From above article:

Fans wouldn’t like losing a favorite, but a swap could solve a lot of problems.

When your agent openly names and discusses trading one of your teammates, it’s never going to be a good look. That is what LeBron James has been forced to navigate amid his representative’s recent comments on the podcast Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul.

Paul openly floated the idea of trading Austin Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. Those comments, among many others, have not sat well with people around the Los Angeles Lakers. Reaves’ reps, in particular, took issue with what the Klutch Sports CEO had to say about their star player.

Dave McMenamin reported: “Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, approached Paul on the sideline near half court at halftime of the Lakers-Hawks game Tuesday. The two spoke for more than five minutes and the topic of conversation was Paul’s public trade scenario regarding Reaves, sources told ESPN.”

No one can really blame anyone from Reaves’ camp for being frustrated with the situation. Paul has stated in the past that his role on the show is not to be a mouthpiece for LeBron. Even with that sentiment being out there, James was forced to reassert that message.

“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James told McMenamin.

Rich Paul drama is complicating an already fragile Lakers situation
The part of the Reaves trade talk that looks bad, from an outsider’s point of view, would be the fact that him and James are both expiring contracts who will be competing head-to-head for the Lakers’ checkbooks this summer. The optics look rough.

Did Paul make his comments with that intent? That is impossible to say, and any accusatory statements of the matter is ultimately without full validity.

A few things are crystal clear here, by contrast. Reaves is on his way to a payday in Los Angeles. James is awkwardly having to defend himself because of his agent.

“AR knows how I feel about him,” James told ESPN.

That much should (hopefully for those two) be true. James and Reaves have always appeared to have a strong relationship from their interactions and how they about each other. The distraction is unnecessary all the same. For whatever it is worth too, swapping out the Lakers guard for JJJ would be a massive mistake.

The Lakers are still figuring out how to navigate a transition into the Luka Doncic era. Things are already complicated enough with an imperfect roster and set-up. Paul’s commentary about the team is not doing anyone any favors.

“It’s unfortunate having Jaxson gone, cause he’s really our momentum, energy guy. We don’t really see no dunks like that really, from the center position. So, Jaxson is the main dude when it comes to that momentum, and getting the crowd involved”Ayton on Jaxson Hayes being out pic.twitter.com/L57670M7By— 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 (@PurpGolded) January 14, 2026

“I’m glad we had another game to be honest. That’s the good thing about these back to back, and being in the NBA. You always have to be ready for the next, and flush out the last one so, I’m happy we got the chance to renew ourselves at home. And the fans get to see us play hard… pic.twitter.com/M3E7LpSPEr— 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 (@PurpGolded) January 14, 2026

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

The law of averages worked in the Lakers’ favor in their win over the Hawks on Tuesday.

It’s no secret that the Lakers are a team that struggles with shooting. They shoot a league-worst 33.7% from beyond the arc and that poor shooting is one of the reasons they entered Tuesday’s game on a three-game losing streak.

It’s been said time and time again that the NBA is a make-or-miss league. In theory, if you have the shooters and the right system, eventually, shooting slumps will end.

For the Lakers, that moment finally came against the Hawks as they blew them out 141-116 at home on the second night of a back-to-back. Because of their shooting, the result of this game was a foregone conclusion before the first half was over.

Los Angeles caught fire from deep midway through the second quarter. It started with Luka Dončić knocking back-to-back threes, snarling while jogging back on defense.

Jake LaRavia scored on a bank shot during the following possession, and then the avalanche of threes ensued. Marcus Smart hit one, LaRavia followed and, just like that, the LA advantage was up to 21.

Los Angeles entered halftime with 81 points. It was the most they have scored in any half this season and an example of the Lakers executing on the vision head coach JJ Redick set for the team during their pregame meeting.

“We all collectively — coaches, players — we got to a good place to go compete and go compete together and go play for each other,” Redick said. “And that was evident to start the game.”

The Lakers cooled off a bit after the red-hot opening half, but it didn’t matter. The lead never fell below double figures and LeBron put on his closing act in the fourth, allowing the Lakers to eventually empty their bench.

LA’s 19-34 shooting from 3-point range was not only in stark contrast to how the Lakers have performed throughout the season, but even the night before.

