The Sacramento Kings (24-18) have won their last four games, all in resounding fashion but against lesser opponents. Their last loss was against the Los Angeles Lakers (20-24), who the Kings will play in LA Wednesday night.
The closest game during this surge was beating the San Antonio Spurs 132-119 on Sunday, as the offense had its fifth straight game scoring over 130 points. The Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets, 140-132 on Monday, after losing three straight, while the defense struggled to close out the game, and LeBron James continued to withstand father time.
Let’s check the latest NBA odds, stats, injury report, and NBA lines for Kings vs Lakers. We’ve plenty of NBA betting odds for you to consider.
Kings Hottest Offense
All season the Kings have relied on their offense, sitting in a position where they would have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. A lot can change from now until April, but the Kings’ offense clearly won’t go away easily.
The Kings are first in points per game, third in offensive rating, and fourth in pace. They have been one of the most efficient teams in the league, with the third-best field goal percentage, first in 2s, and seventh in 3s. On top of that, they are third in assists.
Domantas Sabonis won Western Conference player of the week, averaging 18.5 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists over the last four wins. While De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter have been his more consistent running mates throughout the season, Harrison Barnes’ play over this stretch can not be overlooked.
Barnes has had a 30-, 27-, and 29-point game, avenging 25.5 points on 12 shots. He is shooting 64% from three on seven attempts. While that is not sustainable over a long time, it’s just another addition for opposing defenses to worry about now.
Lakers Holding On Because of James
The Lakers may be sliding down the standings and needed an easy opponent to end a three-game losing streak, barely pulling it off against Houston, but it sure is not James’ fault. He has done everything to keep this team afloat since Anthony Davis went down with a foot injury. James even turned 38 recently and had more 40-point games, three, since before his birthday, zero.
The last 15 games without Davis have been challenging, with the Lakers having one of the worst defenses. But James is avenging 34.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and eight assists per game during that time, with the Lakers going 8-7. The stretch has featured a four and three-game losing streak, but they also won five in a row.
While it is still a long shot for this Lakers season to be truly saved, if Davis can come back, with the level that James is playing at, they could make a run. Also, this likely won’t be the same roster in two months.
Furthermore, the Lakers have been a solid team against the spread (ATS), primarily due to their star talent and ability to stand out. They are 25-19-0 on the season and 7-3 in the last 10.
Kings vs Lakers Game Injuries
Kings vs Lakers Head-to-Head
This will be the fourth and final meeting between the Kings and Lakers. The Kings won the first two, one on the road and one at home. The Lakers can do the same thing, winning the last game by two points in Sacramento, now looking to even the series at home.
Kings vs Lakers Game Information
- Game: Kings (24-18) vsLakers (20-24)
- Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Day/Time: Wednesday, Jan. 18, 10:30 p.m. EST
- Kings vs Lakers Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Kings vs Lakers Betting Lines
Kings vs Lakers Picks & Prediction
The first thing about this game is that neither team has shown it can defend. That has led to their three games all hitting the over, the last two by a wide margin. There is a good chance that will happen again, especially with the Kings’ offense on a roll and the Lakers dropping 140 in their last game.
Who will win is a much more challenging question, as it could come down to a final possession due to the offenses. The Kings are the better team now, but the Lakers have James.
The Sacramento Kings are listed at -175 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Kings, you have a chance to win $57. The Los Angeles Lakers are +150, offering a chance to win $150on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the NBA betting lines gives the Sacramento Kings a 63.64% chance to win, with the Los Angeles Lakers at 40.00%.
Kings vs Lakers Trends
Kings vs Lakers Edge
Kings vs Lakers Results
Kings vs Lakers Game Summary
Lakers vs Kings Previous Game (Jan. 07, 2023)
The Los Angeles Lakers go for a fifth straight win when they visit the Sacramento Kings for a battle of Pacific Division rivals on Saturday night. Los Angeles won its fourth in a row by beating the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night but is still in last place in the Pacific, 1½ games behind the Phoenix Suns. Sacramento has lost two of its last three but is atop the division standings, leading the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers by one game. In a division that is separated by a total of three games, every victory is important, so both teams will be fighting hard for this one. Check out our NBA betting preview to help you decide how you want to wager on this contest.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been able to get some wins despite their depleted roster, but they’ll be playing a hungry team in the Sacramento Kings on the second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento should be able to take advantage of being fresher for this one and pull away for the win, though we like the Lakers to keep it close and cover the spread.
When doing your NBA betting, take Sacramento to win at home but Los Angeles to cover.
