Doug Christie has spent the preseason trying to sort through combinations, but the Kings are still waiting to see what their best groups actually look like. Two games in, that picture remains cloudy because several key pieces have yet to take the floor together.
Sacramento dropped another preseason game Thursday, falling 114-110 to the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena as Luka Doncic led the way with 23 points in front of 18,350 fans. The Kings are now 0-2, while Los Angeles moved to 2-1.
The Kings once again held out Ben Simmons, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk after keeping them out of Monday’s 127-103 loss to the Lakers at Golden 1 Center. Domantas Sabonis also sat this time after logging only 10 minutes in the opener.
Even with the absences, Sacramento had some bright spots. Precious Achiuwa scored 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, and Maxime Raynaud posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Daeqwon Plowden added 15 off the bench, Jonathan Mogbo finished with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. chipped in 12 points despite a rough 4-of-15 night from the field. Zach LaVine added 11 points, four assists and four steals.
Los Angeles got balanced production behind Doncic. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 19 points, and Jake LaRavia finished with 17.
Sacramento actually opened with some fight. After Acuff went 1 of 6 to start the game, the Kings still led midway through the first quarter while holding the Lakers to 3-of-12 shooting over the first 5:09. But Los Angeles settled in quickly, hitting six of its next eight shots to grab a 21-20 edge after one.
The second quarter tilted the game. The Lakers outscored the Kings 36-23 to build a 57-43 halftime lead, shooting 52.6% in the opening half while Sacramento managed just 37.5%. Doncic had 17 points by intermission, going 5 of 10 from the field, 2 of 6 from 3-point range and 5 of 5 at the line.
Sacramento kept hanging around after the break. The Kings trimmed the margin to eight midway through the third quarter, then got within five on a basket by Leaky Black with 2:20 left in the period. Still, the Lakers carried an 86-70 lead into the fourth.
Los Angeles pushed the advantage to as many as 19 early in the final quarter, but Sacramento made one last charge. A 14-0 run cut the deficit to five with 2:50 remaining, and Mogbo’s alley-oop dunk brought the Kings within four with 2:00 left. That was as close as they would get.
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 🡒]