Lakers vs. Kings: Game preview, starting time, TV

The Los Angeles Lakers put together their best outing in weeks, demolishing the Dallas Mavericks to get back into the swing of actual NBA action. The return of Lonzo Ball was successful, with Ball playing a solid 17 minutes and making an impact on both ends of the floor.

Lonzo won’t be on the floor Saturday night, the Lakers announcing he won’t be participating in back-to-backs until otherwise noted. That’s not much of a problem with the layout of the schedule, and it’s worth letting Ball take a day to see how his wheel is feeling after his first game back.

Julius Randle steamrolled through Dallas, putting together a triple-double as he barrels toward free agency. He’ll get to matchup against Zach Randolph, which is always an interesting battle. At this point Randle’s athleticism and speed should give him a major edge, especially pushing the pace or with his first step. Keeping Randolph in check defensively will be key, but the defense was looking sharp against Dallas.

Maintaining that level of effort and pacing in the second half of a back-to-back, especially on the road, will always be a challenge. It helps that the team should still feel relatively fresh after only playing one game since the break.

Sacramento has the worst offensive rating and second-worst defensive rating in the league. The Lakers should hopefully carry forward some booming momentum and make it two in a row. Enjoy the game!

Time: 7 p.m. PT

TV: Spectrum SportsNet