Summary of the loss of Hapoel Tel Aviv 94:89 to Besiktas in the Eurocup quarterfinals/Sport1
The Lakers lost tonight (between Wednesday and Thursday) again to Sacramento, this time 120:107, which is really not surprising.
The Kings this season already have a record of 0:4 against the Lakers, Domantes Sabonis has a record of 0:10 against Anthony Davis in his career, and it seems that LeBron James' team has no ability to deal with the energy and shooting of the team from Sacramento.
The Kings rose to sixth place in the West, which guarantees a place in the playoffs, while the Lakers continue to struggle against Golden State for the 10-9 places that lead to the playoffs, when on the way to the playoffs you have to play a game against an opponent like Phoenix, or Dallas, or maybe... Sacramento.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers player against Sacramento/GettyImages, Ezra Shaw
Sabonis scored 17 points and added 19 rebounds and 10 assists to record his 23rd triple-double of the season (the most this season), Harrison Barnes hit 7 three-pointers on his way to 23 points, Deron Fox added 21, with all five players of the Kings scoring in double figures.
The Kings have won seven of their last eight games against the Lakers, including a season sweep, as mentioned.
Triple double for Sabonis?
"That's the norm for him," said Mike Brown, who knows the center put up those numbers against a powerful opponent like Anthony Davis.
"A beautiful game by him, against a very, very physical team," said Brown.
"He got beaten, punched, all these things, and he just stayed there."
Check suitability for treatment
Israeli development: a scientific solution to body acne with over 90% success
In collaboration with Rivka Zaida Laboratories
Domantes Sabonis vs. Anthony Davis, Lakers vs. Sacramento/GettyImages, Ezra Shaw
Lakers coach Darwin Hamm claims that his campers were not fit enough.
"You can't skip the small details," he said, "we had some players who didn't score well, who didn't get shots that usually go in. But in terms of basketball, you have to have the mentality of 'continue to the next move'."
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 28 points.
Davis added 22 points and 10 rebounds, and LeBron James had 18 points.
He was 6-for-16 from the field, but led the team in rebounds (13) and assists (9).
For him, the rebound in the attack was decisive: the Lakers allowed the Kings to take 9 rebounds in the attack, and win 4:16 in second chance points.
"When you stop an offensive team like that, and allow them to score on a second chance, it breaks you, after you put in an effort for 24 seconds in defense, and the ball bounces and reaches them and they score a three-pointer - that's what brought you down."
Davis agrees.
"We mustn't stand and look," Davis said of the long shots, which turn into long rebounds, "you have to put a body, do the work, take the ball."
This comes after Shaquille O'Neal claimed that today's NBA players are not as afraid of LeBron James as they were when Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan played, because opinions are divided about him.
O'Neal spoke with former Heat guard Mario Chalmers, who won two rings with James in Miami, on 'The Big Podcast.'
"I've heard players say, including myself, 'I was afraid of Michael Jordan.' I've heard players of your generation say they're afraid of Kobe," O'Neal said, "I've never really heard a player say he's afraid of LeBron."
According to Chalmers, one of the reasons is because LeBron wanted to be loved.
More on the same topic:
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James
Shaquille O'neill