Sacramento Kings vs LA Lakers Prediction: A high-scorer? Will Fox decimate Lakers again?

The NBA Regular Season is on and this has been another brilliant season as the midseason has now taken the center-stage. Trades can stack up in this phase considering that teams are searching for combinations to take their game to next level or want to bring in young talent or draft picks for long-term benefits. Anyway, in this fixture, the Sacramento Kings are going to take on the LA Lakers.

The Kings come into this affair after losing 117:120 against the Atlanta Hawks despite a 25 points performance by De’Aaron Fox. The Kings have lost eight of their last 15 games and they have lost four of their last seven games, which has held them back, three of those losses were against teams who had been struggling. The lack of home wins can haunt the Kings when the picture will intensify in relation to the Play-in/Playoffs. They currently have 20 wins and 17 losses.

De’Aaron Fox has led the scoring effort for most parts whereas Domantas Sabonis has been a dominant rebounder and an efficient scorer. Keegan Murray has hit the rookie wall whereas the other wing Harrison Barnes isn’t the scorer he used to be. Kevin Huerter has been a huge difference-maker having boosted the team’s three-point shooting. The bench hasn’t been up-to-the-mark with the exception of Malik Monk but he has been struggling lately.

The Lakers come into the game after defeating 130:114 against the Hawks as LeBron James dropped 25 points and 10 assists but this was largely a balanced scoring effort. For the first time this season, the Lakers have won four in a row to improve to 18 wins and 21 losses. The team has been playing without Anthony Davis for around a month but lately, they have picked up their defense while their offense has also been much more decisive.

One of the biggest differences has been the play of Thomas Bryant who has been collecting regular double-doubles whereas Dennis Schroeder has also picked up his game. Having Westbrook off the bench has been a blessing and as a leader of the second unit, he has been a great rebounder, and playmaker, and has done enough as a scorer. Patrick Beverley is mostly a defensive stopper and the currently injured Austin Reaves has also given terrific hustle and defense.

• Kings: OUT: QUESTIONABLE: Malik Monk;
• Lakers: OUT: Lonnie Walker IV, Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis. Game-Time Decisions: Damian Jones, Troy Brown Jr.

• Expected Leading Scorers: LeBron James(30-35 Points), De’Aaron Fox(29-36 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Domantas Sabonis(12-16 Rebounds), Thomas Bryant(10-14 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Russell Westbrook(8-11 Assists), LeBron James(7-10 Assists), Domantas Sabonis(6-8 Assists).

While the Lakers played last night, momentum is finally on their side, something which the Kings can’t claim. The Kings have been awful on their home floor but a two-day rest can be a big booster. The Lakers can find a lot of open looks against a Kings team that plays at such a pace that the up-and-down style can leave their defense open. However, De’Aaron Fox loves to burn the Lakers repeatedly and I believe he will do it again. That’s why I predict a scoreline of 126:120 in favor of Sacramento.