LeBron’s Huge Fourth Quarter Performance Dooms Kings
Jan 4, 2022, 10:43 PM | Updated: 10:48 pm
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Sacramento was unable to create stops down the closing stretch while LeBron James put on another Hall of Fame-worthy performance
Much like the triple-overtime thriller back on November 26th, Tuesday’s matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers would once again go down to the wire.
Unfortunately for the Kings, LeBron James is still playing like a man with plenty to prove.
The future Hall of Famer went on a James-esque closing run by scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers to a 122-114 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena.
With the loss, Sacramento falls to 16-23 on the season.
The Kings got off to a strong start in the first quarter as they shot 52-percent from the field as a team to take a 31-26 lead into the second quarter.
Turnovers would come in bunches for Sacramento to begin the second as the Lakers jumped out to a seven-point lead before longtime backcourt partners De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield ended the half with an offensive showcase.
Fox tied his season-high for most points scored in a first half with 19 points (eight-of-12 shooting) while Hield got hot from beyond the arc (15 points on four-of-seven shooting from three-point range) to give the Kings a 59-57 advantage after 24 minutes of play.
Fox’s aggressiveness would not fade in the third quarter as the young guard quickly topped the 20-point mark by scoring five points over the first four minutes of action in the second half.
Sacramento and Los Angeles would trade baskets for the entirety of the third as the Lakers took a slim 85-83 lead into the fourth quarter, setting the stage for yet another intense final period between these two teams at Crypto.com Arena.
Davion Mitchell helped lead the Kings on an 11-0 run in the initial minutes of the fourth as the rookie stripped LeBron James and sank a floater to give his team a 96-89 lead with just over eight minutes remaining.
Los Angeles would not go quietly however, as Mailk Monk’s triple cut Sacramento’s lead to 102-101 with 5:21 to go before James’ triple put the Lakers back out in front 104-102 the following possession.
James and Hield traded back-to-back-to-back triples to set up another nail-biting finish as the Kings trailed 109-108 with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. After a tough offensive foul call on a Damian Jones screen, James and Russell Westbrook put the game away with back-to-back scores as Sacramento was unable to create stops down the closing stretch.
To add insult to injury, Sacramento would have had a chance to cut the deficit to two or three points with under 30 seconds remaining, but De’Aaron Fox fake-grabbed a rebound by pulling his hand back before touching the basketball, therefore causing the clock operator to start the clock.
Since Fox didn’t touch the ball and the clock inadvertently started, the officials called for a jump-ball in a head-scratching sequence that resulted in Los Angeles gaining the possession to bring the game to a close.
While the Fox phantom rebound and jump-ball call was a perplexing one, the fact is this: the Kings could not create stops down the closing stretch of the fourth quarter.
LeBron James took over. Russell Westbrook got into the paint with ease. Malik Monk knocked down shots. Sacramento was sloppy for most of the game, including the fourth.
The Kings turned the ball over 18 times versus Los Angeles’ five turnovers. Longtime NBA veteran Dwight Howard posted a 2009-esque 14 points and 14 rebounds–both season highs.
When combined, all of those factors were too much to overcome for this Kings team.
Quick Stats
De’Aaron Fox had one of his strongest games of the season by topping the 30-point mark for the fifth time this season.
Fox scored 30 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the field and two-of-four from beyond the arc to go along with six assists over 33 minutes of action. “He’s playing at an All-Star level if you ask me,” Kings head coach Alvin Gentry said postgame of the 24-year-old’s performance.
Fox’s longtime backcourt partner Buddy Hield found his stroke for the second-straight game as the veteran scored 26 points on seven-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc in the losing effort. Hield knocked down seven triples for the second-straight game, joining Steph Curry as the only other player in the NBA to do so this season.
Hield is the only Kings player in franchise history to convert seven-plus three-pointers in consecutive games (this is the third time that he has done so).
Marvin Bagley III pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds in the loss.
Injury Updates
Marvin Bagley III tweaked his thumb in the losing effort, but head coach Alvin Gentry said that he believed Bagley will be fine. More information on Bagley’s status will be available on Wednesday before the Kings face the Atlanta Hawks.
Kings guard Terence Davis sat out last Friday night’s game due to ankle soreness that he felt while going through pregame warmups. After missing Sunday’s game against Miami, Davis was listed as questionable heading into Tuesday’s matchup.
Shortly before tip-off, the 24-year-old was ruled out for the third-consecutive game. Davis is considered day-to-day going forward.
Richaun Holmes became the latest member of the Kings roster to enter COVID-19 Health & Safety protocols on Saturday afternoon. Holmes will be able to return to basketball activities after registering successive negative COVID-19 tests 24 hours apart.
The 28-year-old center has struggled to get back into a rhythm after suffering two separate injuries to his right eye in late November and early December. After missing 10 of 14 games, Holmes has averaged 6.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game over just 22.0 minutes per game, well below his season-averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 26.1 minutes per game.
Chimezie Metu entered COVID-19 Health & Safety protocols just a few hours before action tipped off on Tuesday. Like Holmes, Metu will be able to return to action after registering successive negative COVID-19 tests 24 hours apart.
Coming Up
Tuesday night marked the beginning of yet another back-to-back for the Sacramento Kings as they will return home to Golden 1 Center on Wednesday night to face All-Star guard Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.
The Kings and Hawks split a two-game set last season, with the most recent matchup being a narrow 110-108 win behind a monstrous 37-point effort from De’Aaron Fox on March 24, 2021.
You can find all of your Kings vs Hawks coverage right here on Sports 1140 KHTK beginning at 5:30pm PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner prior to a 7:00pm PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
- January 5th vs Atlanta Hawks
- January 7th @ Denver Nuggets
- January 9th @ Portland Trail Blazers
- January 10th vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- January 12th vs Los Angeles Lakers