In their Monday loss to the Kings, the Lakers went 8-36 beyond the arc and a pair of those makes came from Bronny James in garbage time. Los Angeles losing to a rival Sacramento team that is 20 games below .500 wasn’t a good look.

Tuesday’s shooting display, however, was a reminder that creating good looks has to be the key and that shooting is a fickle thing. It can flip from bad to good in the blink of an eye.

“I think we generated a lot of good looks,” Luka said. “Even in past games, we just didn’t knock shots down.”

In an 82-game schedule, the Lakers have to find different ways to stack wins.

Sometimes it’s Luka going on a tear and other times it will be LeBron. In other games, a player like Austin Reaves will bail the Lakers out with a game-winner, or a surprise hero like Nick Smith Jr. will have a career night.

Against the Hawks, the Lakers did it collectively and they did it in a way they typically haven’t this year.

This isn’t some “eureka” moment for the Lakers that unlocks endless possibilities for them moving forward. But it is a reminder that the process of creating open looks, as flawed as the results may be at times, is sound.

It’s just a matter of if the Lakers make or miss them.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

The deadline will show no mercy

The Los Angeles Lakers have spent weeks drawing scrutiny for their inconsistency, defensive lapses, and internal tension. On many nights, they look like a team headed toward a major shakeup. Yet the standings tell a very different story.

Despite their struggles, the Lakers sit third in the Western Conference, a position that fundamentally alters their trade calculus. Rather than signaling panic, their record suggests opportunity. For a franchise built around championships, being this high in the standings makes a deadline move more likely, not less.

Winning enough to believe, losing badly enough to worry

The Lakers’ last ten games capture the contradiction perfectly. They have picked up quality wins against the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Sacramento Kings, showing they can score in bunches and close games when execution is sharp.

At the same time, their losses have been alarming. Blowout defeats against the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers highlight a troubling pattern. When the Lakers lose, they often collapse defensively, offering little resistance once momentum turns.

Statistically, they remain among the league’s worst defensive teams. Perimeter containment is unreliable, transition defense breaks down too easily, and rotations frequently arrive late. Those issues are survivable in January. They are fatal in May.

Why Austin Reaves is suddenly central to Lakers trade talks

Another development quietly reshaping the Lakers’ plans is the injury to Austin Reaves. Before going down, Reaves was playing the best basketball of his career and was on a legitimate All-Star trajectory. Around the league, his value has never been higher.

That creates a harsh reality. The Lakers’ so-called Big Three of LeBron James, Reaves, and Luka Dončić has not consistently worked. Lineups featuring all three have struggled to defend, and the offense often flows better when only two are on the floor while the third sits.

In theory, LeBron could scale back into a 10-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist role to improve balance. In practice, that kind of adjustment is not typical for him, especially for a team built around his decision-making. With LeBron holding a no-trade clause, the front office’s flexibility is limited.

That leaves Reaves as the most realistic high-value trade chip. His contract, age, and efficiency make him attractive to multiple teams, particularly those seeking a secondary creator who does not dominate possessions. Moving him would not reflect dissatisfaction with his performance, but rather an acknowledgment that roster balance and defense are bigger priorities.

Lakers chemistry concerns are accelerating the timeline

The recent controversy surrounding head coach JJ Redick has only intensified the urgency. Public criticism, locker-room frustration, and visible defensive indifference rarely coexist in stable contenders. When chemistry issues surface alongside poor defense, front offices tend to act sooner rather than later.

A trade has not happened yet, but the direction is becoming clearer. Sitting third in the West removes excuses for patience. The Lakers are not trying to fix a broken team. They are trying to sharpen a flawed contender before the window narrows further.

If a deal comes, it will likely center on defense and fit rather than star power. And if Austin Reaves is the one moved, it will be because the Lakers believe standing still poses a greater risk than making a difficult choice before the deadline.

