The Los Angeles Lakers play their first game in a stretch of seven games where they will be the road team on Friday night as they visit the Sacramento Kings. They will do so without several key players, including their newest addition, Andre Drummond.
Drummond will miss tonight’s game against the Kings as he continues to recover from losing a toenail in his debut earlier this week. However, that might actually make things a little better for the Lakers in the short term as they are bringing their starting center, Marc Gasol, back into the lineup.
When Gasol entered the game during the 4th quarter of Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee, the Lakers looked like a much better team. Gasol did not play during L.A.’s last trip to Sacramento, a close 123-120 loss.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
- Point spread: Kings -4.5
- Moneyline: Lakers +155 / Bucks -190
- Over-under: 220.5
Place your legal, online sports bets in VA, CO, IA, IN, NJ, PA, TN and WV at BetMGM.
Advice and prediction
The Kings are focused on trying to make the play-in and tonight is a golden opportunity for them to make up ground in that effort. The Warriors, who are ahead of the Kings, lost on Thursday night and they will have an opportunity to cut the Warriors lead in the standings to just a half-game.
However, while I still believe the Lakers will need what Andre Drummond gives them in the long run, Gasol playing more minutes is going to help them. He’s been with the team the whole year and he gives them passing and 3-point shooting they desperately need without their stars.
Gasol will help the Lakers keep things interesting. However, the Kings are going to win. Take that extra half-point with the Lakers as the Kings win another close one against L.A. at home.
Prediction: Kings 115, Lakers 111
