The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on Friday.

The Kings (7-12) come into this matchup losing eight of their last 10 games. That forced the hands of management, firing Luke Walton at the beginning of the week. He's been one of the worst coaches in the NBA since he signed with this club three years ago and many fans were shocked to see him last so long. The simple fact is, he didn't do enough with all this talent. Guys like De'Aaron Fox, Richaun Holmes, Tyrese Haliburton and Harrison Barnes have formed this fascinating core, and it simply hasn't led to anything for whatever reason. That's why management decided to make this brash move, and fans are hopeful it's the spark this Sacramento squad needs to play up to expectations. Wednesday was a good start to the new era, grabbing a narrow win over the Portland Trail Blazers, despite De'Aaron Fox getting ejected in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers (10-10) have had to face a ton of adversity this season, but an overtime win on Wednesday might be the thing they need to get them going. The guy who carried them was LeBron James, tallying 39 points, five rebounds, and six assists in that comeback victory. That is easily his best game of the season, and it's clear he was motivated after serving a one-game suspension in the game prior. The one issue is that Anthony Davis missed that game with an illness, and it's become tough to keep all these guys on the floor at the same time. That felt inevitable with all the veterans on this roster, and it remains to be seen if all of these seasoned players can stay on the court and accomplish the lofty goals of management.

Sacramento surprisingly won the season series over LA last season, 2-1. Before that, the Lakers won seven of their previous 10 games over the Kings, dating back four years.