Fresh off a six-point win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, the Sacramento Kings will look to earn their second victory in as many days when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
The NBA’s scoring leader will need to be at his best without his high-scoring teammate, Austin Reaves, and my Kings vs Lakers predictions expect Luka Doncic to go off in front of the home crowd.
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Here are my best free NBA picks for this Pacific Division showdown on Sunday, December 28, from Crypto.com Arena.
Kings vs Lakers prediction
Kings vs Lakers best bet: Luka Doncic Over 34.5 points (-115)
Luka Doncic leads the Association in points per game at 33.7, and he’s reached the 35-point threshold in 12 of 22 games this season, including eight of 11 at home.
He scored just 25 points in Thursday’s Christmas Day blowout loss to the Houston Rockets, but Doncic is in a great get-right spot tonight. The Sacramento Kings have allowed the fifth-most points per game to opponents, setting Doncic up nicely to have his way on offense.
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Austin Reaves is averaging 26.6 points per game this season, and he scored a career-best 51 points when the Kings and Los Angeles Lakers faced off back in October. Doncic missed that one, but the Lakers came away with a 127-120 win thanks to Reaves’ heroics.
With Reaves out of action, LA’s offense will need a major boost from Doncic. The Lakers are in the midst of a three-game skid and in desperate need of a win. I expect Doncic to come through with a monster scoring performance.
Kings vs Lakers same-game parlay
Deandre Ayton is averaging a career-low 8.7 rebounds per game this season, but he’s recorded at least nine boards in 13 of 25 appearances this season. Ayton finished with just to rebounds in 36 minutes on Christmas, but he grabbed 10+ rebounds in four of five games before that dud. He’s due for a bounce-back performance, and Sacramento has allowed the fifth-most rebounds per game this season.
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The Lakers should win this one comfortably based on talent alone, but their recent play gives me no confidence in betting them to cover such a large spread, even at home. The Kings are on the second leg of a back-to-back set, and the Lakers should be desperate, but I’m far more confident betting the point total. The Lakers are 19-10 to the Over, including 11-1 at home and 7-0 as the home favorite. I’m betting on a big game from Luka, and as Luka goes, so goes LA’s offense.
Kings vs Lakers SGP
Our “from downtown” SGP: Westbrook shows off
Russell Westbrook has been great for the Kings this season, and he’s been particularly productive as of late. He’s hit the Over on this combo line in two straight and three of his last four. Across those last four outings, he’s averaged a healthy 32.6 PRA. He finished with exactly 30 PRA in his first matchup with the Lakers, and I expect him to reach 31+ as he faces his former team.
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Kings vs Lakers SGP
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Westbrook Over 30.5 P/R/A
Kings vs Lakers odds
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Spread: Kings +12.5 | Lakers -12.5
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Moneyline: Kings +475 | Lakers -650
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Over/Under: Over 232.5 | Under 232.5
Kings vs Lakers betting trend to know
The Los Angeles Lakers have hit the Game Total Over in 34 of their last 54 games (+12.00 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Lakers.
How to watch Kings vs Lakers
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Location |
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA |
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Date |
Sunday, December 28, 2025 |
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Tip-off |
9:30 p.m. ET |
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TV |
NBC Sports California, Spectrum SportsNet |
Kings vs Lakers latest injuries
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