In what could be the final game in Sacramento, the Kings host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday to end the 2012 NBA season.
The drama surrounding the city and possibly losing its franchise isn't the only rama of the evening. Kobe Bryant needs 38 points to pass Kevin Durant and claim the NBA scoring title.
Bryant says he doesn't care about it, but the Lakers are resting their others but not him. And it's hard to imagine an egomaniac like Kobe not going full throttle.
The Kings sit at 21-44 (28-37 ATS) on the season; in comparison, the Lakers are currently 41-24 (27-38 ATS). Looking to wager on the totals? Sacramento is 33-30-2 OU, and Los Angeles is 36-29 OU.
View LA Lakers vs Sacramento Odds and Stats.
Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Odds Shark Power Rankings have the Kings at No. 24 and the Lakers at No. 7 heading into this contest. Handicapping models run by the computers at Odds Shark project a 101-93 result in favor of the Lakers.
How They Match Up:
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Lakers rank No. 2 in the league with 46.3 per game. That compares with Sacramento’s No. 11 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Sacramento is the NBA’s No. 18-ranked team at 6.2 per game, while the Lakers rate No. 21 with 5.5 per contest.
In comparing how the teams stack up statistically, the Lakers own the league's No. 18-rated mark, allowing 98.6 points per game when on the road. Sacramento, on the other hand, rates No. 6 in home scoring.
Los Angeles was a 114-106 Sportsbook in its last match at home against the Thunder. They covered the 1-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 220 sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Kobe Bryant went off for 26 points and added 6 rebounds leading Los Angeles over Oklahoma City, 114-106, on Sunday at STAPLES Center.
Last time out for Sacramento, they were a 118-110 loser as they battled the Thunder on the road. The Kings covered in the match as a 10.5-point underdog, while 228 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors. DeMarcus Cousins was dynamite, scoring 32 points and adding 7 rebounds but Oklahoma City still won, 118-110, over Sacramento on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Los Angeles Lakers Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
After playing Oklahoma City are 7-3
After a win are 6-4
Sacramento Kings Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
After playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
A few Lakers at Kings trends to consider:
LA Lakers are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games when playing Sacramento
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of the LA Lakers last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Sacramento's last 15 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Sacramento's last 15 games when playing LA Lakers
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
