Sacramento @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2017 ) L.A. Lakers 102, Sacramento 113

The Los Angeles Lakers halted a nine-game losing streak and are hoping to move past comments made by LaVar Ball as they enter Tuesday's home game against the Sacramento Kings. The father of rookie point guard Lonzo Ball caused another distraction by claiming Lakers coach Luke Walton has lost control of the team.

The elder Ball made his comments Sunday, hours before the Lakers played inspired basketball by trouncing the Atlanta Hawks 132-113 for only their second victory in the past 14 games. "We need to focus our energy and minds on what we are doing and that is the message we send every day," Walton told reporters afterward. "Don't worry about what people on Twitter are saying, don't worry about what this media outlet is saying or that one or your agent. The people that matter to what we are trying to do are all in our room." Lonzo Ball and college nemesis De'Aaron Fox of Sacramento are squaring off for the second time this season and Ball (11 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds) had the better all-around game than Fox (13 points, three assists) despite the Kings recording a 113-102 victory Nov. 22. Sacramento let a 13-point lead get away Monday and lost 107-100 to the San Antonio Spurs for its sixth defeat in the past eight games.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), Spectrum Sports Net (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE KINGS (13-26): Fox averaged 29.5 points in two games for Kentucky last season against Ball, including a memorable 39-point outing when the Wildcats eliminated Ball's UCLA team in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. His domination of Ball helped him rise to the No. 5 selection in the NBA draft (Ball went second) and he enters the latest matchup with a 15.3 average over the past three games. Fox had 11 points and matched his season best of 10 assists in Monday's loss to the Spurs, a contest in which center Willie Cauley-Stein stood out with 22 points and nine rebounds.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (12-27): Rookie forward Kyle Kuzma gets along fine with Ball the player but he publicly dismissed the comments by the father while backing Walton on Monday. "When you lose games, at the end of the day Luke isn't the one going out and shooting 2-for-15, turning the ball over, having turnovers or missing free throws," Kuzma told reporters. "That's us. Can't blame the coaching staff for everything." Kuzma, who averages a team-high 17.1 points, is trying to break out of a funk in which he has scored in single digits in three of the past seven games and experienced poor shooting performances such as 4-of-24 and 2-of-14.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Kings have won 10 of the past 12 meetings.

2. Sacramento PG George Hill is expected to miss his third straight game with his wife on the verge of giving birth.

3. Los Angeles SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope completed his 25-day sentence for a probation violation related to his March DUI arrest and will now be available for all games after being available for home games plus road games in California while in a work release program during his jail stint.

PREDICTION: Kings 119, Lakers 117