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The LA Lakers and Sacramento Kings face each other for the first time this season in an all-California affair. While injuries have hampered the Lakers' dominant start to the 2020-21 campaign, the Kings have been mediocre for the majority of this year.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Lakers vs Sacramento Kings | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 3rd, 10 PM ET (Thursday, 8:30 AM IST)
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers have been seriously handicapped by Anthony Davis' injury. After a 21-7 start to the season, the Purple and Gold have lost five of their next eight games in Davis' absence. Yesterday's matchup against the Phoenix Suns saw Kyle Kuzma and Marc Gasol getting sidelined as well with only the former in contention for a return on Wednesday. Even Alex Caruso suffered neck spasms against Phoenix.
Most importantly, reports suggest that LeBron James could be sitting out against the Sacramento Kings. This will be LeBron's first game on the sidelines this season after featuring in each of the previous 36 matchups for the LA Lakers. As a result, the majority of the load will fall on Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, both of whom combined for 7-of-24 shooting against Phoenix.
Key Player - Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder was actively pursued by the LA Lakers this offseason for his playmaking ability and it's time for him to showcase his mettle. He's averaged 17 points and 4.7 assists per game since returning from his spell on the sidelines but has the ability to produce more. A prototypical two-way player, Schroder can defend the opposition's best guard and will probably be matched up against Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
G Dennis Schroder, G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, F Talen Horton-Tucker, F Kyle Kuzma, C Markieff Morris
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings simply cannot buy a win right now. They've dropped 10 of their last 11 games after their recent loss to the Charlotte Hornets which saw a bizarre ending. The Kings led by eight with 73 seconds left in the game. They had two free throws and the following possession as well, due to a flagrant foul committed by the Hornets. They still lost the game 126-127 from that juncture.
Buddy Hield's 30-point outing was the only positive in that matchup as he became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 three-pointers. February's Western Conference Rookie of the Month Tyrese Haliburton has somehow remained unaffected by the Sacramento Kings' recent slump. He averaged 16.2 points and 5.3 assists per game last month but is likely to sit out against the LA Lakers with a calf issue.
Key Player - De'Aaron Fox
Much like LeBron James on the LA Lakers, De'Aaron Fox has struggled to lead the Sacramento Kings to victory all on his own. Fox has averaged 23.2 points per game and 5.3 assists per game in the last five outings. His three-point shooting has also improved to 34.5%, up from a paltry 29.2% last season. As good as he's been, Swipa needs to be more careful with possession and create better plays in the clutch.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
G De'Aaron Fox, G Buddy Hield, F Harrison Barnes, F Marvin Bagley III, C Richaun Holmes
Lakers vs Kings Match Prediction
The LA Lakers will be without King James and many other players on the second night of a back-to-back. In fact, the majority of their rotation in this game could comprise of players who usually don't feature a lot. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings are well-rested and desperate for a win. Expect Luke Walton's men to eke out a win in this tie.
Where to watch Lakers vs Kings?
Local coverage of the game will be available on Spectrum SportsNet and NBC Sports California. You can also live stream this matchup via the NBA League Pass.
Also read: OKC Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction & Match Preview - March 3rd, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
Guess the Lakers players!
