Los Angeles Lakers - Sacramento Kings: No More Skin On The Lakers’ Teeth

An odd schedule to be sure, but the first time the Lakers play the Kings turns out to be in March. Of the last 22, the Lakers play the Kings 4 times, which is more than a single tiered blessing. First off, playing a non-playoff team for conference games this late can definitely help the Lakers build up their win total (as long as they stay sharp every time). And second, playing a team that doesn’t like the Lakers can give the Lakers a bit of edge to their play that can hopefully be remembered and transferred to other games. The number one priority for me coming into this game – don’t take it for granted. For as poor as the Kings are right now, they play tough at home and it’s the Lakers – so there’s added intensity automatically. As the Lakers sleepwalked through the first half, that intensity from the Kings was showing. Luckily for the Lakers they staggered into the 2nd half only down by 5. But as the lazy play kept going, you wondered whether the Lakers would ... (link)