The Sacramento Kings are coming off their first win of the 2026-27 season, in which they took down the Dallas Mavericks on the road to move to 1-6 overall. Now, they are looking to build some more momentum against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, but they will obviously have their hands full.

The Lakers have gotten off to a strong start this season, winning six of their first eight games, and Luka Doncic is looking like the MVP frontrunner. The Kings might not have the firepower to keep up with Los Angeles, but fresh off their first win and now heading into a seven-game home stand, they should at least have the confidence to do it.

Kings injury report

Fortunately for the Kings, Dylan Cardwell is set to make his season debut. The defensive-minded backup center has missed all of Sacramento's first seven games with a calf strain, but he has been left off Wednesday's injury report. They are still dealing with a few other notable injuries, but getting Cardwell back in the lineup could be exactly what they need. Their full injury report:

Precious Achiuwa - PROBABLE (left ankle soreness)

Keegan Murray - OUT (left ankle capsulitis)

Maxime Raynaud - OUT (right patella subluxation)

Ben Simmons - OUT (right Achilles tendon repair/surgery)

The Kings still have to wait to get Keegan Murray and Maxime Raynaud back, which they are obviously eager for. They have also added key big man Precious Achiuwa to the injury report, but he is not expected to miss any time.

The Kings have had a clear lack of size this season, so getting Cardwell back could be much more important than some fans might realize. He will provide size, rebounding, rim protection, and depth, immediately making the Kings a bit more dangerous.

Lakers injury report

Part of the Lakers' early-season success has stemmed from their health. Sure, they are talented and well-coached, but only one of their top-nine scorers this season has missed more than one game so far. Their positive health trend is continuing into Wednesday's game, with a near-empty injury report:

Walker Kessler - AVAILABLE (left finger splint)

Adou Thiero - OUT (left knee injury management)

Through their first eight games, the Lakers have the NBA's top-ranked offense. The Kings, on the other hand, have the league's sixth-worst offense and third-worst defense. On paper, the Lakers are expected to dominate the Kings, but we will see what this Sacramento team can do.

With only Thiero ruled out for Wednesday's game, the Lakers have an advantage over the Kings in about every aspect of the game. Still, Darius Acuff Jr., Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine will try to work some magic to pick up their second straight win. So far this season, they have had the worst bench in the league, but Cardwell's presence should help.

The Kings might be outmatched, but we thought the same thing before they faced the Mavericks. The Kings and Lakers are set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. PT in Sacramento.