Kings vs Lakers Predictions, Picks & Best Bets 12/28/24

Sacramento Kings (13-18 SU, 11-20 ATS) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (17-13 SU, 14-16 ATS)

When: Saturday, December 28th, 10:30 PM (ET)

Where: Crypto.com Arena, CA, Los Angeles

TV: NBCS

Point Spread: Sac +3/LAL -3

Total: 223.5

Money Line: Sacramento Kings +125/-148

Notable Injuries

Kings

• Domantas Sabonis (Questionable) Illness

Lakers

• Anthony Davis (Questionable) Ankle
• LeBron James (Questionable) Illness
• D’Angelo Russell (Probable) Thumb
• Christian Wood (Out) Knee
• Jarred Vanderbilt (Out) Foot
• Jaxson Hayes (Questionable) Ankle
• Rui Hachimura (Questionable) Illness
• Jalen Hood-Schifino (Out) Hamstring

At 10:30 ET, the Los Angeles Lakers (-148) will host the Sacramento Kings (+125) in a Western Pacific Division matchup. The Lakers are favored by 3 points, and the over/under line is set at 223.5.

Los Angeles (17-13) is currently 5th in the Western Conference, while Sacramento (13-18) is 12th. The Kings have lost five straight games and are 5th in the Pacific Division.

Recent Form

The Kings dropped to 13-18 on the season after a 114-113 home loss to the Pistons on Thursday. Sacramento, favored by 5 points, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points hit 227, exactly matching the over/under line.

After a strong 2nd quarter where they outscored Detroit 31-19, the Kings appeared in control, leading 91-77 going into the 4th. However, the Pistons stormed back, outscoring Sacramento 37-22 in the final quarter to steal the win.

The Lakers improved to 17-13 this season with a 115-113 win over the Warriors on Wednesday. As a +4 point underdog, Los Angeles not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread. The total score of 228 points went over the pre-game line of 220.

After a 23-23 tie in the 1st quarter, the Lakers edged ahead by winning the 2nd and 3rd quarters, leading 84-76 going into the 4th. Despite being outscored 37-31 in the final quarter, they held on for the win.

The Historicals

Spanning across the last five head-to-head matchups, the Kings and Lakers have been competitive, with an average margin of victory sitting at just 1 points per game. This has resulted in a 3-2 ATS record for Los Angeles. In these matchups, the teams have put together an over-under mark of 2-3. Combined, they averaged 229 points in these games.

Analysis

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 26 points in their 114-113 loss to the Pistons, scoring 14 in the 3rd quarter and adding 11 more in the 4th. Trey Lyles contributed 20 points, with 15 coming in the 2nd quarter, and knocked down four threes at a 57.1% rate.

As a team, the Kings hit 14 threes, shooting 35.9% from deep and 47.6% overall. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points, while Keegan Murray scored 9 of his 11 points in the opening quarter.

Despite a strong defensive effort in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the Kings couldn’t hold off the Pistons in the 4th, giving up 37 points in a 114-113 loss. Sacramento managed to limit Detroit to 41% shooting overall but allowed 17 made threes at a 38% clip.

The Kings sent the Pistons to the line 25 times, where they hit 21 free throws. On the boards, Sacramento gave up 10 offensive rebounds while recording three steals and six blocks.

LeBron James led the Lakers to a 115-113 win over the Warriors, posting 31 points and 10 assists while shooting 54.5% from the field. Austin Reaves added a triple-double with 26 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds, knocking down four threes at a 40% clip.

Rui Hachimura hit five threes, shooting 71.4% from deep, and finished with 18 points. As a team, the Lakers made 15 threes, shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc and 45.1% overall. Reaves scored 10 points in the 4th quarter, while Hachimura and Max Christie each added 6.

The Lakers held the Warriors to 113 points on 46% shooting, with strong defensive efforts in the 1st and 3rd quarters, allowing just 23 and 24 points, respectively. However, they struggled in the 4th, giving up 37 points, but still managed to secure the win.

From beyond the arc, the Lakers allowed the Warriors to hit 18 threes at a 40% clip. They sent Golden State to the line 17 times, where they made 13 free throws. The Lakers also recorded six steals and four blocks in the game.

Betting Trends

• Through their last three road contests, the Kings’ offense has averaged 120 points per game while allowing an average of 112. Sacramento posted an overall record of 2-1 while going 1-2 ATS.
• Across their last three home contests, Los Angeles has been good against the spread, posting a mark of 3-0. Their overall mark in these games was 3-0 while averaging 110 points per game.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Kings have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Lakers have gone 3-7 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 7-3.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The big news surrounding this one is the shock that the Kings fired head coach Mike Brown, as the team had higher expectations heading into the season and is just 13-18 so far. It can be tough to predict how a team will react to this firing, especially given that Brown is widely respected around the league. On the other side, James and Davis are both questionable and the Lakers are favored by -3. I have no idea if Brown’s firing is going to create any type of meaningful chance for Sacramento, but at least for one night, I expect the Kings to come out with a lot of energy, and I like them to win this one straight-up.