Lakers lose to Kings in second straight loss.
Sacramento — The Lakers suffered their second straight loss in Wednesday’s battle against the Kings, falling 134-118 to drop their season record to 13-18, losing their third of their last six games.
For the second straight game, the Lakers were without multiple players in the rotation, going into Sacramento without Anthony Davis (right foot soreness), Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain), Russell Westbrook (left foot soreness), and Juan Toscano-Anderson (right ankle sprain).
The Lakers looked undersized inside the paint in their second game without Anthony Davis, demonstrating their roster's imbalance with a heavy guard rotation and a lack of wing depth, allowing 10 offensive rebounds and 51 total boards.
“We’re already a team without a lot of length and a lot of size,” said LeBron about their size and length without Anthony Davis.
The amount of production needed from LeBron has been worrisome in the absence of Anthony Davis. A man in his 20th NBA season should not be looked at as the savior to carry an NBA team. The amount needed from LeBron can affect the Lakers in two ways: the risk of injury and wear and tear toward the end of the season, come playoff time or play-in time.
LeBron finished with a game-high 31 points on 52% (11-for-21) total shooting, notching 11 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 34 minutes.
Outside the starting lineup, the Lakers' bench finished with 22 points, demonstrating how much they struggled with bench help.
Thomas Bryant, Dennis Schröder, and Lonnie Walker's efforts weren't enough in Wednesday’s loss, all having solid outings without the stat that mattered most, a win.
Bryant finished with his second double-double of the season with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 6-for-9 (66%) from the floor in 28 minutes.
Schröder continued his success from Monday’s loss in Phoenix, where he scored 30 points, with an 18-point night in Wednesday’s loss to the Kings.
Walker IV was the Lakers' second leading scorer with 19 points on 3-for-6 shooting from behind the arc, going 6-for-13 total from the floor with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block in 36 minutes of action.
The Lakers will travel back home on Friday to face the 8–23 Charlotte Hornets at 7:30 P.M. on Spectrum SportsNet.
