TLN’s Game Preview: Lakers @ Kings

If you did not know this already, the Maloofs like winning. They like winning very much. With their Kings floundering at 5-16, it appears to the Brothers Maloof as if there is no light at the seemingly endless rebuilding tunnel.

It was not long ago that it was the Kings and the Lakers atop the Western Conference, fighting tooth and nail for supremacy.

But, both time and circumstance have nipped the formerly potent Kings. Doug Christie is making purses at the behest of his lovely (?) wife Jackie, Vlade is smoking cigarettes in front of his downtown Sacramento restaurant, Chris Webber is geeking out with Gary Payton nightly on NBATV, and Mike Bibby is orchestrating the rebirth of the Atlanta Hawks.

Joe and Gavin seem to think that their roster is utterly hopeless, and they are beginning to grow increasingly impatient, ready and wiling to fire coach Reggie Theus.

Contrary to popular opinion, this writer believes that the Sacramento Kings are just about ready to blow up within the next two years.

In 1998, the Kings drafted a flashy, wheelin’ and dealin’, Maravich-esque point guard named Jason Williams. Williams, in combination with Webber, Christie and Peja Stojakovic, led the Kings to the brink of greatness, only to be foiled, time and time again by their southerly neighbors.

With a promising nucleus of Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes and rookies Donté Greene and Jason Thompson learning to play together, and the Beno Udrih experiment flailing, the Kings are one flashy, wheelin’ and dealin’, Maravich-esque point guard away from regaining the panache and spunk that can compete in the Western Conference.

Good news for the Kings that just that type of point guard is entering the 2009 Draft in Spaniard Ricky Rubio… not saying I am a genius, but my case for the rebuilding of the Sacramento Kings is pretty brilliant. So chill out Joe and Gavin, I have got this under control.

The Lakers (17-2) enter tonight’s contest after a muddy, disjointed and downright ugly win over the Milwaukee Bucks in which the Buck starters were held to a mere 18 points. Again, the bench unit looked stagnated and Pau and Andrew struggled offensively, yet the theme of wins predicated solely on feats of strength and being the lesser of two evils prevailed.

Tipoff: 7:00 PM PST

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