Lakers star Luka Doncic looks to shoot as Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis defends during the first half of their preseason game on Monday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
No Beam as the Lakers Roll Past Sacramento 127-103
By Mauricio Segura
SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings found themselves chasing the Los Angeles Lakers almost from the opening tip Monday, and by the time Sacramento found some traction, the deficit had grown far beyond reach. Los Angeles used a dominant second quarter, balanced scoring and Sacramento’s foul trouble to run away with a 127-103 victory in the first pre season game of the 26-27 campaign.
Sacramento briefly held the upper hand during a competitive opening quarter. Rookie D. Acuff Jr. scored eight early points, while Zach LaVine found his rhythm from midrange. LaVine’s turnaround jumper gave Sacramento an 18-13 advantage with 5:16 remaining, but Luka Dončić quickly changed the direction of the quarter.
Dončić buried consecutive three pointers, including a running 25-footer, as Los Angeles moved ahead. The Lakers closed the quarter with a 23-10 surge after LaVine’s basket and carried a 36-28 lead into the second.
Then the game broke open.
J. LaRavia scored the Lakers’ first four points of the second quarter before adding a 3-pointer that pushed the margin to 45-30. Q. Grimes followed with a 27-foot 3-pointer, Matisse Thybulle connected from deep, and Dončić added another triple as Los Angeles built a 54-30 advantage with 7:48 left in the half.
Sacramento’s problems extended beyond missed shots. Domantas Sabonis picked up his third foul with 10:26 remaining in the second quarter, his fourth less than two minutes later and his fifth with 6:26 still on the clock. The Kings’ center was forced to the bench after scoring four points, leaving Sacramento without one of its primary rebounders and playmakers.
The Lakers continued piling on. Dončić scored 21 first-half points, while Sacramento committed a series of turnovers that repeatedly interrupted any attempt at a sustained response. Los Angeles stretched its lead as high as 33 before the Kings closed the half with a modest rally.
Acuff provided Sacramento’s best offensive resistance. He scored seven points during a late 14-6 Kings run, including a driving layup and a 26-foot pull-up 3-pointer. Nique Clifford completed a three-point play late in the quarter, but S. Mamukelashvili answered with a 27-foot triple that sent Los Angeles into halftime ahead 73-47.
Sacramento showed more fight after intermission. M. Raynaud scored six points in the third quarter, D. Cardwell supplied a transition dunk and Clifford reached double figures. E. Sharp’s 28-foot 3-pointer trimmed the deficit to 86-67 with 5:34 remaining.
Los Angeles quickly restored its cushion. C. Carr scored 12 points in the third, including two late 3-pointers, and the Lakers carried a 99-77 advantage into the fourth.
With the outcome largely settled, Sacramento’s reserves continued competing. Raynaud scored six more points early in the fourth, including an alley-oop dunk from A. Karaban. D. Plowden reached 12 points, while Clifford produced the Kings’ strongest finishing stretch.
Clifford scored 12 points in the final period and finished with a Sacramento-high 23. He knocked down a step-back 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining, drove for another basket and scored at the horn. Acuff finished with 19 points and four assists, while Raynaud and Plowden each scored 12. Cardwell contributed nine points, nine rebounds and three steals.
The Lakers spread the scoring across their roster. Dončić led their early assault with 21 points, Carr finished with 19, Grimes scored 16 and LaRavia added 12. Los Angeles led by as many as 33 points and never allowed Sacramento closer than 19 during the second half.
For the Kings, the damage was concentrated in a brutal second quarter. Sacramento was outscored 37-19 during those 12 minutes, and Sabonis’ early foul trouble stripped the Kings of a central piece before halftime. Sacramento competed more evenly afterward, but by then Los Angeles had built far too much separation.
Next up for the Kings it’s off to Los Angeles Thu Oct 8th for a tip off with these same Lakers at Crypto.com Arena for a 7:30pm PDT tip.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
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⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
