The LA Lakers and Sacramento Kings crossed swords in a regular-season game at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday. Both teams entered the contest on the back of confidence-boosting wins.
The Lakers took the court without their talisman, Luka Doncic, who was ruled out for at least a week with a couple of injuries. They were compelled to alter their starting lineup, with Marcus Smart joining Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Deandre Ayton in the starting 5.
The Kings’ starting lineup featured Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder.
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The Lakers got off to a strong start by exploiting the Kings’ biggest defensive weakness. Sacramento’s lack of rim protection allowed the Lakers to dominate inside, scoring eight points in the paint to build an early 16-10 lead.
The Lakers’ offense was humming despite both Doncic and LeBron James being on the sidelines. The Purple and Gold put up 36 points in the first quarter to secure a nine-point lead heading into the second period. Rui Hachimura led the way with 10 points, while Ayton scored seven points and played solid defense in the paint.
The Lakers conceded their advantage after the Kings fought back in the second quarter. Austin Reaves’ 14-point burst helped the visitors tie the scores at 62-62 before the half time buzzer. The Kings capitalized on the Lakers’ lack of discipline, scoring 14 points off 10 turnovers.
The Lakers suffered another injury setback as Gabe Vincent limped off to the locker room with an ankle injury in the third quarter. Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton took over in the penultimate period to ensure the Lakers stayed in the driver’s seat.
Ayton controlled the paint and outmuscled Sabonis inside, while the Lakers’ big man tallied 17 points through three quarters. Reaves was in his element, lighting it up for a game-high 36 points.
LA Lakers vs Sacramento Kings Player Stats and Box Score (Oct. 26)
LA Lakers
PLAYERMINFGMFGAFG%3 PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%OREBDREBREBASTSTLBLKTOPFPTSPlus/MinusMarcus Smart SF16:40254002022100011300006-2Rui Hachimura PF19:054580010221000111200210-3Deandre Ayton C15:356785.700012501342112213-6Austin Reaves SG18:33510501333.3101010004450020218Gabe Vincent PG15:1203002033100011110213-1Jarred Vanderbilt11:451250000221001231202343Jake LaRavia13:58142512500000221101131Dalton Knecht9:1212500100000220011020
Sacramento Kings
PLAYERMINFGMFGAFG%3 PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%OREBDREBREBASTSTLBLKTOPFPTSPlus/MinusZach LaVine SF18:425955.62366.7111000000001013-6DeMar DeRozan PF18:527145024501110004420010173Domantas Sabonis C12:4115200100000331201322Keon Ellis SG8:002366.71250000022120035-1Dennis Schröder PG17:343933.303011100202810117-12Drew Eubanks3:41010000000112010000-4Malik Monk14:23347512500000111111279Isaac Jones1:160000000000000000000Dylan Cardwell9:08000000000123011220-2Russell Westbrook13:16458033100020224300201110Dario Šarić2:270100000000000000001
Note: Scores are updated till half time.
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Atishay’s career spans both Indian and international sports coverage, with a keen interest in cricket, football, basketball, and tennis. His previous roles at News9Live and Sports Tak included live blogging, anchoring sports shows, and participating in debates.
A graduate in Journalism from the Center for Management Studies in Bengaluru, India, Atishay brings a wealth of experience and passion to his work in sports media.
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