Game Preview: Kings At Lakers

(AP) - The Los Angeles Lakers have lost more games than any team in franchise history and are locked in at fourth in the draft lottery, but there's still one title up for grabs in their season finale.

The Sacramento Kings visit Staples Center on Wednesday night to complete a home-and-home series, and the Lakers still have a shot at dodging the worst winning percentage in team history.

Los Angeles (21-60) has a .259 winning percentage that would establish a franchise-worst mark. A win would bump it to .268, narrowly escaping the 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers' .264 finish with 19 wins in a 72-game season.

The Lakers have made the race to better that mark interesting by dropping seven of eight, including Monday's 102-92 loss in Sacramento that was the Kings' second win in 10 games.

"I didn't know that (about the record)," guard Jabari Brown said after scoring 18 points. "Of course, no one wants to be a part of that."

Brown has started the last four games and averaged 16.8 points, though he's shot 33.9 percent. Backcourt mate Jordan Clarkson, who has started the last 38 games, had 23 points and has averaged 21.6 in his last five.

No matter who's been on the court, and no matter which records are or aren't set, the season will go down as one defined by injuries to Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Julius Randle, Nick Young, Ronnie Price, Jeremy Lin and Wayne Ellington, among others.

"With everything that's happened this season, (the losing) is not stunning to me," coach Byron Scott said. "It's been a tough season, record-wise, injury-wise, all that stuff. You just take it with a grain of salt and you get ready for the next one."

Neither the Lakers nor Kings (28-53) can change their lottery position. Los Angeles has an 11.9 percent shot at the No. 1 overall pick and a 37.8 percent chance at a top-three choice. The Kings are locked in at sixth with 6.3 percent odds at drafting first and 21.5 percent for the top three.

Los Angeles has missed the postseason for a second straight year after doing so twice in the previous 37 seasons. Sacramento hasn't played playoff basketball since 2005-06 and is in danger of dropping 54 games for the third consecutive season. It'd also mark the Kings' sixth straight season free of a work stoppage with at least that many defeats.

The Kings have the season series on their side with wins in two of three, though they haven't beaten the Lakers on the road in their last six tries. They're also on their second six-game road skid of the season.

Sacramento will be without its top two players. DeMarcus Cousins has missed five games with a right foot injury, while Rudy Gay has been out for seven of eight due to a concussion.

Omri Casspi has started all eight games this month and averaged 19.9 points while shooting 55.4 percent. The small forward had 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists Monday.

"I'm happy for him because I think he was struggling when I came here," said coach George Karl, who has gone 10-19 since taking over. "He understands what we're trying to do a little better than some other guys. His ability to get to the rim has been pretty impressive and I'd like to see him have more games with six assists, like tonight."

Fellow forward Derrick Williams scored a season-high 20 points and has averaged 16.4 over the last five.

Updated April 14, 2015