LOS ANGELES–The Sacramento Kings snapped their five-game losing streak on Tuesday night with a 106-98 victory over the struggling, but improving Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

 Sacramento took command of the game early and maintained the lead, and fended off a late effort by Los Angeles in the fourth quarter. When the Lakers got within 6 points of the Kings twice, forward Rudy Gay hit jump shots, putting a stop to their momentum.

 “The Lakers have been playing at a good level. It is good to get our funk out after a losing streak and get some joy back into the locker room and go home tomorrow,” Kings head coach George Karl said. “And hopefully make another step in a good direction.”

 The Kings scored the win mostly because of steals – 17 – and creating a lot of deflections and easy fast break points off of the Lakers’ 22 turnovers.

 It seemed the Kings played with the most energy since before the All-Star break. Karl said it might have been a result of playing forward Willie Cauley-Stein, who scored 8 points.

 “You establish the run, then you open up a lot more, because now they’re trying to run with me, and then it opens up for the shot because I’m cutting through the lane. I’m running, I’m the first one down there,” Cauley-Stein said.

 Controlling the game early was a big difference from Sunday, when the Kings got off to a bad start against the Utah Jazz and lost 108-99.

 Kings guard Darren Collison said it’s a “make or miss league,” and the shots just fell on Tuesday.

 “You can’t have a great stretch throughout the whole 82-game season. I wish I can, but it’s not going to be like that,” Collison said. “You’re going to have your moments, but the biggest thing that you have to take away from it is that you still have to stay aggressive. I thought I did that tonight.”

 Collison and DeMarcus Cousins finished with 22 points a piece, and Gay contributed 20 points.

 The Lakers’ retiring star Kobe Bryant did not play. Karl said he remembered Bryant played one game against Sacramento this season, and that the past few weeks have been his best.

 “It might have been nice to give him a hug at the end of the game … There is a little disappointment,” Karl said.

 Tuesday’s win brings Sacramento’s record to 26-40. The results of the season have been “frustrating,” Cousins said.

 “We’re trying to figure it out, still trying to figure it out,” he said. “One thing that is good is the locker room is still good. We believe in one another and keep that support, try to finish the season out strong and keep that support.”

 The Kings return to Sleep Train Arena on Wednesday to face the New Orleans Pelicans. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.