Kings 95 - 98 Lakers
Final
  for this game

Lakers, Kings clash in Pacific showdown

Dec 9, 2014 - 3:17 PM

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(SportsNetwork.com) - The Sacramento Kings will step out of California's capital city briefly when they visit Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday at Staples Center.

The Kings, who are in the midst of playing 10 of 11 games at home, went 2-3 on a recent stay and handed the Utah Jazz a 101-92 setback Monday night. Rudy Gay scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-19 shooting, Darren Collison netted 16 points and rookie Nik Stauskas provided 15 and eight rebounds.

"It's about time something went in for me," Stauskas said. "It's good to have a smile on my face and enjoy playing basketball again."

The Kings made eight of their final 10 free throw attempts to seal the win.

Reggie Evans is filling in for DeMarcus Cousins at center and contributed six points and 13 rebounds. Cousins has missed six straight games with viral meningitis and his return status is unknown. Cousins leads the Kings in points (23.5) and rebounds (12.6).

Gay has scored 20 or more points five times in the last six games, and is picking up the scoring slack in Cousins' absence. Cousins has recorded a double-double in each of his past eight games played and Sacramento is 2-4 without him in the lineup.

The Kings, who are 5-5 as the visitor this season, have won just twice in the previous seven contests.

After visiting the Pacific Division-rival Lakers, the Kings will play another five-game homestand versus Houston, Detroit, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and the Lakers.

Los Angeles has lost three in a row and seven of the last nine games, including Sunday's 104-87 setback versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Bryant scored 14 points, Nick Young led the reserves with 13 and both Ed Davis and Carlos Boozer posted 12 points.

The Lakers shot 40 percent and made 5-of-19 3-pointers.

LA changed its starting lineup, benching Boozer in favor of Davis.

"I'm going to keep this lineup for a while," said Lakers head coach Byron Scott. "Carlos wasn't happy not starting. And I was happy he felt that way. It would have bothered me if he was happy."

Los Angeles is 2-9 at home and will start a three-game road trip Friday against San Antonio, Minnesota and Indiana.

In milestone news, Bryant is 63 points shy of passing Michael Jordan (32,292) for third on the all-time scoring list. Bryant is second in the NBA in scoring with 25.2 points per game.

Lakers guard Jeremy Lin (sore leg) is questionable Tuesday and is averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 assists.

Los Angeles went 3-1 against Sacramento last season and has won five of the last six meetings between the division foes. The Lakers are 16-5 in the last 21 games in this series .

Sacramento has lost five straight and 11 of its last 12 at the Lakers.






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