Sacramento Kings Implode in 4th Quarter, Complete 0-4 Homestand With Loss To Los Angeles Lakers
By Phil Watson
Dec 6, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Jodie Meeks (20) drives in against Sacramento Kings shooting guard Marcus Thornton (23) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Ben McLemore hit a 3-pointer with 1:11 left in the third quarter to give the Sacramento Kings an 87-77 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers.
It all went downhill from there.
The Lakers stormed back with an 11-0 run and the Kings went just 4-for-17 from the floor and committed seven turnovers in the fourth quarter of a 106-100 loss at Sleep Train Arena Friday night that completed a disappointing 0-4 homestand for the Kings.
The Kings have lost six straight overall.
The first three games of the homestand—an overtime loss to the Clippers last Friday, a two-point loss to Golden State on Sunday and a two-point loss to the Thunder on Tuesday—were games where Sacramento executed well down the stretch but couldn’t quite finish.
The only execution down the stretch in the fourth quarter was by the Kings on themselves.
Sacramento (4-13) did get the ship righted, taking a 97-93 lead on a pair of DeMarcus Cousins free throws with 3:35 left.
The Kings remaining possessions: shot-clock violation, Derrick Williams missing a wild reverse layup, Cousins missing a 19-footer, Cousins turnover, McLemore turnover, Cousins turnover, Greivis Vasquez missed 3-pointer.
McLemore did hit a 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds left, but that was after the Lakers had completed a 13-0 run to take a nine-point lead.
Cousins scored 20 points and had 11 rebounds before fouling out in the closing seconds, but was just 6-for-17 from the floor. McLemore also scored 20—a new career high—and was 4-of-7 from deep. Isaiah Thomas finished with 14 points, nine assists and four steals and John Salmons had 13 points for Sacramento.
Pau Gasol and Meeks scored 19 points each to lead the Lakers. Nick Young had 14, Wesley Johnson and Steve Blake scored 13 apiece, with Johnson adding five steals and Blake dishing out 10 assists and Robert Sacre scored 11 points and blocked two shots in just 17 minutes. Jordan Hill led the Lakers with nine rebounds and also had a pair of blocks.
The Lakers improved to 10-9 with the win and will get Kobe Bryant back when they host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.
The Kings outscored Los Angeles 48-36 in the paint and had 20 fast-break points to just 10 for the Lakers, while outrebounding L.A. 51-36.
But, oh, that fourth quarter. The Kings were outscored 25-13 in the period as the Lakers were 9-for-21 from the floor and had more steals (five) than the Kings had baskets (four).
Seven of Sacramento’s 17 turnovers came in the fourth. It was almost painful to watch the win just disappear so dramatically.
The Kings have little time to recover from this one. They play the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City Saturday night at 6 p.m. Pacific. Utah (4-17) will be returning home from a 130-98 beat-down at Portland on Friday night.