It was an electric scene in the Crypto.com arena this weekend as the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Sacramento Kings for the fourth time in 32 games. The Lakers, who were without LeBron tonight, somehow managed to pull off a convincing win to move to 18-13 on the season.
The Lakers were on fire from the beginning and opened the game with a 40-point first quarter. While the Kings were never too far behind, the Purple and Gold kept a steady lead throughout the game until the third quarter, blowing the game open by outscoring the Kings 42-24.
Anthony Davis stepped up without his co-star tonight to finish with 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists on 12-16 shooting. Austin Reaves tallied 26 points, 16 assists, and 6 rebounds on 9-176 shooting while Dalton Knecht dropped 18 points and 2 rebounds off the bench.
In his first Kings game since the firing of Mike Brown, De’Aaron Fox played well with 29 points, 12 assists, and 4 steals on 12-25 shooting. DeMar DeRozan was second for his team in scoring with 25 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds on 12-17 shooting. In the backcourt, Malik Monk dropped 20 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in 33 minutes.
Nobody was expecting the Lakers to win this game without their leader and best player, but they managed to get the victory thanks to big performances for key players, a well-balanced effort on both ends, and a Kings team that is far from their best at the moment.
Big Performance From Anthony Davis
The Lakers have waited for Anthony Davis to take his rightful place as the team leader for years. With LeBron James about to turn 40, Davis is long overdue to take the reigns and make the Lakers his team both on and off the court. So, with LeBron sidelined tonight, it was the perfect opportunity for Davis to show how he can lead.
In 39 minutes, Davis averaged 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists on 12-16 shooting. He was a team-high +21 and set the tone for the Lakers on both ends of the floor. The Lakers leaned on him completely in this game and needed every bit of his contributions to escape with the win.
With James’ status for the next matchup unclear, Davis may have to channel this kind of dominance again if he wants the Lakers to keep their current trajectory. Fortunately, as one of the best big men in the game, Davis is more than up for the task. All he has to do is stay healthy long enough to build up chemistry and continuity within the franchise.
Young Players Stepped Up
When you think of the Lakers, you typically start with their stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In fact, over the years, the Lakers have been criticized for overreliance on those stars to remain competitive in the West.
This year, however, the role players are finally stepping up, saving the Lakers’ season. Against the Warriors this weekend, several young players stepped up, including Austin Reaves (26 points, 16 assists, 6 rebounds), Rui Hachimura (21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks), and Max Christie (16 points and 2 steals).
Of course, they also got a boost from rookie sensation Dalton Knecht, a major success story for the Lakers. He went 2-5 from beyond the arc tonight as part of an 18-point performance. When he’s playing like that, the Lakers are tough to beat and we saw it in action tonight.
26 Made Free Throws For Lakers
One thing you can usually count on for the Lakers is their ability to draw fouls and get to the line. Davis and LeBron are specifically gifted at this, and it’s a trait they’ve passed on to their other teammates.
Tonight, the Lakers went 26-33 from the line, which is a lot compared to the Kings, who went 11-15. Davis was the leading free-throw merchant after going 11-13, but Reaves, Hachimura, and Knecht were also able to get to the line. As a team, the Lakers rank 3rd in free throws across the league and it’s typically been a go-to strategy for the Lakers in the LeBron James era.
As an older veteran team, it’s no wonder why the Lakers are always looking to be aggressive and get to the line as much as they can. Not only does it give the players a breather, but it also lets the Lakers score in alternative ways when they’re missing a key player or having a rough shooting night.
The Kings are in rough shape right now and far from their best after parting ways with Mike Brown. But you have to give credit to the Lakers for taking advantage of the opportunity and seizing the moment to secure a win. Now they just have to do it more consistently to stay within the top six in the West.
Following today’s impressive win, the Lakers will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 31st at the Crypto.com arena. They’ll continue their homestand on Thursday, January 2nd against the Trail Blazers at 10:30 PM EST (Crypto.com arena) before a showdown against the Atlanta Hawks on January 3rd.
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