Jim Alexander: Do you get the sense that the good fans of Sacramento are having more fun than they should watching their Kings toy with the Lakers for … how long is their winning streak now? Seems like forever.
And I’m sure that among those fans are lots of those who were around for, and vividly remember, how the Shaq and Kobe Lakers – and, um, Robert Horry – broke their hearts in the playoffs in 2001 and 2002. (Come to think of it, Doug Christie – one of the mainstays of those Kings teams that came close but not close enough – is on Mike Brown’s current Sacramento coaching staff. Wonder how much he’s enjoying this.
Sacramento’s victory at home Wednesday night – the Kings coming from behind with a rush for their fifth straight win and eighth of nine over the Lakers, with a sweep of this year’s season series – only emphasized that (a) the NBA is a game of matchups, and (b) this one, and the one against Denver, are horrendous matchups for the Lakers. Domantas Sabonis is a poor man’s Nikola Jokic and is just as difficult to solve, and De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes shredded the Lakers’ defense last night. With Fox, in particular, it feels like he can just go wherever he wants on the floor and the Lakers can’t keep up with him.
You think the folks in the state capital aren’t lusting after a playoff matchup with these guys? It could put a lot of old ghosts to bed (and I know that’s a mixed metaphor, but bear with me).
Mirjam Swanson: Sacramento will be a tough out for many teams, I think. I figured the Kings would be better for having gone through that seven-game thriller against Golden State last season, and they are and they will be.
And Denver? The defending NBA champs? Scariest matchup for everyone – Lakers included.
As talented a defender as he is, Anthony Davis’ krypto— wait, kryptonite is big strong centers who can power THROUGH him. But AD’s been telling us forever – he’s not really a center. The Lakers’…
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