The losing streak is over after Sunday's rout of the Rockets. But can the Kings stun the Lakers next?
The Sacramento Kings pushed down on the beam for the first time in three weeks, trouncing the Houston Rockets.
That romp ended a seven-game slide. Can the Kings make it two in a row?
Annual rival the Los Angeles Lakers are next up for this Monday night battle. NBC Sports California once again will air the contest inside the Golden 1 Center. NBA League Pass is one more option to view the game.
But for Lakers fans, Spectrum SportsNet down in L.A. is a watch option.
As for the betting side of things, here's Fernie Ruano:
Let’s face it:
The Sacramento Kings (9-30, 14th in the Western Conference) don’t have a very good history of beating the Los Angeles Lakers (23–13, 5th in the Western Conference) in recent memory.
Here’s a friendly reminder - if Kings fans care to watch.
Or of putting together any kind of win streak together this season — at the Golden 1 Center.
But home ‘dog Sacramento, looking for consecutive wins on their home floor for the first time this season, in addition to being 0-6 in their last six games vs. the Lakers, can put a dent in the stat-book when they host Los Angeles for a 10:00 p.m. (ET) tipoff on Monday night.
Sacramento, 4-6 in their last 10 games vs. Los Angeles, hasn’t defeated the Lakers since March 13, 2024.
The Kings (+9.5, -115), coming off a 111-98 home win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night in which six players scored in double figures in route to snapping the team’s seven-game losing streak, are +310 on the moneyline.
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Kings and in the process became the 23rd player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points.
Zach LaVine added 18 points, while Russell Westbrook (15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds) and Malik Monk (15 points) helped the Kings record their first win of 2026 and improve to 6-13 at home this season.
The Kings, playing their second of seven straight games at home, are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall and 13-24-2 against the spread this season.
LaVine, held to under 20 points last time out for the first time since his return from an ankle injury, leads the Kings with 19.9 points per game.
The Lakers (-9.5, -111) at around -380 on the moneyline, are 19-16-1 against the spread this season despite coming into Sacramento having lost two straight games.
The over/under is 226.5 points (-110 o, -110 u), via FanDuel Sportsbook.
Kings G/F Keegan Murray (ankle) will be reevaluated in 3-4 weeks, as per ESPN, while star forward/center Domantas Sabonis (meniscus tear) is expected to be another 4-5 weeks.
Lakers G Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain) is expected to miss four weeks.
Luka Doncic is averaging a team-high 33.3 points per game.
(Sacramento G Dennis Schroder (suspended) is out as a result of his role in an on-court altercation with Lakers star G Luka Doncic last month.)
Lakers vs. Kings betting analysis:
Odd offerings by most of the ‘books, when you consider the Kings, who haven’t won consecutive games at the Golden 1 Center this season, are, nonetheless, an adequate shooting team — especially from long distance — and the Lakers are a bit shaky on defense, out on the perimeter.
Sacramento’s guard-oriented approach, most notably with DeRozan and LaVine, could also give L.A. some trouble.
Therefore, +9.5 points with the Kings, in addition to DeRozan over 19.5 points at -105, might be a bargain.
And most notably, when you factor in a tad of bad blood that could be lingering between both teams after a late-game altercation involving Schroder and Luka Doncic last month.
That said, hopefully the Kings, a team reportedly about to be split up via the NBA trade deadline, are engaged from the opening jump.