Tag: Los Angeles Lakers

Sacramento Kings guard Luka Donic (77) takes a fade away shot against the Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) and guard Keon Ellis (23) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sun Dec 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday night the Sacramento Kings (8-24) took on the los Angeles Lakers (20-10). This game was fairly close after the first quarter but the Lakers continued to extend their lead as the game wore on.

The final was 125-101 a total domination by the Lakers. Los Angeles had as much as a 30 point lead in the game and Luka Doncic was unstoppable finishing with 34 points. The Kings played catch-up the entire game. The high scorer for the Kings tonight was DeMar DeRozan with 22 points.

Game recap: The Lakers got after it in the opening quarter of the game leading after the first 12 minutes of play 30-24. At halftime, the Lakers continued to extend their lead. They outscored the Kings 38-29 in the second quarter taking a 68-53 lead into the locker at the half.

Their 15 point lead at the half was their largest lead of the game so far. Luka Doncic was presenting all sorts of problems for Sacramento scoring 24 points in the opening half. LeBron James had 12 points and between James and Doncic were doing a fair amount of the heaving lifting.

Going into the second half, the Kings had to find a way to contain both James and Doncic. Sacramento’s percentage from the line was not at all impressive shooting at 67% especially since the Lakers were hitting 89% of their free throws.

Turnovers had been a problem for the Kings in the opening half already with 11 compared to the Lakers clean play with only four turnovers. The Lakers were cleaning up in the paint as well. Los Angeles was also dominating from beyond the arc. The Kings had a lot of work to do in the second half of this game and having to operate so terribly short-handed it would be an epic challenge for the team. The only Sacramento player in double digits in the first half was DeMar DeRozan.

This game continued on the same path in the third quarter with the Lakers pushing their lead further and further out. Four minutes into the quarter the Lakers had a 26-point lead 81-55. The Kings were so far behind the eight ball chances for a second win in a row were just about extinguished.

The Lakers continued to maintain at least a 20-point lead throughout the third quarter. Los Angeles had a vice-like grip on this game and showed little signs of letting up. With Doncic taking his 31 points into the fourth quarter he was dominating the game. The Lakers outscored the Kings in the third quarter 31-27 taking a 99-80 lead into the fourth.

The Lakers cruised through the fourth quarter taking as much as a 30 point lead. They outscored the Kings in the final quarter 23-19 and that was the ball game. The final was 125-101 in favor of Los Angeles. Luka Doncic finished the game with 34 points; he was unstoppable and alongside LeBron who had 24 points they simply dominated from start to finish. The Laker’s Nick Smith Jr. had a banner day off the bench scoring 21 points in 23 minutes. His play certainly impacted this game.

The Kings with their bevy of injured starters struggled from start to finish. They fell further and further behind with each quarter. DeMar DeRozan had the high for the team with 22 points. Maxime Raynaud had a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, certainly a bright spot in this game. Three bench players finished the game with 11 points apiece. Dennis Schroeder, Malik Monk and Nique Glifford accounted for 33 points of the 43 scored off the bench.

Game notes: After beating the Mavericks 113-107 Saturday night at home, the Kings jetted off to Los Angeles for a game against the Lakers (20-10) Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena. This was a rough game for Sacramento having to contain not only LeBron James but also Luka Doncic and a host of offensive weapons in Dennis Ayton, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura.

The Kings were really short-handed with Domantas Sabonis (Meniscus tear), Zach LaVine (left ankle sprain), Keegan Murray (right calf strain) and Devon Carter (left ankle sprain). This is nothing new for the Kings in fact the Kings has not played at full-strength all season.

Murray missed a slew of games to start the season and he is now out for more than likely a month. The Kings have been battling injury all season and along with less than stellar play on the court this team will no doubt look a whole lot different after the trade deadline has come and gone.

The Lakers will be missing the play of Austin Reeves expected to miss a month out with a left calf strain. The Lakers starting roster Saturday night still presented a major challenge for Sacramento.

Next up for the Kings will be this coming Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite having a 10-23 record, the Clippers are highly favored. Until the Sacramento Kings can get on court without more than half of their starters out, this is going to be a rough road to traverse. Tipoff for this game is a late one scheduled for 8:00 PM PT.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡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. 

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) gets hit with a foul while driving to the hoop against the Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) in first half action at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Sun Oct 26, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 How did the Kings Domantas Sabonis impact the game in terms of rebounding and inside scoring, and did the Kings get enough production from him down the stretch?

#2 With the Kings Zach LaVine listed as questionable due to illness, did he play and how did his level of play affect the Kings’ offensive rhythm?

#3 How effective was the Kings Russell Westbrook in his role — did he provide the veteran leadership and playmaking the Kings hoped for?

#4 Did the Kings get a meaningful contribution from DeMar DeRozan, and how did his performance compare to expectations in this game?

