Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers welcomed the Sacramento Kings, seeking their fourth consecutive victory following a sluggish start to the year.

Despite it being the second game of a back-to-back, LeBron James and Anthony Davis were able to suit up for the Lakers. However, their participation was inconsequential as the Kings cruised to a 125-110 victory. The Lakers’ defeat reduces their record to.500 at 6-6.

De’Aaron Fox converted an early three-point attempt to give the Kings an early advantage in this contest. Four consecutive goals were then scored by Domantas Sabonis, giving his team a 7-2 lead.

Early on, the Lakers failed to capitalize on several simple opportunities to score, but James made his first three-pointer of the evening. Sacramento, however, got off to a hot start with two 3-pointers from Harrison Barnes, which extended the lead to double digits at 21-11.

Although Darvin Ham called a timeout to reestablish the Lakers’ lead, it had no effect on the Kings, who extended their advantage further with three-pointers from Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, and Malik Monk.

Following a 20-point deficit, the Lakers played a spirited fourth quarter, highlighted by Taurean Prince’s buzzer-beating triple that reduced the deficit to 38-25 entering the second period.

Los Angeles then opened the second quarter with four consecutive scores, prompting the Kings to call a timeout with their lead reduced to single digits.

James connected with Rui Hachimura for a wing three-pointer as the Lakers extended their run beyond the timeout, and Fox closed it with a midrange basket. After that, Los Angeles continued to nibble away at the lead, with Cam Reddish stealing and converting a layup before James threw a dunk to reduce the deficit to six.

However, James was substituted into the bench, and the Kings went on a run, rendering the Lakers’ efforts futile as they trailed 72-59 at the half.

Analogous to the beginning of the contest, the Kings emerged in the third quarter and briefly outscored the Lakers to reestablish a comfortable 19-point advantage.

Notwithstanding James’ diligent endeavors, which resulted in an additional three-pointer and a chase-down block on Sabonis, the Lakers remained dormant offensively and offered no resistance on defense. Due to Davis’s lackluster performance on both ends, the Lakers fell behind 104-80 through three minutes.

Ham elected to reintroduce both James and Davis to the game at the start of the fourth quarter with the expectation that they would score the game-winning run, which they accomplished as the Lakers closed the gap to 11 points on a three-pointer by James.

In the wake of a crucial timeout called by the Kings, Kevin Huerter made two colossal baskets to prevent a downward spiral. However, the Lakers remained scorching from deep, and with three minutes remaining, Reddish drilled one from the corner to reduce the deficit to single digits.

However, that marked the closest the Lakers came, as they were unable to overcome the deficit and the Kings secured the victory with free throws.