The Los Angeles Lakers are getting set to face the Sacramento Kings for the fourth time this season. The Lakers have lost each of the three games they’ve played against the Kings this season, and are looking to turn their fortunes around in this game.
Ahead of the game, LeBron James broke down what has made the Kings so difficult for the Lakers recently.
“Transition obviously, that’s a big part. They have a lot of guard speed. That creates a lot of problems for a lot of teams, that includes us so far this season. With Fox and Monk and Mitchell we got to do a better job of getting our bodies in front of those guys, making them take more contested shots. We allowed Fox in that last game, especially in the third quarter, to do a one man fast break against our defense.
“They have guard speed and a center that’s got the ability to read all the sets that’s going on and the ability to pass … it’s a combination of a lot of things.”
— LeBron James, via The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
This all caught up to the Lakers in their last matchup against the Kings a week ago on March 6, when the Kings won 130-120. In particular, it hit the Lakers in the second quarter, when Los Angeles was outscored 44-20.
That second quarter was monumental for the Kings getting the win, as the Lakers outscored Sacramento in every other quarter. However, Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis were all on fire. Monk put up 26 points, Fox scored 44, and Sabonis recorded a triple-double.
The Lakers know they have to slow down that production, but that might be difficult if James is unable to play. James is currently listed as questionable for the game, but the Lakers will be hoping to have him to try and move up the Western Conference standings.
