Lakers forward Anthony Davis shoots against Sacramento Kings forwards Harrison Barnes (40) and Domantas Sabonis (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots against Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis rebounds over Sacramento Kings guard Chris Duarte during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown yells to the team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) shoots as Lakers guard Austin Reaves defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis reach for a jump ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, right, talks with Lakers guard Austin Reaves after he scored during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento King head coach Mike Brown complains about an official’s call from the sideline during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray shoots as Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell defends during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James signals to his teammates during the first half of their game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Anthony Davis, left, reaches for a rebound in front of Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, right, during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James, center, looks to pass as Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, left, and Alex Len defend during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, shoots against Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots against Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox drives to the basket against Lakers forward LeBron James during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis, center, shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) and guard Chris Duarte, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) shoots in front of Lakers guard Austin Reaves during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
D’Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings go for a loose ball at Golden 1 Center on March 13, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, center, goes up for a shot between the Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes, left, and Taurean Prince during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James goes up for a shot as Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, left, defends during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes dunks in front of Lakers stars LeBron James, bottom, and Anthony Davis, right, during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox shoots as Lakers star Anthony Davis defends during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James drives as Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis defends during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis is hit on the head by Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, as Lakers forward Taurean Prince, right, tries to block his shot during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox goes up for a shot in front of Lakers center Jaxson Hayes during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James, center, goes for a loose ball against the Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray, left, and Harrison Barnes, right, during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James wears USC-themed Nike sneakers during the first half of their game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, center, goes up for a shot in front of Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, right, during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis shoots in front of Lakers forward LeBron James during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward LeBron James dunks in front of Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, left, handles the ball as Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox defends during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Anthony Davis, left, goes up for a shot as Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis defends during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, left, and forward Harrison Barnes slap hands during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward LeBron James, right, is defend by Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots against Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (15) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis shoots against Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots against Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Lakers coach Darvin Ham gestures to the team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk reacts during the second half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Lakers in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, celebrates with Keon Ellis during the second half of their game against the Lakers in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis shoots as Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers complains about a call during their game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 13, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
D’Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings go for a loose ball at Golden 1 Center on March 13, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis shoots in front of Lakers star Anthony Davis during the first half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis passes the ball during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Wednesday night in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, right, drives to the basket as Lakers forward Anthony Davis defends during the second half on Wednesday night in Sacramento. Sabonis had 17 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists as the Kings won, 120-107, to sweep the four-game season series. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
SACRAMENTO — The Lakers have shown throughout the season that they’ll raise their level of play in big-time games.
That wasn’t the case in Wednesday night’s 120-107 loss to the Sacramento Kings – a matchup that had significant implications in the Western Conference standings.
Despite having the rest advantage, with the Kings playing on the second night of a back-to-back set after beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday and the Lakers having two days off, and having just played last week, the Lakers once again didn’t have the solutions to slowing down the Kings.
Uncharacteristic shooting nights from LeBron James (18 points on 6-for-16 shooting, 13 rebounds and nine assists) and Anthony Davis (22 points on 7-for-18 shooting, 10 rebounds, three assists) didn’t help, with the Lakers lacking offensive firepower outside of strong performances from Austin Reaves (28 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Rui Hachimura (20 points on 9-for-11 shooting).
D’Angelo Russell (six points on 2-for-9 shooting) also struggled.
“We had some guys that didn’t shoot the ball well, got great looks they normally make,” Coach Darvin Ham said. “But just in the sense of team basketball, just continuing to have a next-play mentality. You turn the ball over or it’s a quick shot or we’re not, our shot selection is a little bit off, you have to recalibrate and try to play the right way. And again, do it as a unit, not just individually trying to get yourself going.
“If you’re trying to get yourself going, we’re staying organized within what we’re supposed to be doing, then great. But we can’t skip the details.”
What’s become clear is that the Kings (38-27), just like the Denver Nuggets, have the Lakers’ number and are a bad matchup for them.
With Wednesday’s loss, the Lakers have dropped the last five matchups against Sacramento dating to last season, and eight of the past nine.
“They had our number this year,” James said, “for sure.”
But instead of inflicting their damage from inside the paint, the Kings made the Lakers pay from behind the arc, making 19 of 41 3-point shots (46.3%) against a Lakers team that was slow with closing out on shooters all night.
“It was miscommunication,” Davis said. “Some, we were over-helping trying to help. And they’re a drive-and-kick team that can get to the paint and try to spray out to their shooters. They did a great job of making shots. We did a good job of protecting the paint, it was just the outside shot that beat us tonight. Trying to help our guys out to guard De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. They can get downhill. Trying to help them, help our guys, when they get downhill and they did a great job spraying out.”
Harrison Barnes made seven 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 23 points for Sacramento. Domantas Sabonis had his league-leading 23rd triple-double of the season with 17 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists, extending his double-double streak to 48 games.
“Heck of a game by him versus a very, very physical team,” Kings coach Mike Brown said of Sabonis. “He was getting hit, bump and all that stuff and he just stayed in there.”
Fox had 21 points and seven assists. All five Kings starters scored at least 14 points.
The Lakers also kept getting in their way with self-inflicted wounds, turning the ball over 14 times.
Sacramento pulled away in the third quarter after a close first half, starting the quarter on a 10-2 run to open a double-digit lead and holding the visitors to four field goals in the frame. Fox’s consecutive baskets to end the third gave the Kings a 15-point lead.
The Lakers cut the deficit to nine early in the fourth, but Barnes and Monk answered with consecutive 3-pointers to give the Kings a comfortable cushion again.
The Kings also had nine offensive rebounds for 16 second-chance points.
“It’s the ones where you stop an offensive team like that and then they get a second chance and they kick out, those are the ones that are kind of demoralizing,” James said. “When you play 24 seconds or whatever the case may be of great defense and a ball bounces the wrong way and they get an offensive rebound and they hit a 3. Those are always the ones that kill you.”
LeBron James, Anthony Davis play vs. Timberwolves despite injuries
Fox sealed the Kings’ victory with a 3-pointer off an assist from Sabonis with 57.2 seconds left, giving Sacramento a 118-105 lead.
Ham called a timeout following the shot and pulled his rotation players off the court.
“You’re gonna have nights where things don’t go your way, shots don’t go in,” Ham said. “You have to find other ways to impact the game. Without looking at the film, just feel like it’s a lot of little things that we didn’t do as a unit.”
The Kings pulled even with Phoenix for sixth place in the Western Conference, three games ahead of the ninth-place Lakers. The 10th-place Warriors, who are one game behind the Lakers, have won 13 of their past 19 games ahead of Saturday’s game against the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
“We already knew we were in the gauntlet of our schedule,” James said. “We already knew we had all the teams that were coming in, everybody positioning and jockeying. Some of the best teams in the league. We knew it was a tough stretch for our ballclub. But even with the loss to Denver, even with the loss to Sac both times, we’ve still been playing some good ball.”
“They have our number this year, for sure.” LeBron James talks about Sacramento’s offense and what happened to the Lakers down the stretch. pic.twitter.com/kaxDZHwHg5
Darvin Ham: “We’ve been doing a good job of bouncing back from devastating losses and getting that bad feeling and taste out of our mouths, and we’ll do the same with this game… learn from it and get ready for the Warriors on Saturday.” pic.twitter.com/a3LTPzfIOV