#5 Given the Kings allowed 127 points, what defensive breakdowns or weak matchups stood out, and which Kings player(s) were primarily responsible for trying (but perhaps failing) to stop the Lakers’ attack?

Sacramento Kings podcasts with Barbara Mason are heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡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. 

LeBron James (left) seated next to Bronny James (center) and forward Rui Hachimura (right) as the Los Angeles Lakers battle the Golden State Warriors on Tue Oct 21, 2025 at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 The Los Angeles Lakers are coming to Golden One Center in Sacramento on Sunday night. LeBron James will be scratched out of the line up as he is reportedly suffering from a sciatic nerve on his right side and will be out of commission for three to four weeks.

#2 There has been talk that the LeBron had been allegedly named in connection with the NBA gambling scandal as his injury reports were being sold that gave gamblers an inside track to betting Lakers games.

#3 In the indictment, a key individual is Damon Jones (former NBA player, former unofficial Lakers helper) who is accused of passing along non-public information about player injuries/availability to bettors.

#4 Back to the Sacramento Kings they’re coming off a 105-104 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night. Zach LaVine led with 31 points. LaVine should be key for the Kings in scoring for this season.

#5 Kings host the Lakers Sunday, LeBron is out of the lineup does that give the Kings a leg up also with the home floor advantage?

Sacramento Kings podcasts are heard Saturdays with Tony Harvey at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡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. 

Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) takes the ball up the floor against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sat Oct 17, 2025 (Sacramento Kings X photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (1-3) have now finished their four-game pre-season beating the Los Angeles Lakers (1-5) 117-116 Friday night with some very promising play from starters and their bench also showed a lot of promise as well.

A lot of the starters sat this game out with assorted injury, most of them not serious and illness. The high for Sacramento in this game was Dennis Schroeder with 25 points. Every starter turned in double digits. Keon Ellis was terrific off the bench with 20 points hitting six of nine from downtown.

Game recap: The first quarter got underway with the noticeable absence of Keegan Murray who had surgery on Monday for a torn ulnar collateral ligament in this left thumb. He will be out for the start of the season and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.

Domantas Sabonis has been ruled out with a mild right hamstrong strain and Malik Monk out with illness will join him on the sideline. DeMar DeRozan will not play with right groin soreness. After the first twelve minutes of play the Kings had a slim 36-34 lead.

Dylan Cardwell had another nice quarter with four rebounds after coming away from last Wednesday’s game with seven rebounds and four points. Nique Clifford had seven points in the quarter.

As the second quarter came to an end the Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Kings 27-22 taking a 61-58 lead into the locker room. Zach LaVine had yet another nice game scoring 13 points with four rebounds in the half. Keon Ellis had a solid game off the bench scoring 12 points going four of five from downtown.

The Kings had a lot of turnovers in the first half with 11. Both teams were shooting 45% from beyond the arc and Sacramento was 90% from the line. The Kings out-rebounded the Lakers 16-13 doing a nice job on defense.

In the third quarter, the Lakers began to establish a sizable lead 76-65 with 6:34 left on the clock. Sacramento cut the Lakers lead to 76-71 but Los Angeles pushed back taking an 81-71 lead. After three quarters the Lakers held a 90-86 lead. The Kings had five players in double figures but they were still struggling with turnovers committing 16 to the Lakers eight.

This game went into the fourth quarter, the last chance for some of these guys to make a statement, to impress. Keon Ellis was killing it hitting six of seven from beyond the arc mid-way through the quarter; he was on a roll Friday night and finished with six of nine for 20 points. The high for the Kings was Dennis Schroeder with 25 points and every starter in the game had double digits.

Game notes: Friday night the Kings played their fourth pre-season game taking on the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Last Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers in Sacramento as expected both teams played the bench for extended minutes with the Kings Nique Clifford coming away with the high of the night for Sacramento with 19 points in 20 minutes.

Domantas Sabonis showed some signs of coming around with a double double 14 rebounds and 15 points. The best news of all for the Kings this week was the signing of Russell Westbrook to a non-guaranteed one-year deal.

The former MVP and nine-time All-Star led the league in career triple-doubles and was named to the 75th Anniversary Team. Now the Kings will get to see Westbrook and Malik Monk off the bench creating all kinds of havoc. This will be a great way for the Kings to go into the 2025-26 season. This will also create an added dynamic on the bench for Keon Ellis and Devin Carter to have to deal with.

The Kings will now make a lot of decisions as they determine their starting lineup as well as their bench. Wednesday night October 22nd the Kings will kick off their season at Mortgage Matchup Center taking on the Phoenix Suns. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡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. 

