SACRAMENTO — The Lakers encountered one of the NBA’s least impressive teams in the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, making it incumbent on them to take the right approach against a team that has one of the worst records in the league.
Slowly, the Lakers and Luka Doncic found their groove against the Kings, pulling away for an uneven 116-103 win at Golden1 Center.
Doncic, of course, was at the center of it all, scoring 40 points to go with nine rebounds, seven assists and six turnovers. It was the third straight game Doncic has scored 40-plus points in an outing.
He had 10 points in the first quarter, a slow start for him considering he averages 15 points per game in the first 12 minutes. He had 13 in the second and 12 in the third and five in the fourth.
Walker Kessler had a strong game with 15 points on six-for-eight shooting, eight rebounds and three blocks.
Austin Reaves had 21 points.
The Kings began the game with a 1-6 record, one of six teams in the league with that mark.
They give up 124.3 points per game, the second-most in the league, and teams shoot 50.5% against them, a league-high.
So, the high-scoring Lakers just had to play to their usual effort.
They entered the game second in scoring (122.5) in the league and first in field-goal percentage (52.0).
But the first half was a choppy affair because of all the fouls being called.
Each team was called for 12 fouls in the first half. The Lakers were called for nine fouls in the second quarter and the Kings were called for eight.
Jake LaRavia picked up his fourth foul with eight minutes and two seconds left in the second quarter.
The Lakers had committed enough fouls to put the Kings in the penalty with 9:24 left in the second quarter.
That was the kind of first half the Lakers had to endure.
But when Doncic got going in the second quarter, the Lakers played a little better.
He scored 13 of their final 15 points in the half and had 23 points at intermission.
Kings sensational rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., who is eighth in the NBA in scoring (26.1), had 14 points at the half, 22 for the game.
Doncic, however, entered the game as the top scorer in the league, averaging 38.3 points per game, and he ranked third in assists, averaging 8.1.
But this has been a season when Lakers coach JJ Redick said Doncic has provided the team more than just offense.
“Well, you brought up the leadership,” Redick said. “I think that’s where I’ve seen a lot of growth from him. Talking to his teammates…. We like to give that first minute to the players just to kind of talk to each other. And we’ve seen a lot of back and forth and it’s been really healthy. So I love that from our team and from Luka. He’s leading that right now.”
Lakers forward Adou Thiero, who has been out with a left knee injury, practiced with the Coachella Valley Lakers on Wednesday and came out of well.
“Yeah, practice was fine today,” Redick said. “Went well. That was the plan just to get him a live practice today and then he’ll be back with us.”
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