The Lakers Kings matchup in Sacramento on Wednesday night opens a seven-game Kings homestand, and it arrives with both teams coming off wins that looked nothing alike. Los Angeles has won consecutive home games behind Luka Doncic's scoring; Sacramento finally got its first victory of the season on the road.
Sacramento ends the wait in Dallas
The Kings became the last NBA team to win a game this season, beating the Dallas Mavericks 115-100 on Monday night on the final day of a four-game trip. They had entered that game 0-6, having been beaten by a total of 70 points in San Antonio, New Orleans and Memphis.
Malik Monk scored 24 points off the bench and Zach LaVine added 23, but the night belonged to rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who paced Sacramento with 25 points. Monk spent part of his postgame availability answering questions about the No. 7 pick in the June draft.
"Phenomenal player. Unlimited range. Unlimited confidence. That's what you need coming into the league. I told him: Don't change. He's gonna be here for a while."
Darius Acuff Jr. settles into a heavier role
Acuff's first four games were loud but narrow: 21.5 points on 34.4% shooting, with 2.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Over his past three games, including the Dallas win, he has averaged 32.3 points on 48.6% shooting while adding 5.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists.
Lakers Kings matchup: Doncic passing sets the tone
Doncic scored 45 points with 15 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors, then 42 points with 13 assists against the Miami Heat in consecutive home wins on Sunday and Monday. His season averages stand at 38.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.1 assists, and the Lakers are 6-2.
He credits the passing around him. Nine different Lakers recorded assists in a 26-assist team total against Toronto; against Miami, five players had four or more as the team ran up 39.
"We're sharing the ball really well. (The Heat) obviously put two (defenders) on me, so we just shared the ball -- 39 assists, which is not bad. I think everybody feels comfortable with that kind of offense."
Giannis Antetokounmpo, speaking to reporters, went further than the box score.
"He's one of the best scorers to ever play this game, if not the best. Not right now. Of all-time. I feel like some people are scared to say that. But it's got to be out there. He's also an elite passer."
Sacramento has not been kind to Doncic
Doncic has never won in Sacramento as a Laker. His only visit to the California capital with Los Angeles last January produced 42 points, but DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook -- neither of them still with the Kings -- combined for 54 in a 124-112 Sacramento win. Doncic has averaged 27.4 points across eight career games there.
Analysis: what decides Wednesday's game
Sacramento's first win came with three scorers working at once: Acuff creating, Monk off the bench, LaVine alongside. The question is whether that balance survives against a Lakers team whose 39-assist night against Miami came with Doncic drawing double teams.
If Sacramento forces Doncic to score alone, the Kings' chances improve. If the ball keeps moving the way it did against Toronto and Miami, the homestand opens on a difficult note for the home side.
The original report is from gmanetwork.com.
