Lakers at Kings
The Los Angeles Lakers ended a three-game slide and look to post another victory when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Los Angeles cruised to a 124-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, putting together an impressive performance reminiscent of when it won 12 of 16 games prior to the recent skid.
Rookie point guard Lonzo Ball returned from a 15-game absence because of an MCL sprain in his left knee to contribute nine points, seven rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes against Dallas but will be held out on the second part of the back-to-back. "He's been out six weeks, so it's more precautionary than anything else," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters. "He could wake up (Saturday) and feel great and want to play, but it's also part of our job to protect him from himself. When you're coming back from an injury that's held you out that long, and your first set of games is a back-to-back, it just makes sense to not play in them both." The Kings have dropped six of their past eight games and trailed by 23 points after one quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday before showing life in a last-second 110-107 setback. Sacramento point guard De'Aaron Fox might miss his second straight game because of pink eye.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Spectrum Sports Net (Los Angeles), NBCS California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (24-34): Power forward Julius Randle has scored in double digits in 15 straight games and posted his first triple-double of the season - and fifth of his career - with 18 points, 12 rebounds and a season-best 10 assists against the Mavericks. "I'm not out there looking for triple doubles," Randle said in a postgame interview. "I'm trying to play the right way and make the simple plays. By me doing that and being aggressive, I'm finding myself in those situations." Randle is averaging 19 points during the 15-game stretch with six 20-point performances while his lowest output is 14 points.
ABOUT THE KINGS (18-40): Sacramento swingman Vince Carter was pleased after Thursday's loss that his teammates recovered from a brutal start to take a third-quarter lead before ultimately falling when Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook buried the winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. "It's a process for us and these guys are young," the 41-year-old Carter told reporters. "They still haven't seen every scenario that's possible and it takes a long time to do that. But at the same time, just to show our resolve, to show everybody just to trust in what we've been preaching since the beginning." Carter contributed 13 points, six rebounds and five assists while scoring in double digits for the fifth time this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split two meetings earlier this season with the home squad winning by double digits on each occasion.
2. Sacramento PF Zach Randolph had 29 points and 12 rebounds against the Thunder for his eighth double-double of the campaign.
3. Los Angeles C Ivica Zubac is averaging 16.5 points on 14-of-15 shooting over the past two games.