Lakers at Kings
The Los Angeles Lakers attempt to complete a four-game season sweep of Sacramento when they visit the Kings on Wednesday. The Lakers will also be trying to avoid their 50th loss after falling to Portland on Tuesday – Los Angeles last experienced a 50-defeat campaign in 1974-75 when it went 30-52. Sacramento has just one fewer loss than the Lakers and ended a three-game skid with a 102-97 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
Kings guard Isaiah Thomas (thigh) could miss his fifth straight game but there is no need to rush him back with rookie Ray McCallum playing well in his place. McCallum has played an average of 45.3 minutes while starting the past four games and is averaging 15.3 points, seven assists and 1.8 turnovers during the span. Los Angeles got center Pau Gasol (vertigo) back from a four-game absence but couldn’t knock off Portland despite a season-high 40 points from Nick Young. The Lakers started both Gasol (at power forward) and center Chris Kaman for their 33th different starting lineup of the campaign.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (25-49): Young made his first eight shots and finished 15-of-26 from the field against Portland while falling three points shy of his career high. Kobe Bryant’s injury woes have provided an opportunity for Young (17.3 average) to be the club’s most-potent offensive option and he has been providing instant offense from the bench most of the season. Young joins Jodie Meeks (42 against Oklahoma City on March 9) as the lone Lakers to score 40 or more points this season and he made six 3-pointers against the Trail Blazers to raise his season count to a career-best 106.
ABOUT THE KINGS (26-48): Center DeMarcus Cousins broke out of a two-game funk with 35 points and 14 rebounds in the victory over the Pelicans. It marked the third time in five games that Cousins had more than 30 points and 10 boards in the same game but he totaled just 21 points and 11 boards in the two games prior to the big outing against New Orleans. Cousins has career-best averages of 22.3 points and 11.7 rebounds and has averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds in every month this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Los Angeles has won the last five meetings, including the past two visits to Sacramento.
2. Lakers PG Steve Nash (back) had 10 points and 10 assists against Portland but is unlikely to play against the Kings.
3. Kings F Reggie Evans was fined $15,000 by the NBA, stemming from drawing a flagrant 2 foul for elbowing New Orleans star Anthony Davis.