All Lakers Expert Predictions For Tonight's Matchup Against Division Rival Kings

LA heads to Sacramento for the first time this season.

Your Los Angeles Lakers head to the Golden 1 Center to do battle against the Sacramento Kings tonight at 6 p.m. PT. 

All Lakers scribes Ricardo Sandoval and Alex Kirschenbaum unpack their predictions for the matchup.

1. Will Rui Hachimura finally score more than 10 points tonight?

Ricardo: Through two games of the season, the Rui Hachimura signing has looked like a bust. Hachimura has scored a combined 13 points in 27 minutes while shooting 20% from three and shooting 38.5% from three. It’s not what Laker fans expected, but the great thing about it is there are 80 more games left in the season, with the third game being played tonight. Hopefully, this is just a slow start for the 25-year-old, and I believe this mini-slump ends tonight as he will score north of 10 points.

Alex: Hachimura has been woefully underutilized for a guy LA just re-signed on a $51 million deal. His luck should turn at some point, but he'd really benefit from being able to get into more of a rhythm on the floor. More minutes from Darvin Ham should lead to more offense tonight. I think he's well past due for a big game.

2. Will LeBron James play beyond his "minutes limit" once again?

Alex: He certainly shouldn't, but LA really needed all 35 of his minutes to steal a win against a depleted Phoenix Suns team, so I think he may force Darvin Ham's hand here.

Ricardo: It depends on how the game goes. The Sacramento Kings always play the Lakers well, and on top of that, they are no pushover they’ve been in the past 16 seasons. If it comes down to the final minutes, LeBron James will be out there to propel LA to the win, meaning he will play over his “minutes limit.”

3. What rotational adjustment would you like to see against the Kings?

Ricardo: The speedy and athletic Kigs guard De'Aaron Fox will pose many problems to the Lakers backcourt, specifically to the slower D’Angelo Russell. That means fewer minutes for Russell and more for the more pesky defender in Gabe Vincent. In addition, a little bit more of Cam Reddish and Christian Wood. If they can provide the defense they have shown as of late, those two could see a rise in their minutes.

Alex: I think involving Hachimura more is important, probably at the expense of newly-inked frontcourt pieces Christian Wood, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish.

4. The Kings are considered -2.5 favorites to win. Can LA buck the odds?

Alex: Don't worry, your Los Angeles Lakers will get to pile on plenty of early season wins against inferior competition soon enough. But Sacramento is a bit of a push competitively, and the Lakers have had trouble against athletic, full court offenses. Look for the Kings to cover the spread tonight.

Ricardo: The Lakers most certainly can. The battles between these two division rivals are revived once again with the emergence of the young and explosive Kings. We should be in for a doozy with the Lakers coming out victorious and ‘upsetting’ the Kings.

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