The Los Angeles Lakers decided to give their key players a break in their last preseason game before the regular season starts. The Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Monday night, but without LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish.
Lakers Coach Darvin Ham Explains His Decision
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said that he wanted to rest his stars and give some opportunities to the other players on the roster. He said that he was not concerned about the outcome of the game, but rather the health and readiness of his team for the upcoming season.
“We have a long season ahead of us, and we want to make sure that our guys are fresh and healthy for the games that matter,” Ham said. “We also want to see what some of our young players and new additions can do in a game situation. We have a deep and talented team, and we need to find the best combinations and rotations for our system.”
Ham also said that he was impressed by some of the performances from his bench players, especially point guard D’Angelo Russell, who had 18 points and 10 assists in 28 minutes. Russell is competing with Gabe Vincent for the starting point guard spot, and Ham said that he liked what he saw from both of them.
“D’Angelo is a proven scorer and playmaker in this league, and he showed that tonight. He was aggressive and confident, and he made some good decisions with the ball,” Ham said. “Gabe is a great defender and shooter, and he also did a good job of running the offense and setting up his teammates. They both bring different skills to the table, and we will evaluate them based on their fit with our system and our stars.”
Kings Take Advantage of Lakers’ Absence
The Kings, on the other hand, played with their full roster, including All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. The Kings took advantage of the Lakers’ absence and dominated the game from start to finish. They led by as many as 25 points in the third quarter, and never let the Lakers get closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Fox led the Kings with 26 points, eight assists and four steals, while Sabonis added 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. The Kings also got contributions from Buddy Hield (17 points), Tyrese Haliburton (16 points) and Marvin Bagley III (15 points).
The Kings improved their preseason record to 3-2, while the Lakers dropped to 1-4. The Kings will open their regular season on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at home, while the Lakers will face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Staples Center.
Lakers Fans React to Preseason Finale
The Lakers fans who attended the game at the Honda Center were disappointed by the lack of star power on display. Many of them booed when the starting lineups were announced, and some of them left early in the second half.
However, some of them understood the rationale behind Ham’s decision, and hoped that it would pay off in the long run.
“I came here to see LeBron and AD, but I guess they need to rest for the real games,” said Kevin Lee, a Lakers fan from Los Angeles. “I hope they will be ready for the Suns on Tuesday, because they are a tough team to beat.”
“I think it’s smart to rest our stars in a meaningless game,” said Lisa Chen, another Lakers fan from Anaheim. “We don’t want them to get injured or tired before the season starts. We have high expectations for this team, and we want them to win another championship.”
