Resurgent Lakers Look to Stay Perfect at Home Against Kings
2023 Kings vs Lakers Odds: Los Angeles Favored by 1.5 at Home
The Los Angeles Lakers host the Sacramento Kings Wednesday (10 p.m. ET) at Crypto.com Arena.
Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite (-110) and -118 on the moneyline. Conversely, Sacramento is a +1.5 (-110) on the spread and -102 to win outright. The projected total is 235 (-110 Over, -110 Under), second highest on the NBA slate.
Who has the edge? Read on as we break down both NBA teams and assess the 2023 Kings vs Lakers odds.
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers 
Day/Time:
Location: Crypto.com Arena; Los Angeles
Streaming: ESPN
Betting Trends
The Sacramento Kings are 5-4 against the spread, including 2-2 on the road. The total has gone Over in five of the Kings’ first nine games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are 4-7 ATS, including 2-3 at home. Notably, the total has gone Over in six of the Lakers’ last seven games with Sacramento. Remember that when assessing the 2023 Kings vs Lakers odds.
Fox Back and Healthy
All is well with Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox, who returned from an ankle injury to score 28 points in Monday’s 132-120 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. A 1-point favorite, Sacramento shot a blistering 59%, including 20 for 42 from 3-point range, to match its highest offensive output of the season. The Kings are now 5-4, good for first place in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division.
Oddsmakers remain a bit leery of Sacramento. Coming off their first NBA playoff appearance since 2006, the Kings were projected for 44.5 wins (seventh most in the Western Conference) and are +2800 to win the West. But they’re certainly trending in the right direction.
Fox, who’d missed five games with a sprained right ankle, is averaging a team-high 30.5 points on 50% shooting. He’s a big reason why the Kings took a significant step forward in 2022-23. The Kings were one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses, ranking second in field goal percentage (49.4) and first in scoring (120.7 PPG).
With forward Domantas Sabonis back alongside Fox, the Kings are slated for even more success. While the Kings remain biggest longshot in the Pacific Division, they’re still priced just +600. The Golden State Warriors are currently the favorite at +180. Keep that in mind when making your NBA picks today.
LA Trending in Right Direction
The Los Angeles Lakers’ winning streak is up to three games following Tuesday’s 134-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. A 6.5-point favorite per NBA scores and odds, Los Angeles led by as many as 31. It’s now 6-5 on the season, including 5-0 at home.
D’Angelo Russell paced the Lakers with 24 points against Memphis. Anthony Davis contributed 19 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks and five assists while LeBron James added 16 points, nine boards and six assists. While there’s been no update on their availability for Wednesday, there’s always the risk of one or both all-stars sitting on the second leg of a back-to-back. Be sure to check on their statuses when analyzing the 2023 Kings vs Lakers odds.
Oddsmakers were understandably bullish on the Lakers, projecting them for 47.5 wins (tied for third most in the West behind Denver at 52.5 and Phoenix at 51.5). Much of that optimism stems from their run to the conference semifinals.
The Lakers are now +550 to win the Pacific Division and +900 to win the West. Whether they can ultimately cash in will largely depend on the health and durability of James and Davis. While head coach Darvin Ham discussed scaling back James’ minutes to manage his workload at the age of 38, the 19-time All-Star and four-time MVP is still averaging 33.7 minutes through 10 NBA games. Davis, 30, is a few ticks above that at 36.2.
Handicapping the Game
Sacramento has already beaten Los Angeles once this NBA season, 132-127 in overtime on Oct. 29. While the Lakers are undefeated at home, this being the second half of a back-to-back changes the equation. Will James play? He logged a season-low 23 minutes on Tuesday, so it’s reasonable to think he’ll be back on the floor. Still, these are factors bettors must consider when assessing the odds.
As impressive as Los Angeles has been of late, the Kings are better suited for success in this spot. This is essentially a pick ’em, and it’s reasonable to side with the younger, fresher roster.
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