SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Domantas Sabonis had 17 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-107 on Wednesday night.
The Kings have won seven of their last eight games against the Lakers, including a four-game sweep this season. Harrison Barnes made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, De’Aaron Fox added 21 and Keegan Murray scored 19 as all five Kings starters scored in double figures.
Sabonis’ triple-double was his league-leading 23rd, with his last coming in the Kings’ win over the Lakers last week. Kings coach Mike Brown called the feat a “standard” for his center, who faced the Lakers’ Anthony Davis.
“Hell of a game from him against a very, very physical team,” Brown said. “He was getting hit and banged and all that and he stayed in there.”
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 28 points. Davis added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and LeBron James had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot, with the Kings tied with Phoenix for sixth place in the Western Conference, three games ahead of the ninth-place Lakers.
Sacramento pulled away in the third quarter after a close first half, starting the quarter on a 10-2 run to open a double-digit lead and limiting Los Angeles to four field goals in the frame. Back-to-back baskets by Fox to end the third gave the Kings a 15-point lead.
“Especially in this league, being a team that can come out of the half and be a great team in the third quarter is huge for everyone,” Fox said. “Because you can be up or down and you can extend the lead or bring the lead back at the end of the half.”
The Lakers cut the deficit to single digits early in the fourth, but Barnes and Malik Monk responded with consecutive 3-pointers to give the Kings a comfortable cushion again.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said his players didn’t do the little things.
“I can’t skip details,” Ham said. “We had guys who didn’t shoot the ball well, but looked great like they usually do. But just in a team basketball sense, you just have to continue to have a next-play mentality.”
Sacramento led 60-56 at halftime, paced by 14 points and four 3-pointers from Murray. Brown credited the Kings’ defense for coming up with eight straight stops late in the first half and early in the second half that allowed them to take the lead.
“When we get eight stops in a row throughout the entire game against any team, there’s a chance we can blow this thing,” Brown said.
The Kings, who were without Kevin Huerter (right leg bruise) and Trey Lyles (left knee sprain), still won their second straight game in convincing fashion against another playoff team after eliminating Milwaukee at home Tuesday. Barnes hopes that effort continues against other teams.
“I don’t think we have a problem as a team preparing for big games,” Barnes said. “I don’t think that’s been our Achilles heel at all… We’re able to respond and get back up for these games. Now, can we just maintain that same consistency and focus throughout the rest of the league?
FOLLOWING
Lakers: Host Golden State on Saturday.
Kings: Host New York on Saturday.
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