Sacramento Kings Keegan Murray throws down against the Toronto Raptors in the first half on opening night at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Oct 8, 2025. The Kings tip off against the Los Angeles Lakers Fri Oct 17, 2025 at Staples in Los Angeles (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Jeremiah Salmonson:

#1 Just wanted to get started with the two big signing by the Sacramento Kings on Thursday we’ll start first with former Los Angeles Laker and OKC Thunder player and the newest King Russell Westbrook?

#2 Next up is Keegan Murray who signed a $140 million extension through the 2030-31 season. Murray has made 150 three pointers in his last three season.

#3 The Kings look to Murray as their top man on defense. Murray has averaged 15.2 points per game. Murray scored 12.4 points per game last year.

#4 From just the team prospective talk about their excitement from the standpoint they now have the experienced Westbrook who can provide offense and leadership and with Murray who is all sewed up with Sacramento through 2030.

#5 Next up for the Kings they tip off against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at Staple Center in LA. Talk about some of the things that Kings head coach Doug Christie will be looking for in this one tonight?

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the Kings podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) takes a jump shot above Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis (left), De’Aaron Fox (5) and Malik Monk (0) in first half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sat Dec 28, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Doug Christie’s first game as Head Coach for the Sacramento (13-19) did not go well as the Kings dropped their sixth game in a row losing by the score of 132-122 continuing their free fall. The bench did not make much of an impact with 29 points.

The high for the Kings was DeAaron Fox with 29 points and DeMar DeRozan with 25. Domantas Sabonis fouled out of the game with 4:34 left in the fourth quarter. He had a double double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Keegan Murray finished the game with only five points

Game recap: The Los Angeles Lakers (18-13) got this party started in the opening 12 minutes dominating and leading 40-31 going into the second quarter. Sacramento came roaring back in the second quarter dictating the pace outscoring the Lakers 35-25.

At the half the Kings had a 66-65 lead in this hotly contested first half. Four of the Kings starters had shot double figures after two quarters and Sacramento was dominating in the paint. The Kings bench production however was disappointing and has been poor all season.

Going into the third quarter, the Lakers took back the lead and at 7:21 had taken a 86-78 advantage. The Kings were in foul trouble with Sabonis committing four, Kyler Murray and Trey Lyles with three apiece.

Through 3 1/2 quarters Sacramento was protecting the ball well with only four turnovers. The Kings were flat from beyond the arc shooting 26% to the Lakers almost 58%. Los Angeles continued to extend their lead to 96-85 with 2:57 left in the quarter.

The King’s Sabonis clocked another double double in the third quarter but the offensive production from Sabonis, Fox and Murray was quiet as the quarter wound down with the Lakers leading by 17 points 107-90 their largest lead of the game . Los Angeles had dominated the third quarter as the Kings began to take wild shots that were missing badly.

The fourth quarter continued to go poorly for the Kings. They continued to fall further behind with the Lakers taking a 20 point lead 113-93 with 9:20 left in the game. The Kings began to make up some ground cutting the Lakers 20 point lead to 13 with 8:16 left on the clock.

The Lakers held on for the remainder of the game. Sabonis fouled out of the game with 5:20 left with his team trailing 110-119. The final was 132-122 and the Kings had lost their sixth game in a row.

The Lakers dominated for the majority of this game. Anthony Davis finished with 36 points and 15 rebounds. Austin Reeves had 26 and Rui Hachimura finished with 21.

It was a tough night for the Kings considering what had transpired Friday. They protected the ball well in this game with only ten turnovers but offensive production was down. Fox finished the game with 29 points followed by DeRozan with 25. Murray only had five points in 29 minutes of play. Sabonis fouled out in the fourth quarter with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Game notes: Saturday night the Kings traveled down to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers. After the initial shock of the firing of Head Coach Mike Brown, the Kings took the court with interim head coach Doug Christie at the helm.

Christie is expected to remain in this role for the remainder of the season. The firing of Brown sent shock waves across the NBA with numerous coaches not only surprised but also vocal and one of the most outspoken was ex Kings coach and current Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.

This scenario had played out in 2013-14 with Malone being the guy who was given his walking papers in Sacramento. While the firing was shocking, the manner in which it all came down was even more disturbing. It had been a normal morning practice prior to their game with the Lakers Saturday night.

Brown did his post media meeting and then headed to the airport for the short flight to Los Angeles. He gets a call in his car from the Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and was fired. Malone had some rather colorful language regarding the firing having gone through this himself.

Steve Kerr was also vocal in his remarks regarding the firing as were other coaches in the league. The Kings took the court without Brown and it is business as usual. Some of the King’s players have gone through this changing of the guard, Fox one of them, while others have not.

This was a wild move that could go in one of two directions. It could get the Kings back on track or it could backfire and only time will tell. Saturday night the Kings had all five starters on the floor as they struggle to fight their way back to .500 and beyond.

Next up: Monday night the Kings will be back in Sacramento, where they have really struggled, to take on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. The Kings will be looking for their first win under interim head coach Christie at Golden 1 Arena.