JJ Redick says that Kobe Bufkin WILL get opportunities over the next 10 days, per @DStarkand pic.twitter.com/La3vk1klf5— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) January 14, 2026

"AR knows how I feel about him," LeBron James told ESPN about Austin Reaves, his longest-tenured teammate. "All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day.” https://t.co/6IOJlejIAL— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 14, 2026

JAKE LARAVIA TONIGHT 🧩 36 minutes 🧩 17 points 🧩 4 rebounds 🧩 3 assists 🧩 3/4 3PTIS HE A STARTER LOCK? pic.twitter.com/ssPDioCdAr— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) January 14, 2026

LeBron James in win vs. Hawks:31 PTS10 AST9 REB60% FGIn his first back-to-back of the season.Averaging 26/7/7 on 52% FG since turning 41.pic.twitter.com/4QvR2RhOKr— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 14, 2026

LeBron James in win vs. Hawks:31 PTS10 AST9 REB60% FGIn his first back-to-back of the season.Averaging 26/7/7 on 52% FG since turning 41.pic.twitter.com/4QvR2RhOKr— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 14, 2026

Jake LaRavia tonight:17 Points4 Rebounds 3 Assists 6/10 FGM3/4 3PM2/2 FTM+13 +/-36 Minutes pic.twitter.com/Qu4u9crAiX— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 14, 2026

GABE VINCENT TONIGHT 14 minutes 10 points 1 assist 3/5 3PT +8 +/-DO YOU SEE THIS @NBA pic.twitter.com/q281CRoAev— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) January 14, 2026

Tonight the @Lakers' starting lineup combined for:100+ points40+ rebounds30+ assists10+ threes made60.0+ FG%No other starting five in NBA history has done that in a game.— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) January 14, 2026

What’s up, Dave. UGH? Great Lakers win.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Luka’s got another soft tissue injury.

The Los Angeles Lakers had a disappointing loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, despite Luka Doncic going off for 42 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Number 77 was virtually the only Laker who had it going in Sacramento, but fans saw him laboring in the second half. Doncic admitted to dealing with another soft tissue injury after the final whistle.

Calf issues are the most worrisome for Luka as he has dealt with several in recent years, but this one appears to be more in his upper leg. Fans saw him wearing a massive wrap whenever he went to the bench. It did not hurt his production on Monday night, but this is the last thing the Lakers need amid a rough stretch.

Nothing is changing the absolute brilliance of the trade. Luka is in the running for MVP and is unquestionably one of the five best players in the world. Anthony Davis is injured, and Lakers fans don’t want to see number 77 join him on the shelf. This issue certainly puts LA in a difficult spot moving forward.

Luka Doncic admits to dealing with another soft tissue injury

In his postgame presser, Luka had this response to a question about his current health.

“Yeah, I was really uncertain. Before the game warming up, I felt something. I was just trying to get warm and get going. But tomorrow, we will see how I wake up.”

Dave McMenamin followed up by asking about whether it was his inner thigh/groin, and Luka admitted it “somewhere in there”.

The Lakers didn’t lose to the Kings because of Luka. He had a monster 40-point game, including going 16 of 29 from the field. Head coach JJ Redick made a baffling decision, and Sacramento shot the lights out. Los Angeles made nine fewer 3-pointers, which was a killer in a 12-point game.

The Lakers now have a difficult decision to make heading into Tuesday’s game versus the Hawks. LeBron James is almost certain to be out as he continues to sit in one half of back-to-back sets. LA also has five games in seven nights this week. If they sit Luka, the Lakers are all but guaranteed to lose. After dropping seven of the last 11, another defeat is the last thing the franchise needs right now.

The Lakers can’t risk Luka’s latest issue turning into something bigger. He is the team’s best player and is leading the NBA in scoring. Los Angeles is only going as far as Doncic carries them this season. It is why the last thing fans want to hear is about another soft tissue injury for their 26-year-old superstar.

Austin Reaves is already out, and Rui Hachimura is set to return from a seven-game absence on Tuesday night. The Lakers are struggling to win with multiple starters out. Things will only get worse if number 77 has to miss any time.

Luka Doncic admitted to dealing with another soft tissue injury that he tweaked in the pregame. Los Angeles Lakers fans should be terrified that this turns into something bigger for the superstar.

They can’t afford for Luka to sit, but the franchise must prioritize the long-term with the face of their franchise. Either way, fans won’t like it. Don’t be surprised to see him miss some time, but the only thing fans know for certain is the fear his comments caused. Hopefully, Doncic is back to full strength soon.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Dark clouds rolling in, good vibes fading

The Lakers are officially in another, and arguably the deepest, crisis of their season.

The first one came on Christmas, when they lost a third straight game in disappointing fashion and also lost Austin Reaves for a prolonged period due to a calf strain. They managed to stabilize after that stretch, but now they find themselves in the middle of another losing streak after falling 124–112 to a hot-shooting Sacramento Kings team.

