SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers missed 28 of 36 three-pointers and watched the Sacramento Kings convert 17 of 26 from long range in a 124-112 defeat Monday night, the club’s third consecutive loss.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Kings’ 65.4% accuracy from beyond the arc is the highest ever allowed by the Lakers in a game in which the opponent attempted at least 25 threes.
“I think we played solid defense — they just made a bunch of shots, and we didn’t,” LeBron James said afterward.
DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 32 points on 14-of-19 shooting, all inside the arc. Former Lakers Malik Monk (26 points, 7-of-9 from three) and Russell Westbrook (22 points, 4-of-8 from three) supplied most of the deep damage.
Los Angeles went 8-for-36 from outside, a figure boosted only when Bronny James knocked down two late threes after the outcome was decided. Head coach JJ Redick noted the team registered “50 potential assists” but converted just 21 field goals on those opportunities. “This has been the theme,” Redick said. “We just have to keep shooting.”
The Lakers have dropped seven of their past 11 contests and sit 23-14, fifth in the Western Conference.
Before tip-off, Redick insisted his team would not overlook the 9-30 Kings, yet the locker-room television displayed an NFL playoff game rather than scouting footage, and more than half the active roster skipped the national anthem and lineup introductions.
Rui Hachimura was cleared after missing six games with a right-calf strain but did not play. Redick said medical staff restricted Hachimura to one appearance in the back-to-back set and opted to save him for Tuesday’s meeting with the Atlanta Hawks.
James, 41, and Luka Dončić started and scored the Lakers’ first eight points, forcing an early Kings timeout. The momentum faded as Los Angeles finished the opening quarter 2-for-11 from three and trailed entering the second.
James closed with 22 points, four rebounds and three assists, missing all five of his attempts from deep. Dončić, dealing with groin discomfort that required in-game treatment, poured in 42 points (40 through three quarters), added eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals.
Dončić said he nearly sat out: “Before the game, during warm-ups, I felt something. We were just trying to get warm and get going.” Both stars will assess their status for Tuesday’s game after evaluating how they feel in the morning.
Los Angeles continues to operate without Austin Reaves, whose All-Star-level season has been stalled by a left-calf injury. Reaves is expected to miss at least two more weeks.
“We’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now — guys in uniform and guys not in uniform,” James said. Dončić echoed the sentiment: “I have confidence in this team. We just have to keep working.”
Source: ESPN
