On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Sacramento Kings, aiming for their fourth consecutive win following a slow start to the season. Despite playing in the second game of a back-to-back, Lakers’ stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis were in action. However, the Kings emerged victorious with a comfortable 125-110 win, dropping the Lakers back to a .500 record at 6-6.

The Kings took an early lead, with De’Aaron Fox’s three-point play and Domantas Sabonis scoring four consecutive points, establishing a 7-2 lead. Sacramento extended their advantage to double digits at 21-11, fueled by Harrison Barnes’ early 3-pointers.

Although the Lakers attempted to rally, the Kings maintained their lead with successful 3-pointers from Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk. Despite a late surge by the Lakers, including a buzzer-beating triple by Taurean Prince, they trailed 38-25 at the end of the first quarter.

The Lakers started the second quarter strong, scoring four consecutive points to force a quick Kings timeout, reducing the deficit to single digits. However, the Kings responded, and despite a brief Lakers’ surge led by LeBron James, Sacramento held a 72-59 lead at halftime.

The Kings continued their dominance in the third quarter, reestablishing a comfortable 19-point lead. Despite James’ efforts, including a 3-pointer and a chasedown block, the Lakers struggled offensively and defensively, trailing 104-80 by the end of the third quarter.

In a final attempt to mount a comeback, Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham brought back James and Davis at the start of the fourth quarter. The Lakers fought back, narrowing the deficit to 11 after a three-point play by James. However, the Kings responded with timely buckets, preventing the Lakers from closing the gap further. Despite a late surge in 3-pointers, the Lakers couldn’t overcome the deficit, and the Kings secured the victory with successful free throws.