This one might be harder to snap out of. The Lakers are in the middle of a brutal five-games-in-seven-days stretch, with the real possibility of facing a young, rested Hawks team trending upward on the second night of a back-to-back, potentially without LeBron James and Luka Dončić, who was dealing with groin discomfort before and during tonight’s game.

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Today’s notes:

Season-long shooting woes magnified in one night

Issues that go beyond shooting luck

Luka’s 42/8/7/4 night in vain

Spacing woes and forced corner threes (VIDEO)

Another podcast, another vibe hit

1-Season-long shooting woes magnified in one night

If you want an optimistic take, you can chalk this loss up to a wild shooting disparity that is rarely seen in an NBA game. Both the Lakers and the Kings came into the night as bottom-ten three-point shooting teams, yet one played exactly like that, while the other looked like the peak Splash Brothers Warriors. The Lakers shot 8-of-36, or 22 percent, from three, while the Kings went scorched earth, making 17-of-26 for an absurd 65 percent.

If you want more geeky shot-making data, which I assume JJ Redick was referring to postgame, the Lakers finished 42 points below expected shot quality, while the Kings were 20 percentage points above.

Dave McMenamin
@mcten
“We had 50 expected assists tonight, we converted 21” – JJ Redick, who added the Lakers “just couldn’t make a shot”
9:32 PM · Jan 12, 2026 · 52.1K Views
39 Replies · 26 Reposts · 531 Likes

The concerning part for the Lakers is that their shooting struggles are not just a one-game anomaly. They’ve been a poor three-point shooting team all season, and things have gone from bad to worse recently with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura out of the lineup and limited shooting filling their minutes.

After last night’s performance, the Lakers fell to last in the league in three-point percentage, even below the Mavericks, who had been a fixture at the bottom until then.

2-Issues that go beyond shooting luck

The thing is, the Lakers did some things well defensively last night that gave them a chance to win despite the Kings’ outlier three-point shooting. The starting five with Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia opened the game well, getting deflections and forcing turnovers, which got the Lakers running early, scoring in transition, and building an early 19–10 lead. But once the first substitutions came in, the Lakers’ defense started to crack, with virtually no one able to do anything against DeMar DeRozan.

DeRozan torched every single Lakers defender in isolation, hitting one mid-range jumper after another. And it wasn’t just about mismatches against supposedly weaker defenders like Dončić or the much smaller Gabe Vincent, whom the Lakers again switched onto the opponent’s best perimeter threat too willingly. He had his way and scored at will even against the Lakers’ two top wing stoppers, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia, finishing with 32 points on 14-of-19 shooting.

Late in the game, Redick finally sent double teams at DeRozan, but the Lakers’ rotations were not crisp enough, giving up open threes. On a night when the Kings were shooting like this, that was the final death sentence.

3-Luka’s 42/8/7/4 night in vain

Dončić responded with a super-efficient scoring masterclass inside the arc, making 14 of his 16 shots from inside the three-point line. The problem for the Lakers was that nobody else could make a jump shot to save their lives. Excluding Luka Dončić and Bronny James, who made two shots in garbage time, the Lakers went 12-of-43, or 28 percent, on non-rim shot attempts.

Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart, LeBron James, and Jarred Vanderbilt went 0-of-16 from three combined, with the Lakers also shooting just 2-of-15 on corner threes. In theory, that’s the best shot in basketball after a layup or dunk at the rim. In practice, it’s a shot opponents are more than willing to give up, loading up with two defenders on Dončić ball screens, tagging the roll, and forcing the ball out to shaky Lakers shooters in the corners.

Dončić scored 26 points in the first half and, at one point, accounted for 40 of the Lakers’ first 81 points. But without early scoring from James in transition, there was far too little support for Luka to survive on a night when the Kings were scoring at such a high rate.

4-Spacing woes and forced corner threes (VIDEO)

If you read my observations after the Bucks loss, or listened to Redick talk after practice before this game, you know that sacrificing offense and spacing for defense, and vice versa, is a real problem for this team because of the extremes on both sides of the spectrum.

