Here is what you need to know before the Lakers conclude the season with a battle against the Sacramento Kings.
1)
The Lakers are down to just eight healthy players, as both Jordan Clarkson and Wesley Johnson are out with sprained left ankles. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Lakers will finish the season with an NBA-high 347 games missed due to injury.
2)
The Lakers starting backcourt has plenty experience with one another despite having played just two NBA games together. Jabari Brown and Vander Blue both starred for the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Each player lit up the scoreboard, as Brown led the league with 24.4 points per game, while Blue finished third with 23.3.
3)
L.A. has owned Sacramento at home recently. The Lakers have won six straight against the Kings in Los Angeles, last falling at STAPLES Center on Jan. 28, 2011. However, Sacramento has been creeping closer lately, losing their last two tilts on the Lakers’ floor by seven combined points.
4)
The Kings will be without one of the league’s best players, DeMarcus Cousins, who has missed the last five games due to a sore right foot. The first-year all-star is third in the league in rebounds (12.7) and fifth in scoring (24.1), which still has him tied for second in the NBA in double-doubles (47) despite missing 23 games.
5)
Omri Casspi has carried the Kings’ offense lately, averaging 19.9 points on 56-for-101 shooting — including 13-for-26 on 3-pointers— over his last eight games. However, the Israel native will also miss Wednesday's game due to gastroenteritis.
Omri Casspi Shot Chart (Last Eight Games)
6)
Another King playing well recently has been Derrick Williams. The La Mirada native has tallied 16.5 points on 28-for-61 (45.9 percent) shooting over his last five games, which is double his season scoring average.
7)
Kings head coach George Karl has a unique connection to the Lakers, as his son, Coby, played 17 games in purple and gold in 2007-08 and even made a first-round playoff appearance. The younger Karl also spent 17 more games with the D-Fenders that season, averaging 17.5 points.
8)
The Kings have been one of the NBA’s top teams when it comes to taking advantage of free throws. Sacramento not only shoots the league’s most foul shots (29.1), but it makes the most as well (22.3). The Lakers got a first-hand look at this on Monday when the Kings went 28-for-36 at the line.
9)
This game will also break a tie between the Lakers and Kings, who have both allowed the NBA’s second-most points per game (105.1). Despite holding L.A. to 92 points on Monday, Sacramento has yielded 107.6 over its last eight games. Meanwhile, the Lakers’ opponents have averaged 108.8 in their last 10 contests.
10)
The Lakers are looking to win their fourth-straight regular-season finale. L.A. has a strong history of closing out with victory, as it has come out on top in 10 of its last 13 final games, including seven of the past eight years.