The Lakers opened their 2026-27 preseason looking sharp, loud, and a whole lot deeper than expected. Los Angeles rolled past the Sacramento Kings 127-103, and even with Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves sidelined, there was plenty to like about the way the night unfolded.
Luka Doncic set the tone immediately. In just 16 minutes, he put up 21 points, grabbed eight free throws, dished three assists, and added two steals.
He shot 5-12 from the field, hit three of nine from deep, and went 8-9 at the line. The efficiency wasn’t perfect, but the control was obvious.
Sacramento had trouble keeping him from dictating the action, and that’s exactly the kind of early sign the Lakers wanted from their clear top option.
The supporting shooting around him was just as eye-catching. Los Angeles knocked down 20 of 44 from three-point range, a blistering 45.5%, while Sacramento finished 4-23 for 17.4% from beyond the arc.
That kind of gap doesn’t happen by accident. Ziaire Williams hit all three of his threes and finished with 13 points.
Quentin Grimes added 16 points on 5-7 shooting, including 2-3 from deep. Jake LaRavia went 5-6 for 12 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili chipped in eight points and five assists, and Jaden Hardy went 3-7 from three on his way to 19 points in 23 minutes.
Grimes, in particular, looked like a clean fit next to Doncic. He gave the Lakers 16 points on 5-7 shooting, hit 2-3 from three, and added four free throws. That kind of steady, complementary scoring matters when a defense is already tilted toward the superstar handling the ball.
The bench may have been the most encouraging part of all. Hardy led that charge with 19 points on 7-13 shooting.
LaRavia was efficient and active. Mamukelashvili gave them points and playmaking.
Chris Manon added 12 points, five rebounds, and an assist in 12 minutes while attacking the basket and going 8-10 from the free-throw line. As a group, the Lakers finished with 29 assists and only 15 turnovers, which backed up the eye test: this wasn’t just a hot shooting night, it was a functional, connected one.
For one preseason game, that’s a strong start. Doncic looked like the engine, the shooting looked real, Grimes looked useful, and the second unit brought enough punch to suggest there’s more depth here than usual.
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Lakers Wing Suddenly Facing Serious Pressure In New Luka Lineup
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In the 2026 preseason, Redick opened with Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle ahead of Austin Reaves LaRavia, a notable shift for a player who started many games last season. It does not settle the rotation by any means, but it does signal that the Lakers are still sorting out who best complements Doncic in the lineup, and the competition at those wing spots looks very real. [Read more 🡒]