Final
Lakers, Kings meet in Pacific showdown
Dec 21, 2014 - 2:21 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Sacramento Kings will try to halt a five-game losing streak Sunday when they welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to Sleep Train Arena.This homestand has been a disaster for the Kings. They are 0-4 with losses to the Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks.
During this stretch, Sacramento fired head coach Mike Malone and replaced him with Tyrone Corbin. The former Utah Jazz coach is 0-2 since taking the helm and the most recent setback was crushing.
Not even the return of DeMarcus Cousins could help the Kings find the win column Thursday night against the Bucks.
Cousins, who returned from a 10-game absence due to viral meningitis, had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but his jumper was off the mark as the buzzer sounded. He finished with game highs of 27 points and 11 rebounds in just under 33 minutes in the Kings' fifth straight loss.
Sacramento went 2-8 in Cousins' absence.
"(Cousins) did a great job out there in trying to will us to a win," Corbin said.
Ben McLemore added 22 points, followed by 20 from Rudy Gay. Darren Collison chipped in 15 in the setback.
The Lakers have lost two straight following a three-game winning streak.
On Friday, LA fell at home to the Thunder, 104-103.
OKC was without Kevin Durant, who sprained his ankle in a Thursday loss to the Golden State Warriors. It didn't matter as Russell Westbrook carried the Thunder with 31 points.
Ed Davis paced the Lakers with 18 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Ronnie Price and Carlos Boozer chipped in with 14 points apiece.
Kobe Bryant finished with a season low-tying nine points on 3-for-15 shooting. He did add a team-high eight assists with eight rebounds.
"Obviously we fouled them way too many times," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "They got to the free throw line 29 times. Our margin of error is not big enough to do that to give up 29 free throws and give up 11 offensive rebounds."
The Lakers were down one and, out of a timeout, Bryant received the inbound pass, dribbled to the elbow and pump-faked to get OKC's Andre Roberson in the air, but Roberson stood tall and Bryant came up short on the potential-winning basket.
The Lakers defeated the Kings by three in Los Angeles on Dec. 9. The Lakers have won six of the last seven against Sacramento, but the Kings have taken four of six as the host in this series.
- LOS ANGELES: 101
SACRAMENTO: 108
Final
Dec 21 8:37 PM - LOS ANGELES: 80
SACRAMENTO: 81
End of 3rd
Dec 21 7:58 PM - LOS ANGELES: 60
SACRAMENTO: 52
Halftime
Dec 21 7:15 PM - LOS ANGELES: 23
SACRAMENTO: 26
End of 1st
Dec 21 6:35 PM - LOS ANGELES: 0
SACRAMENTO: 0
1st Quarter - 11:42
Dec 21 6:12 PM
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