The Sacramento Kings are one of the teams directly ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference standings.

The Kings currently sit 1.5 games ahead of the Lakers in the standings, making this a crucial game for both teams. The last time these two teams played was back in November as the Kings dominated the Lakers. Domantas Sabonis completely outplayed Anthony Davis, who had arguably his worst game of the season.

That matchup between the two bigs is absolutely crucial in this one. Sabonis leads the NBA in double-doubles and triple-doubles this season and is the hub of this Kings offense. Davis needs to be the dominant force inside on this night, controlling the paint and perhaps getting Sabonis into foul trouble to throw off what the Kings do.

Somehow keeping De’Aaron Fox in check is another big challenge for the Lakers as he is the worst type of matchup for the team. Fox is one of the fastest guards in the league and the likes of Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince simply don’t come close to having the speed necessary to stay in front of him.

This might be a case where the Lakers’ offense needs to have a big night in order to keep up with Sacramento’s high-powered offense. The Kings not only rank in the top-10 in points in the paint, but are also fourth in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game.

The Lakers have shot above 40% from deep in each of the last two games so LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell need to power the Lakers’ offense both with their shooting and creation for others. The Lakers also need a big night from their bench.

Malik Monk is one of the best sixth men in the league capable of getting scorching hot if he sees just one ball go through the hoop. Whether it is Taurean Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie, Cam Reddish or someone else, the Lakers need their reserves to step up and make an impact.

The Kings have not been the best matchup for the Lakers over the past couple of seasons having lost five of the last six against their division rivals. If James and Davis are dominant the Lakers can beat anyone, but they have to keep up the defensive intensity and 3-point shooting they’ve shown the last couple games if they plan on getting a big win.

Los Angeles Lakers (34-29) vs. Sacramento Kings (34-26)

Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 7:30 p.m. PTCrypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CaliforniaTV: Spectrum SportsnetRadio: 710 AM ESPN LA

Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:

PG: D’Angelo RussellSG: Austin ReavesSF: LeBron JamesPF: Rui HachimuraC: Anthony Davis

Key Reserves: Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, Max Christie

Projected Kings Starting Lineup:

PG: De’Aaron FoxSG: Kevin HuerterSF: Keegan MurrayPF: Harrison BarnesC: Domantas Sabonis

Key Reserves: Malik Monk, Trey Lyles, Davion Mitchell, Chris Duarte