Coming off a come-from-behind win on Thursday over the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers headed north to take on the Sacramento Kings on Sunday hoping to get their second victory of the season.
Early on, the Lakers mounted little resistance defensively to a Kings team that averaged over 120 points a game last season. They gave up 41 points in the first quarter as Sacramento went 7-of-13 from 3-point range. Los Angeles was able to come to within four late in the second quarter behind an Anthony Davis-fueled run, only to give up seven straight points right before halftime.
The team chipped away at its deficit and made it a back-and-forth affair down the stretch. Clutch buckets by Anthony Davis and LeBron James in the final 30 seconds forced overtime, but once there, the Lakers lost because they couldn’t defend the 3-point line or get rebounds.
The 132-127 defeat dropped L.A. to a 1-2 record. The team had the edge in several effort categories, including rebounds, fast-break points, free throw attempts and free throw makes, but it got outscored in the paint 56-44. It will be back at it on Monday when it returns home to host the Orlando Magic.