Lakers at Kings
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Lakers have already wrapped up the Pacific Division title and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, 2so the only suspense left for Thursday’s regular-season finale at the Sacramento Kings involves Kobe Bryant’s pursuit of the scoring crown. Bryant trails Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant by 0.1 points in the scoring race. Los Angeles will play its first game without the suspended Metta World Peace, and the Kings could be playing their final game in Sacramento.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, KCAL, CSCA
ABOUT THE LAKERS (41-24): Bryant said the scoring title doesn’t matter to him, and since he’s played only two games since sitting out seven with a shin injury, it would seem that Los Angeles would rather have him ready for the postseason than make a concerted effort to hang a big number on the Kings. He has scored 67 points in two matchups with Sacramento this season. World Peace will serve the first of his seven-game suspension for his vicious elbow to the head of Oklahoma City’s James Harden.
ABOUT THE KINGS (21-44): An agreement to build a new arena in Sacramento fell apart earlier this month, once again putting the future of the franchise in doubt. The Kings are staggering to the finish line, having dropped 10 of their last 12 following Tuesday’s 118-110 loss at Oklahoma City. Center DeMarcus Cousins led five starters in double figures with 32 points and forwards Jason Thompson and Travis Outlaw contributed a season-high 22 and 20 points, respectively.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. With Durant averaging 28 points per game and Bryant at 27.9, the Lakers superstar will need 38 points against Sacramento to win his third career scoring title and first since 2006-07.
2. Lakers forward Matt Barnes (ankle) will sit out and Kings leading scorer Marcus Thornton (quad) could miss his fourth straight game.
3. The Kings finished the season with the league’s second-worst road record (6-27).