After an embarrassing 49-point loss to the Utah Jazz, the Sacramento Kings take the court against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, April 30. The game tips at 10:30 p.m. ET, when the Kings will be hoping they can wash the poor taste out of their mouths with an upset at the Staples Center.
Will Sacramento find a way to stay competitive in this one? Find out in our Kings vs. Lakers picks and predictions.
(Editor's Note: These picks were made prior to Friday night's news that LeBron James would return for the Lakers in tonight's game vs. the Kings.)
Kings vs Lakers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonLos Angeles opened as 9-point chalk Thursday night at PointsBet USA, rose to -10 and dipped to -8 by midmorning, then got a midafternoon jolt on the news that LeBron James (ankle) might return tonight. The line went straight from -8 to -10.5 and is up to -11.5 at 7:45 p.m. ET. Bettors aren't going haywire on the Lakers, with just 53 percent of spread tickets on L.A., but that equates to 76 percent of spread money. The total moved from 223.5 to 222.5 to 224.5, with ticket count and money both about 2/1 on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameKings at Lakers betting preview
Injuries
Kings: F Harrison Barnes (Questionable), F Robert Woodard II (Questionable), G De’Aaron Fox (Out), F Marvin Bagley III (Out).
Lakers: G Alex Caruso (Questionable), F Jared Dudley (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Kings are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as underdogs. Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Lakers.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
There’s no getting away from what happened to Sacramento last game. The team was absolutely torched on its own home floor, losing to Utah by 49 points. Not only did the Jazz destroy the Kings, but they did so without Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell. It was just a bad, bad performance from Sacramento. Well, look for the Kings to use that as fuel here, as it’d be unacceptable if they can’t come out and at least compete against a Lakers team that is absolutely miserable lately without LeBron James.
On Wednesday, the Lakers were unable to beat the Wizards, losing 116-107 in Washington. Los Angeles has now lost four of its last five games, and the team has failed to cover in each of its last five. Anthony Davis is back for the Lakers, but they need LeBron in the lineup. This team is built around the four-time NBA champion, and the group desperately needs its playmaking. Without it, the Lakers aren’t going to be able to adequately exploit a Kings team that is last in the league in defensive rating. Sure, Anthony Davis might get his, but it will be hard for them to blow out the Kings without other guys really stepping it up here.
For what it’s worth, the Lakers are also just 25th in defensive rating over the last five games. They’re normally elite in that regard, but that’s not the case at the moment. That means that Sacramento might be able to keep things flowing offensively, even without De’Aaron Fox.
PREDICTION: Kings +8.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
While the Lakers aren’t defending at a high level at the moment, they’re also slowing games down enough to ensure that they’re still playing some low-scoring contests. Three of Los Angeles’ last five games have gone Under the total, and it’s hard to imagine that changing against a Sacramento team that mustered up only 105 points in a fast-paced meeting with Utah last game. The Kings aren’t going to play as fast without Fox, and this just seems like a good spot to take the Under.
PREDICTION: Under 223 (-110)
Player prop pick
Tyrese Haliburton hasn’t shot very well since stepping into the starting role for the injured Fox, but he’s still averaging 13.6 points per game in those three contests. As he starts to get a bit more comfortable, you should look for him to ratchet that up a bit.
Haliburton has been an excellent shooter all season, and getting more opportunities is never a bad thing. Look for him to bounce back soon, especially in a game like this one. Haliburton loves the bright lights.
PREDICTION: Tyrese Haliburton Over 15.5 Points (-102)
Kings vs Lakers betting card
- Kings +8.5 (-110)
- Under 223 (-110)
- Tyrese Haliburton Over 15.5 Points (-102)
Picks made on 4/30/2021 at 1:00 p.m. ET
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