The Sacramento Kings (13-18) and Los Angeles Lakers (17-13) face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game will broadcast live on NBA League Pass.
The Lakers are 2.5-point favorites over the Kings on the spread (Lakers -2.5), with the over/under set at 223 total points. Los Angeles is a -150 favorite to win outright, while Sacramento is +125 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Kings vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, December 28.
Kings vs. Lakers Picks, Prediction
Spread
The spread for this game opened Lakers -2 and now is at a consensus line of -2.5 with some sporadic -3s showing up in the market. It is clearly a Lakers market early.
The Lakers last played on Christmas, which ended with a game-winning layup by Austin Reaves at the buzzer, but another key story from that game was Anthony Davis rolling his ankle and not returning.
The reports have said Davis is likely to play on Saturday, and while he is listed as questionable the line movement indicates it is closer to probable.
On the Kings side, they had a disaster melt down against the Pistons and fired head coach Mike Brown shortly after. Now, former Kings shooting guard Doug Christie takes over the coaching duties, while Sabonis is sick and trade rumors around De'Aaron Fox start to swirl.
I would be hard pressed to back the Kings right now. Lakers or nothing in the spread, and the market agrees.
Moneyline
If I am playing the Lakers, I am laying the points and foregoing the moneyline.
The spread sitting at -2.5 shows this game may still fall within the 1-possession threshold, and late game fouling would likely push the final margin to 3+ points if the Lakers have a tight lead late in the game.
If I was on the Kings side, I would also just take the points, as +120 does not represent good value for the +2.5/+3 points you can find in the market. This is a spot where the ML does not make much sense, stick to the spread.
Over/Under
My Lakers vs. Kings best bet is on the Over at 223 total points, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
The Lakers defense has been up-and-down this season, and while recently stronger, they face a pace-up Kings team that can shoot and space the floor.
If this game was played two weeks ago, the total would have been at least 230. So, to see it set at 223 because of recent play, I want to go against that and use the larger bulk of the sample size we have already seen this season.
The Kings should play pace-up with an offensive minded player coming in as coach, which will force the Lakers into that type of game as well, in which they can absolutely keep up.
My Pick: Over 223 (-110)
Kings vs. Lakers Odds
| Kings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 223 -110 / -110 | +125 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 223 -110 / -110 | -150 |
- Kings vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -2.5
- Kings vs. Lakers over/under: 223 points
- Kings vs. Lakers moneyline: Lakers -150, Kings +125
- Kings vs. Lakers best bet: Over 223 (-110)
Kings vs. Lakers Preview
The big story in this game is the Kings' recent firing of Mike Brown. He is a widely respected coach around the league and will surely land on another roster as a lead assistant or possibly get another head coach gig this offseason.
It was a rash move by the Kings, who are known to do that, and are getting criticized for the move throughout the league.
Perhaps it was because he criticized De'Aaron Fox's defense late against the Pistons, and the Kings are doing everything they can to keep Fox happy, with the hopes of reaching an agreement on a contract extension.
It seems like a mess, and the old trope of the Kings being the "Kangz" is starting to rear its ugly head again.
I suspect JJ Redick says something pregame or postgame about Mike Brown's firing, and the Kings defensive effort will be the first link to sputter. Play the over here.
Kings vs. Lakers Prediction
The Over is my best bet for this game, and one I played myself. I also took Lebron James Under 8.5 Rebounds (-115) and De'Aaron Fox Over 24.5 Points (-115). If you are interested in a same game parlay, think about pairing these angles together.
Some options include Over/Lebron Under Rebounds. Or Lakers ATS + Fox Over points.
I like to combine bets that are not directly related, because the correlation tax tends to be very high.
I strive to get as close to +264 on a 2-leg same game parlay, as that is the standard payout for non-same game parlays, and makes the parlay math most advantageous.
Best Bet: Over 223
Same Game Parlay Picks
- Over 223 (-110)
- LeBron James Under 8.5 Rebounds (-120)
Parlay Payout: +224
Lakers vs. Kings Betting Trends
