The Los Angeles Lakers (24-12) stop by the Golden 1 Center for a 10 p.m. ET tip-off against Pacific Division rival Sacramento Kings (13-21). Below, we analyze the Lakers-Kings odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
Los Angeles has struggled since big Anthony Davis was sidelined with a calf injury Feb. 16. Since AD went down, the Lakers are 3-5 overall and ATS while being 25th in offensive rating and effective field goal shooting (eFG%).
The Kings had a disastrous month of February, losing 10 of its last 11 games (1-10 ATS), this after four straight to start the month. Sacramento head coach Luke Walton is on the hot seat with his team having the worst defensive rating and worst defensive eFG% in the Association.
Lakers at Kings: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:30 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Lakers +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Kings -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Lakers +3.5 (-110) | Kings -3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 223.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Lakers at Kings: Key injuries
Lakers
- SF LeBron James (ankle) out
- PF Anthony Davis (calf) out
- C Marc Gasol (COVID-19) questionable
- PG Alex Caruso (neck) questionable
- SF Kyle Kuzma (heel) questionable
Kings
- SG Buddy Hield (ankle) questionable
- SG Tyrese Haliburton (calf) out
- C Hassan Whiteside (COVID-19) out
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Lakers at Kings: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Kings 125, Lakers 115
Money line (ML)
PASS even though I expect Sacramento to win outright because there’s no way I’m laying -160 with a Kings team that has won once in the previous 11 games.
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Against the spread (ATS)
Let’s follow the money here and BET KINGS -3.5 (-110) for 1 unit. More than 60% of the market is backing the Kings in this spot (according to Pregame.com), and they aren’t using rocket science to land on the Sacramento side here. The Lakers are without their best players.
Of the guys who actually play significant minutes for Los Angeles, the Lakers will definitely be without their top-2 players in terms of on-off court net rating (AD and LeBron) and possibly a third with PG Alex Caruso’s questionable game status.
Also, these teams played a similar game last season in the Orlando bubble. The Kings probably didn’t deserve to be invited to the bubble in the first place while the Lakers limped down the stretch of the regular-season restart before turning it on the postseason.
AD missed that Lakers-Kings game, LeBron played an uninspiring 14:36 minutes, and Sacramento rolled the Los Angeles 136-122. I’d even go as far as to say that this Lakers team isn’t as deep as that Lakers team, especially defensively.
Over/Under (O/U)
TAKE the OVER 223.5 (-110) for 1 unit. The Kings can’t guard anyone, and they hung 136 on the Lakers last season – that again was better defensively.
Plus the market still hasn’t adjusted to how bad Sacramento’s defense is. The Kings are 23-11 O/U this season, and the Over has cashed in nine of their previous 10 games entering Wednesday.
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Also see:
- Bet Slippin’ Podcast: J.J. Watt joins the Cardinals and the case for Julius Randle as MIP
- Lakers news: Kyle Kuzma is starting the All-Defense campaign for LeBron James (LeBron Wire)
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