I also shared data and videos showing how Vanderbilt’s shooting limitations have impacted the Lakers’ offense, and how that has evolved into a bigger issue with him playing around 25 minutes per game recently. Teams are repeatedly putting their rim-protecting big men on Vando, letting them roam and collapse the paint on Dončić or LeBron drives. The Kings did that as well last night, but also added another wrinkle: a five-defending-four zone where Vanderbilt was basically not defended at all.

I’m not putting up these videos to single out or criticize Vanderbilt. He’s not the only problem, and teams are getting more and more aggressive helping off Smart as well. But the fact is that shooting and spacing have been a big part of the recent offensive slump, and many possessions with Vanderbilt on the floor end with the Lakers being forced into a corner three by a player they don’t necessarily want taking it.

The Lakers could do better by trying to move Vando and Smart around more, including using them in the dunker spot instead of parking them in the corner. The Lakers tried that on a few possessions last night, sometimes generating open looks and sometimes making the paint even more clunky. Here are two examples of each.

No matter how innovative Redick and his staff can be with X’s and O’s, Hachimura’s pending return should push Vanderbilt’s minutes below the 20-minute threshold to minimize extended stretches with poor shooting and spacing.

5-Another podcast, another vibe hit

I consider myself a down-to-earth, rational guy, but I have to admit that when I saw Rich Paul’s most recent quotes, coming right after a tough loss like this, I couldn’t stop myself from having an impulsive reaction.

Iztok Franko
@iztok_franko
Wrong on so many levels…but I guess that is what was meant in the summer with ‘LeBron and his representatives will be monitoring the Lakers’ moves’. We just didnt know it will be LIVE.
Heat Central @HeatCulture13

Rich Paul says if he ran the Lakers, he would call Memphis Grizzlies to trade for Jaren Jackson Jr for a package with Austin Reaves

“If I was the Lakers I would be targeting the Memphis Grizzlies as a trade partner for Jaren Jackson… If you’re building around Luka you need
12:40 AM · Jan 13, 2026 · 691 Views
1 Reply · 3 Reposts · 21 Likes

So I can only imagine the effect these things have on a Lakers player scrolling through their phone with their head still hot in the locker room. I try to dissect this team from a rational perspective and avoid psychological breakdowns without actually seeing the intra-team and interpersonal dynamics from the inside on a day-to-day basis.

But you don’t have to be an insider, although my friend and Lakers insider Jovan Buha did confirm on his recent show that Paul’s comments are raising more and more eyebrows within the organization, to understand that an agent playing hypothetical trade machine with another star player in a contract year doesn’t help what already feels like shaky team vibes at the moment. A sharp contrast to the super-positive early-season stretch, with Dončić and Reaves thriving while playing with, off, and next to each other.

Russell Westbrook in a Kings WIN against the Lakers tonight: 22 points8/16 FG (50%)4/8 3PT (50%)5 rebounds 7 assists1 steal 73.8 TS% +/- +10 Russ is still that guy in Year 18 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aRKrsGolyS https://t.co/TSBGqfZ8vO— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) January 13, 2026

Malik Monk torching the Lakers in the 1st half🫣18 pts, 6/8 FG, 5/6 3pt‼️ pic.twitter.com/apgLNE04lW— Kings Lead (@KingsLeadSM) January 13, 2026

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Time to right the ship

The Lakers opened 2026 with three straight wins, but spoiled the start with two consecutive losses against the Spurs and the Bucks. The latest one, in particular, left a sour taste. Late-game breakdowns down the stretch resulted in the first clutch loss of the season, and it was also one of Luka Dončić’s worst games of the year. Dončić’s latest nemesis, Dennis Schröder—who was just suspended following a post-game altercation after their last matchup—won’t play tonight. Still, motivation shouldn’t be an issue, as Dončić and the Lakers will be eager to avoid a three-game losing streak.

The Kings, who hold the third-worst record and the second-worst point differential in the league, will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, but with a bit of momentum after snapping a seven-game losing streak by beating the Houston Rockets last night.

