Credits: USA TODAY Sports
In their latest fixture, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a 107-120 loss against the Sacramento Kings. With the loss, the Lakers were swept 0-4 by the Kings in the season series. Reacting to the brutal loss, Undisputed host Skip Bayless looked disappointed with the underwhelming output from the LA ball club, during a recent edition of the FS1 show. He lamented the lack of intent from the Lakers players, except for Austin Reaves, and pointed out that if not for Reaves, the team would have been “blown out in the first half itself“.
After that, he highlighted the Lakers’ five turnovers during the second half in less than six minutes of action. These turnovers helped the Kings open a 10-2 run that turned the tide in their favor. Subsequently, the analyst also pointed out how LeBron James had three big turnovers in the third quarter. These turnovers by King James baffled the Undisputed host.
While playing the clip of the third turnover, Bayless showcased his astonishment at the All-Time Scoring Leader who looked out-of-sorts. “This is the third LeBron turnover that led to a 14-point lead. And I am saying when this happened, this is LeBron Bleeping James!” Bayless told his co-hosts.
Earlier in the segment, the Undisputed Host had also noted how the Kings haven’t exactly been an elite team this season. Moreover, they were playing the second game of a back-to-back at Golden 1 Center yesterday. Bayless looked at their recent track record, which included losses to struggling teams like the Bulls and the Rockets, and a close two-point win against a Wemby-less Spurs. For him, the Kings bring out their top game only against the Lakers.
There’s no denying that the veteran TV host is right about the Kings’ domination over the Lakeshow.
Sacramento Kings have owned the Los Angeles Lakers in the Regular Season
For the season, the Lakers were unable to circle even a single win against their Californian rivals. The Kings won three out of the four games with a double-digit margin, per ESPN, as their lead guard De’Aaron Fox feasted on the Lakers’ perimeter defense. Apart from Fox, Sabonis’ all-around domination over the squad has also been a huge difference-maker.
As a result, LBJ and Co. gave up 120 points or more in each game which also sums up their defense since the In-Season tournament concluded. Their constant lapses have frustrated fans and experts alike for multiple months.
With this loss, the Lakers slipped to 31 losses against 36 wins. They are ninth in the Western Conference and after losing 6 out of their last 10 games, they have done a huge disservice to nabbing a top-six automatic Playoffs qualification. They are likely to end up in the Play-in tournament, where they weaved a miracle last season. However, such miracles may dry up this year considering the top-heavy nature of the West.
