Kings Offense Disappears in Rivalry Bout vs Los Angeles
Nov 11, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:36 am
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
by Matt George – Sports 1140 KHTK Reporter
Any time the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers meet, there’s always an extra incentive to play well. Be it the hundreds of Lakers fans who pile into the Golden 1 Center, or the still haunting memories of 2002, Kings fans demand the best from their team in each of their four regular season meetings. Saturday night they were left disappointed.
On the second night of a back-to-back, coming off a gritty victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Kings offense was non-existent against a rested Lakers squad. For most of the first half Sacramento couldn’t manage 30% from the field, and finished shooting 32 of 92. Los Angeles took round one of the 2018-19 season, 101-86.
The Kings average 117 points per game and were held to just 86 thanks to 19 turnovers and 24% shooting from 3-point range. They only assisted on 11 of their 32 baskets. Defense kept the game close, as neither the Lakers or the Kings scored more than 26 in a quarter, but as fatigue set in, Los Angeles pulled away.
“Mentally we are a little bit fried and frazzled but we battled hard,” said head coach Dave Joerger, “we mad a lot of mistakes”.
De’Aaron Fox did all he could, especially late in the first half, scoring a team-leading 21 points with three long-balls. LeBron James was the man for Los Angeles, dropping and efficient 25 on 55% shooting.
“They had a great gameplan and executed well” said Fox, “It’s just a game we let get away from us”.
The Kings big struggled offensively against Kyle Kuzma, Tyson Chandler and JaVale McGee, who held Marvin Bagley, Willie Cauley-Stein, Nemanja Bjelica and Kosta Koufos to a combined 27 points on 12/33 shooting. Bagley did manage 13 points, and showed enough for Coach Joerger to consider future changes to his lineups.
“I would like to see Bagley play 5. I’m going to look at some things (and) play smaller.”
Coach Joerger and Bagley were seen having a private conversation inside the locker room following the game, and both appeared pretty encouraged despite tonight’s result.
The Sacramento Kings will have the day off tomorrow and welcome in the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