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Lakers (23-13) @ Kings (9-30) game facts
Rest: LAL on 2 days of rest; SAC on 0 days of rest

Ranking: LAL 16th in Point Diff (-0.4), SAC 29th in Point Diff (-11.0)

LAL vs SAC 2025-26 record: 2-0 (see Game 3 observations here, see Game 30 observations here)

LAL injuries: Austin Reaves (OUT), Adou Thiero (OUT)

SAC injuries: Domantas Sabonis (OUT), Keegan Murray (OUT), Dennis Schröder (OUT)

LAL projected starting five: Luka Dončić (G), Marcus Smart (G), Jake LaRavia (F), LeBron James (F), Deandre Ayton (C)

LAL key reserves: Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Nick Smith Jr., Dalton Knecht

SAC projected starting five: Zach LaVine (G), Russell Westbrook (G), DeMar DeRozan (F), Precious Achiuwa (F), Maxime Raynaud (C)

SAC key reserves: Malik Monk, Nique Clifford, Dylan Cardwell, Keon Ellis, Drew Eubanks

SAC rotation:

Key storyline: how will Luka and the Lakers respond, and how will the new rotation look?
With all due respect to the Kings, this game is all about the Lakers. Sacramento is one of the worst teams in the NBA and is playing on the second night of a back-to-back, while the Lakers will have plenty to prove. The Lakers have already beaten the Kings twice this season, with the most recent win coming as a high-effort response to the disappointment on Christmas. Now, they need to repeat that exercise.

The other thing to look for is the return of Rui Hachimura and its impact on the Lakers’ rotation. JJ Redick said the Japanese forward will be on a minutes restriction and will likely come off the bench. Rui in a sixth-man role is what most fans and analysts wanted from the start of the season, and now we’ll get to see how that unfolds, at least for a couple of games.

Regardless of his limitations as a defender, Hachimura’s return will bring much-needed shooting and spacing and will likely reduce the minutes of Jarred Vanderbilt, whose playing time climbed into the twenties with both Hachimura and Reaves out.

During the weekend, I shared some data on X showing how Vanderbilt’s shooting limitations have impacted the Lakers’ offense, and Redick essentially confirmed that, acknowledging that finding the right balance between offense and defense has been one of the biggest challenges of the season so far.

Lakers on offense | Kings on defense

Zach LaVine, who missed the last matchup against the Lakers, is back in the starting five. That should help the Kings’ offense, but it could make the task of defending Luka Dončić and LeBron James even more difficult. LaVine replaces Keon Ellis, who was the primary defender on Dončić in the last game. I assume Russell Westbrook will get that assignment tonight, but he can be overeager and overaggressive, which could lead to fouls and early penalty situations.

Even with Keon Ellis on Dončić, the Kings mostly opted to blitz or show two defenders on most of Dončić’s ball screens. The goal was to protect their rookie big-man duo of Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell from being exposed, whether in isolation matchups against Luka or in 2-on-2 situations playing drop coverage. Nique Clifford is the third rookie getting extended minutes with the Kings’ recent shift toward youth, which means Dončić and James should have both a size and experience advantage when manipulating matchups. The Kings are not an aggressive on-ball pressure team, something the Lakers have struggled against at times this season. That should make getting into their actions early—and running a more organized offense, as they did in the previous matchup—a clear priority.

Without Sabonis, the Kings are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, ranking second-worst on the season. This is another area the Lakers should exploit. LA is not a dominant offensive rebounding team, but Deandre Ayton has shown he can do damage on the glass when focused, and Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt have both had the green light to crash the glass during the recent stretch of games.

Kings on offense | Lakers on defense

Sacramento is not a good offensive team, and without Sabonis they lack any real paint presence to balance their guard-heavy attack featuring LaVine, DeRozan, Westbrook, and Monk. This is the game for the Lakers to impose their physicality, set the tone early, and not let the Kings get loose or too confident, because—as the Rockets learned yesterday—the Kings’ guards possess enough shot-making to win a close game on a good night. Containing the drives and DeRozan isolations, which presented the Lakers with some problems in the previous game, will be the biggest challenge for the Lakers.

Sacramento has the most analytics-unfriendly shot profile in the NBA. They rank first in mid-range frequency, last in three-point frequency, and third-worst in rim frequency. Nevertheless, contesting DeMar DeRozan’s and others’ mid-range shots will still be a must.

Final thoughts
The Lakers are in the midst of a very condensed, road-heavy January schedule. They’ll also play the Hawks tomorrow on the second night of a back-to-back, a game LeBron James could sit out. That makes taking care of business against bottom-feeders like the Kings a must if the Lakers don’t want to lose ground in a tight Western Conference race near the top.