Welcome to game three of the most hyped preseason that the Kings have had since Doug Christie jacked Rick Fox in his chewer! Yeah, no, I’m serious. I know we try to collectively get up for each season of Kings basketball, but doesn’t this one have a little extra shine to it? Maybe as a fanbase we’re in the fifth stage of grief early this season, and just embracing the basketball scenery around us before Doctor Joerger pulls the plug in early April. Anyways, now for some smack talk on Los Angeles worst basketball team for over half a decade now:

The Kings and Lakers head into Las Vegas Sunday for their yearly exhibition match in which seven actually Las Vegas citizens get to come to the game, and everyone else is a Santa Monica resident whose jogging stroller boutique just opened up and who will spend the whole game explaining to their son why Uncle Jaxson actually isn’t as rich or handsome as mom says he is. Speaking of insecure dads who spend all game talking: Lavar Ball and his kid will both be attending the game, and apparently will be get equal minutes out on the floor. Death, Taxes, and Lonzo Ball faking an injury to get away from having to face De’Aaron Fox.

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Sunday, October 8th; 6:00 pm PST

Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Television: ESPN

Radio: KHTK Sports 1140

Questions of the Game:

A Lonzo No Show, Part Deux? This might be much more of a joke than it is an actuality, but Lonzo Ball, future ruler of the free world and a guy who has never made a bad pass in his life, is considering skirting his match-up with De’Aaron Fox for an “ankle injury” all over again. As any Lakers fan that has totally been a die hard since, like, the Byron Scott coaching days will remind you; the last time this happened was in Las Vegas Summer League this year and the Lakers without Ball, Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma still ended up beating the Kings by three on the back of Alex Caruso’s 19 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds. So if Lonzo decides tonight is the night to stop hiding and face his inevitable doom, how do you think it goes? Does De’Aaron Fox have the advantage in that Lonzo couldn’t guard a hoop with Fort Knox and the entire U.S. Military at his disposal? Does Lonzo have the advantage in that… his dad will get so really mad at De’Aaron if he doesn’t play fair, and he will never be his best friend never again neither? Eventually they play, and I’m sure during their career’s Fox and Ball will split the amount of times one bests the other, but for right this second, triggered Lonzo fan’s tears taste so salty, yet so sweet.

A Greek Peak, Sneak Peak? If five seconds ago I had asked you who played the second most minutes for the Kings this preseason, would have guess that it was none other than Georgios Papagiannis? Oh, don’t lie, no you wouldn’t have. Papa G is up over 25 minutes a game in these first two games and averaging 9 points, 4 rebounds, .5 blocks and 2.5 turnovers in that timespan. I know he’s still young, I know he’s going to read this and shoutout to haters not believing in him again because they pointed to his stats and not to his heart, but I’m really hoping that if he’s averaging 25 minutes a game for the preseason, he has at least one that gives us hope for him moving forward. A 20 point, 9 rebound game where he only bobbles the balls with his back to the basket like, 15 times. For his confidence in himself as much as our confidence in him as a player, the guy needs a game like that. With Joerger using this preseason to evaluate talent and lineups, do you think he gives a greenlight to Papa G in a game this preseason? If a Papa G goes off for 20 in the woods, and nobody sees him roll his head angrily, did it really happen?

Matchup of the Game

Kyle Kuzma vs Skal Labissiere: I’ve spoken about Fox and Ball already, so I want to give a little time to a Laker that I be a huge fan of if he wasn’t on a team that once employed Mark Madsen to distract cameramen from the next play after every Shaquille O’Neal dunk. Kuzma was the real MVP for the Laker’s summer league team, he’s that decided to be a better shooter and then went out and hit more threes in summer league than he did in his entire final year of college basketball and he’s a guy who I can’t wait to see get put in the spin cycle by Skal at least four times Sunday night. Skal is going to have to find a way to handle Kuzma’s speed out on the perimeter and his ability to get to the basket in a hurry, and it’ll be good to see how Skal handles a guy who is speedier than him, rather than beefier. This match-up might be short lived as the Laker’s also have Larry Nance Jr. and Julius Randle to give minutes to, but when it eventually does happen, just know I’m sitting on a couch missing it because I looked away for two seconds.

Prediction: Lonzo Ball decides to play. Then he goes out to warm up and sees De’Aaron Fox and says he can’t. Then he gets some good juicy hype from Coach Walton and yeah, he’s for sure going out there. Then, at tip off De’Aaron goes to give him a high five and Lonzo faints. “Flu-like symptoms”, team trainers say, “he’s day to day”.

Kings: 107, Lakers: 101