EL SEGUNDO — The comparisons – at least on the surface level – between the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings are easy to make.
So it isn’t surprising that the Lakers have struggled against both teams in recent years.
The Kings, the Lakers’ opponent on Wednesday night, and the Nuggets both deploy playmaking big men who they run their offense through with Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis and Denver’s Nikola Jokić – albeit with Jokić, a two-time league MVP and reigning Finals MVP, being multiple tiers better than Sabonis.
Both teams have high-level guards who have thrived against the Lakers – Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Denver’s Jamal Murray.
And both teams run a system through their big men that creates space for their playmakers and often leads to lethal offensive production.
“System,” Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell said of the Kings-Nuggets comparison after Tuesday morning’s practice. “Everything they do is systematic. That’s a credit to their coaching, their players, their style of play. When you look at Denver and compare them, it’s a great comparison.
“It’s only a few teams in the league that have a system in play. A lot of other teams may have star power, so it’s kind of hard to implement a system because their stars are too good.”
The Lakers’ struggles against the Nuggets have been evident, dropping their last eight matchups, including last spring’s sweep in the Western Conference finals.
But the Kings have also had the Lakers’ number as of late, winning the last four matchups and seven of the last eight, including Sacremento’s 130-120 victory last Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
“The beautiful thing about it – well, losing to them is not beautiful – but when you experience a game against them or any other team that forces you to do something different, it allows you to add something to the war chest,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “And allows you to get better in different areas. The way they play off the ball, their off-ball screens, their speed, their pace, their passing – forces you to be high-level with the ball in that particular area. It gave us a chance to get in here and work on some things, show some things in film.”
One area the Lakers need to key in on is the Kings’ handoff actions – Sacramento entered Tuesday leading the league in the percentage of possessions that end in a handoff (10.3%), with most of those actions centering around Sabonis.
“You take Sabonis off the floor, they’re a different team,” Russell said. “You take Jokic off the floor, they’re a different team. Foul troubles can get them off the floor. Just things like that that I feel like you have to actually attack when you play that team, those teams because they’re so dominant.”
The Kings are especially dangerous with their Chicago/Zoom action – an offensive action in which a player receives a pindown screen before flowing into a dribble handoff. The Kings regularly ran these plays for Fox and Malik Monk the last time the Lakers and Kings played each other. Fox scored a career-high-tying 44 points while Monk finished with 26 points and eight assists.
“Quick hitters like that are hard to guard when they’re least expected,” Russell said. “And that goes back to continuity and system. Kind of come into the with a game plan and see how teams are guarding it. Then you, as a coach, you recognize what can you do to kind of complement that or counter what they’re doing.”
Ham added: “It’s the pace, man. Whether they’re with the ball, without the ball, the way they play downhill, it’s incredible. And that’s how they get you. They collapse the paint and spread out to their shooters. Definitely being great on the ball, provide some resistance and try to stay in front of them and communicate well off the ball.”
INJURY UPDATES
Ham said after Tuesday’s practice that guard Gabe Vincent has been cleared for non-contact on-court work.
Vincent has been sidelined for 2½ consecutive months after having left knee surgery on Dec. 27. He’s played just five games this season because of left knee ailments.
“He’s getting sprints up and down the court,” Ham said. “But pretty much everything is status quo.”
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been sidelined since early February because of a sprained right mid-foot, is progressing with his rehab but has yet to be cleared for on-court work.
“We’ll see,” Ham responded when asked whether they could return before the regular season ends. “We’ll see. They’re doing and we’re doing everything in our power to try to make that happen and it’s been going well.”
LAKERS AT KINGS
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
TV/radio: ESPN/710 AM