month, and nine of those are on the road. The schedule is quite unfriendly for the rest of January, so be prepared.
Last time out, the Kings hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Sacramento played fantastic in the first half, but let the game slip away late losing 107-100 against LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs. Below is a highlight video of that game.
Without further ado, here is the main thing to watch for and some final thoughts on the contest between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 9.
Battle of young talent
The night’s top billing is De’Aaron Fox versus Lonzo Ball, but that is not the only up and coming battle out there tonight. De’Aaron Fox is finally hitting his stride. He had some great quotes recently in the Sacramento Bee about the changes he made to his game. Lonzo Ball is struggling to find his offensive stroke, but the rest of second overall picks numbers look fantastic. Expect a 30 minute battle between these two rookies this evening.
Related Story: 2018 wish: Improvement in De'Aaron Fox
The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma has perhaps even upstaged Lonzo Ball on the court this season. The rookie 27th overall pick is averaging 16.3 points per game, 2.0 3-pointers, and 6.3 rebounds in 31.6 minutes a night. Kuzma has surprised many with his offensive polish and ability to score the ball from anywhere on the court. Expect to see him match up some with Kings ever-improving big man Willie Cauley-Stein.
That all goes without mentioning Brandon Ingram, who is still just 20 years old. The Lakers star has taken a significant leap this season and is on his way to becoming the centerpiece of the squad.
Keep an eye on Skal Labissiere this evening as well. Labissiere’s minutes have been inconsistent all season long, but with it being the second of a back-to-back Skal could have fresh legs. Remember when given 28 minutes last week, he produced a 17 point, 15 rebound game. The young man can ball when giving the playing time.
Final thoughts
The Kings versus Lakers rivalry should be enough to make you tune in tonight. The game is on NBA TV, so Sacramento should have more exposure this evening. I expect the Kings to take advantage of that. Don’t count them out as the Lakers are a struggling bunch. Los Angeles has won just two of their last 14 games. The Kings are likely worn out and on the road, but they can still be victorious tonight. Enjoy the game.
Next: 2018 wish: More 3-pointers for Buddy Hield
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