The Sacramento Kings left Los Angeles with a closer look at where they stand, but the same final answer: another preseason loss to the Lakers, this one 114-110 on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Sacramento actually outshot Los Angeles from the floor, knocking down 42 of 94 field goals to the Lakers’ 36 of 78. But the Kings couldn’t offset the gap at the foul line. The Lakers got there far more often and nearly doubled Sacramento in free throws, 31-16, which helped swing a game that stayed within reach longer than Tuesday’s meeting in Sacramento.
Precious Achiuwa was the Kings’ most efficient scorer, finishing with 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, all of it coming from mid-range. Maxine Raynaud added 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for the lone double-double of the night.
Sacramento also got a mixed bag from Darius Acuff Jr. in his second preseason game as an NBA player. He took a team-high 15 shots but made only four, finishing 2-of-7 from deep and 2-for-2 at the line. Zach LaVine scored 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting, hit all five of his free throws, and led the Kings with four assists.
The bench supplied much of Sacramento’s perimeter production. Daeqwon Plowden scored 15 points and Emanuel Sharp added 11, with each player drilling three triples. The rest of the roster, though, combined to go just 6-of-21 from beyond the arc.
For the Lakers, Luka Doncic paced the scoring with 23 points on 6-of-16 shooting and was perfect at the stripe, going 9-for-9. Austin Reaves finished with eight points and eight assists. Sandro Mamukelashvili chipped in 19 points, while Jake LaRavia added 17, and both reserve scorers hit three shots from three-point range.
Sacramento started well enough, edging out to a 10-7 lead in the first quarter on a tip-in dunk by Raynaud. The Lakers answered with back-to-back threes from Doncic and LaRavia as part of a 10-3 burst that flipped the game and pushed Los Angeles ahead 17-13, then 21-17. Jonathan Mogbo’s free throw and layup trimmed the margin to one by the end of the quarter.
The Kings briefly reclaimed the lead early in the second when Raynaud scored on a tip shot to make it 22-21. Los Angeles then ripped off a 19-3 run to build a 15-point cushion.
Achiuwa’s dunk and a LaVine layup cut it to 40-29 with 5:21 left in the half, but the Lakers still stretched the margin to 51-35 on a Mamukelashvili layup with 1:32 remaining. Sacramento closed the period with a burst from Acuff, who scored eight points on two threes in the final 90 seconds, but the Kings still trailed 57-43 at halftime.
The third quarter brought another Sacramento push. Achiuwa finished inside and then set up a Leaky Black layup to pull the Kings within 74-69 with 2:30 left in the period.
That was as close as they got. The Lakers ended the quarter on a 12-1 run, capped by two Mamukelashvili threes, and the Kings couldn’t close the gap from there.
Sacramento heads to San Francisco on Saturday, Oct. 10, to face the Golden State Warriors.
In Other News...
Kings Already Face A Ben Simmons Problem They Can't Ignore
Ben Simmons arrived in Sacramento carrying the sort of baggage that makes every offseason addition feel a little more complicated than the last. The Kings took the gamble anyway, betting that a fresh setting could help a player whose injury history and broader career detours have made him one of the leagues most scrutinized names. For a team trying to stay relevant in a loaded Western Conference, the appeal is obvious enough: if Simmons can give them even a slice of his old value, he changes the look of the roster.
The problem is that the expectations around him are already moving faster than the Kings likely want. Some around the league are talking about Simmons as if he is ready to reclaim an elite level immediately, which only sharpens the pressure on a player who has yet to play a game for Sacramento. The Kings would prefer a slower ramp-up and a more careful return, with an eye on both his physical condition and where he is mentally after so much time under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Have Heard This Story Before And Its Concerning Again
The Kings are back in familiar territory this fall, with another round of questions about the mood inside the building before the games even start counting. At a preseason dinner, owner Vivek Ranadive addressed the team, and the message quickly became a point of debate after NBA insider Zach Lowe described it as a roast that took aim at players and staff. For a franchise that has spent plenty of time trying to project stability, even the conversation around a dinner speech can feel larger than it should.
Scott Perry pushed back on that framing, saying the speech was meant to motivate and inspire the group rather than tear it down. Still, the public disagreement has only added to the sense that not everything is perfectly settled behind the scenes, especially with Kings insider James Ham pointing to ongoing internal issues connected to why some players have missed preseason action. The details there remain unconfirmed, but it is another reminder that Sacramento is once again trying to keep the focus on basketball while the off-court noise lingers in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Head To Golden State With Two Big Roles Suddenly In Focus
Sacramentos preseason has opened with back-to-back losses to the Lakers, and the quick turnaround to Golden State offers the Kings a chance to see where some of their new pieces fit before the games start counting. The early focus has been less about the final scores and more about the roster mix, with rookie Emanuel Sharp also expected to get a look as Sacramento tries to sharpen its three-point shooting.
The bigger spotlight is on the frontcourt rotation and the questions it raises for the starting group. DeAndre Hunter is being pushed by Precious Achiuwa, while Ben Simmons is part of the same conversation as the Kings sort through a competition that could shape how they open the regular season. Sacramento still has plenty to learn in preseason, but this trip to Golden State should offer a better sense of which combinations the staff trusts most. [Read more 🡒]