The Los Angeles Lakers are on a 4 game skid for the first time since in 2007. The purple and gold Lakers look to take out the Sacramento Kings tonight at home trying to regain their original championship form. Let’s see what the starting line-ups will look like tonight.
Lakers – Kings
PG Derek Fisher – Luther Head
SG Kobe Bryant – Tyreke Evans
SF Ron Artest – Donte Greene
PF Lamar Odom – Jason Thompson
C Pau Gasol – Samuel Dalembert
The Kings have been a major disappointment this season. Coach Westphal of the Sacramento Kings seems to have rumors swirling around him being in the hot seat after having the Kings start the season at 4 wins and 12 losses.
Sacramento has been dealing with plenty of issues this season. Their main concern is whether rookie DeMarcus Cousins’s bad attitude will keep up throughout the season. Cousins’s immature behavior was already questioned before he was drafted, and now the signs begin to show as the Kings have started out horribly this season.
In other news, Tyreke Evans points and FG% have took a dip in his first 15 games this season. Hassan Whiteside who was hyped about before the draft recently was sent down to the D-League. Samuel Dalembert has been battling knee tendinitis. The Kings are the second best offensive rebounding team this season. And the starting line-up for the Kings have shifted multiple times this season.
The Lakers let Shane Battier put up 11 points in the final three minutes of the last game. Houston ended up winning by ten points (109-99). The Lakers haven’t been looking like themselves lately. To top off the four game losing streak, Pau Gasol has a strained hamstring and is listed as day-to-day. There’s a slight chance Pau might not play tonight.
The Lakers looked quite sluggish in their last back-to-back games against Memphis and Rockets. As they seem to play decent in the first three quarters with short spurts of runs, the fourth quarter is where players like Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher look worn down.
Phil Jackson stated he isn’t concerned at the moment because “It’s way too early in the season, and we’ve got a long ways to go”. Though Jackson isn’t worried about the Lakers, Kobe is questioning the Lakers defense lately. Matt Barnes was placed in the line-up for most of the fourth quarter the last game for his defense on Kevin Martin. Not totally clear whether it’s a message to the struggling Ron Artest or not. Hopefully, the Lakers take advantage of the Kings who lost their last five games and snap L.A.’s four game losing streak.
Note***
-Andrew Bynum is a few weeks away from returning to the line-up
-Derrick Caracter would look to make his first NBA career start if Pau decides to not suit up
Kings @ Lakers
Staples Center, Los Angeles CA
7:30 PST
TV: FSW
Radio: 710/1330 AM ESPN