Lakers at Kings
The Sacramento Kings needed to turn things around on the defensive end to move back into the win column and did just that over their last two games. The Los Angeles Lakers, who visit the Kings on Thursday, remain one of the surprise teams of the first month but could use some practice time on the defensive end as well.
The Kings allowed an average of 108.3 points during a four-game slide but held the Toronto Raptors backcourt down in a 96-91 road win on Sunday and avoided a letdown at home after a five-game trip with a 102-94 triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. “It’s not something you can just come out and do,” Sacramento star center DeMarcus Cousins told the Sacramento Bee of the defensive focus. “It’s a mindset. It takes a lot of energy and effort and also a lot of focus. You can talk it but you’ve got to go out and perform it on a nightly basis." The Lakers are allowing an average of 108.5 points and had a three-game winning streak come to an end after letting the Dallas Mavericks shoot 52.4 percent from the field in a 109-97 home setback. Los Angeles is opening a three-game road trip with the Kings and will play its next four against teams that missed the playoffs last season.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE LAKERS (4-4): Los Angeles coach Luke Walton is trying to teach a young team how to win and is allowing the players to make some mistakes along the way. "The only way to learn how to close games out is to experience it," Walton told reporters. “Once you experience it, even if you’re not in the next time you should know what to look for and see how other guys are doing it from both teams. Being out there and feeling how the game shifts in those final, three, four, five minutes of the game I think are very important for the young guys." Julius Randle, 21, collected 15 points and 10 rebounds against the Mavericks but also committed six of the team's 17 turnovers.
ABOUT THE KINGS (4-5): Sacramento is trying to figure out how to win under a new coach as well, and Dave Joerger's path to victory starts on the defensive end. The Kings gave Anthony Davis 34 points but did not let anyone else beat them and limited the Pelicans to 5-of-21 from 3-point range on Tuesday. Point guard Darren Collison made his season debut after sitting out the first eight games while serving a league suspension and came off the bench to deliver nine points, four assists and two steals in 28 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lakers PF Larry Nance Jr. is dealing with a concussion and is questionable for Thursday.
2. Kings PF Anthony Tolliver (knee) sat out the last four games and is day-to-day.
3. Sacramento is enjoying a seven-game winning streak in the series and took the four meetings last season by an average of 12 points.