Sacramento @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 24, 2018 ) L.A. Lakers 113, Sacramento 108

The Los Angeles Lakers are limping to the finish line and begin a very busy April stretch run when they host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The Lakers will play their final seven games of the season in the first 11 days in April and enter the month with a shell of the roster that provided plenty of promise just a month ago.

Isaiah Thomas was lost for the season due to hip surgery, rookie guard Lonzo Ball (knee) is doubtful for Sunday and forward Brandon Ingram is in the league's concussion protocol after an incident in Friday's 124-122 overtime loss to Milwaukee. Los Angeles had a fourth-quarter rally that erased a 14-point deficit against the Bucks, although the final result was the team's sixth loss in the last eight games and there were few positives to take away. "Obviously the first pretty much three quarters, it was as bad as I've seen us play defensively," coach Luke Walton told reporters. "They were shooting rhythm shots." The Kings capped a 1-5 homestand with Saturday's 112-96 loss to Golden State.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, NBCS California (Sacramento), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE KINGS (24-53): Buddy Hield drilled 4-of-5 from 3-point range en route to a team-high 19 points in the loss to the Warriors after making 4-of-7 in Thursday's matchup with Indiana. The second-year pro is averaging 19.9 points while shooting 49.2 percent from beyond the arc over a nine-game hot streak. Sacramento is beginning a four-game road trip before finishing the regular season at home against Houston.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (33-42): While injuries have mounted, Los Angeles did get one player back Friday in the form of guard Josh Hart, who had 13 points and 13 rebounds after missing 14 games with a broken left hand. Fellow rookie Kyle Kuzma led the offense with 27 points and has scored at least 20 in five of his last six games. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was ejected in the second quarter of the loss, scored a season-high 34 points in a 113-108 win at Sacramento on Feb. 24.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Hart averages 3.9 rebounds but has recorded at least 10 on seven occasions this season.

2. Sacramento is 4-11 in the second game of a back-to-back.

3. Kuzma averaged 18.7 points on 48 percent shooting in March after producing 11.5 on 41.3 percent in February.

PREDICTION: Lakers 106, Kings 99