Kings: De’Aaron Fox scores 34 in triple-overtime win over Los Angeles Lakers
The Kings were missing two starters when the game began and lost another along the way, but they still found a way to win late Friday night in Los Angeles, outlasting the NBA’s most star-studded team in triple overtime.
De’Aaron Fox had 34 points, eight assists and six rebounds, leading the Kings to a 141-137 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Sacramento trailed by 13 early in the fourth quarter, but Fox got three big baskets over the final 5:12 of regulation, including a driving layup with 21.7 seconds remaining to force overtime.
“We’ve got a resilient group,” interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry said. “This is the way we kind of started the season in training camp. They just fought and found a way to win the game.”
The Rochester Royals and Indianapolis Olympians played a record six overtimes on Jan. 6, 1951. The Kings hadn’t played a triple-overtime game since beating the Golden State Warriors 135-133 on Jan. 14, 2009.
Buddy Hield came off the bench to score 25 points for the Kings (8-12), who have won back-to-back games after going 1-8 during a stretch that caused former coach Luke Walton to lose his job.
LeBron James had 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers (10-11). Russell Westbrook had a triple-double with 29 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Anthony Davis had 23 points and eight rebounds with four assists, four blocks and three steals.
Gentry went deep into his bench with Richaun Holmes (illness) and Harrison Barnes (foot) out of the lineup. Maurice Harkless left the game in the second quarter and did not return due to left knee soreness.
Gentry played 11 players and got important contributions from most of them. Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points, nine assists, six rebounds and five steals. Marvin Bagley III had 13 points, seven rebounds and a career-high tying four assists. Tristan Thompson and Terence Davis also had 13 points. Alex Len had 12 points and eight rebounds, helping the Kings finish with a 56-51 rebounding advantage.
“Everybody’s making plays,” Haliburton said. “Guys are stepping up.”
Pregame report
Lakers star LeBron James is considered questionable for Friday night’s game against the Kings, but Sacramento has a couple of question marks in its starting lineup as well.
Kings center Richaun Holmes and forward Harrison Barnes were both listed as questionable on the team’s injury report Thursday. Holmes has a right eye contusion that caused him to miss Wednesday’s 125-121 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Barnes left that game at the end of the third quarter and did not return after suffering a right foot sprain.
Interim coach Alvin Gentry said X-rays on Barnes were negative and the team’s medical staff was “pretty optimistic that everything’s going to be fine.” Barnes is averaging 19.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. Holmes is averaging 14.4 points and 9.8 rebounds.
The Lakers listed James as questionable due to an abdominal strain, the same injury that caused him to miss eight games earlier this month. Los Angeles went 3-5 in his absence.
James made his return against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 19. He was suspended for one game following an altercation in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, but the four-time MVP came back to score 39 points in an overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Injury updates
Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James and co-star Anthony Davis, who missed Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers due to flu-like symptoms, are both expected to play against the Kings.
The news wasn’t as encouraging for the Kings, who will be extremely shorthanded after Barnes and Holmes were both ruled out on the afternoon injury report.
Gentry started Alex Len in place of Holmes in Wednesday’s game against the Blazers. Gentry will have to come up with other contingencies with Barnes out of the lineup as well. With a lack of depth on the wing, Gentry might have to go big with Maurice Harkless at the small forward spot, Marvin Bagley III, Chimezie Metu or Tristan Thompson at power forward and Len at center. Gentry could also go small with a three-guard lineup if he wants to leave Harkless at power forward.
Howard sounds off
Lakers center Dwight Howard spoke out about his omission from the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in a conversation with The Athletic’s Fred Katz, calling the snub “very disrespectful.”
“You hear people say, ‘He was only dominant for a couple of years,’” Howard told The Athletic. “I didn’t know eight years of being an All-Star, being dominant for eight years, was a couple of years. I didn’t know winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards in a row, and it should’ve been four, is something that is considered not good. There’s guys who don’t have those many accolades. I’m the (youngest) player that’s (reached) 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 all the way up to 9,000 rebounds. That doesn’t add up. So, where is the miscommunication? Where is the lie with my stats?”
LeBron fined $15,000
The NBA announced James has been fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture with 1:17 remaining in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Pacers. The NBA also said James has been warned for using profane language during media availability in response to league-imposed discipline.
Lineup change
During his pregame news conference, Gentry said Barnes is considered day-to-day with the foot injury and Holmes, contrary to what the injury report says, is dealing with a non-COVID-19-related illness.
Gentry was asked if he would share his plans for the starting lineup with Barnes and Holmes out.
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter to me. Peja (Stojakovic) and Chris Webber’s not going to walk through the door, so we’ll start Mezie (Metu) in that (forward) spot … and then we’ll start Alex at the center spot.”
The lineup should look like this:
PG — De’Aaron Fox
SG — Tyrese Haliburton
SF — Maurice Harkless
PF — Chimezie Metu
C — Alex Len
Halftime report
There was good news and bad news for the Kings, who went into the halftime break with the score tied at 43.
The Kings were on pace to take over 100 shots — something Gentry has mentioned as part of his plan to push the pace — but they were 18 of 52 (.353) from the field. On a brighter note, Sacramento had a 31-24 rebounding advantage, another area the Kings have emphasized.
Unfortunately for the Kings, their injury woes only worsened at the half. The team announced Harkless would not return to the game due to left knee soreness.
Gentry has already gone deep into his bench in this game, calling on 11 different players in the first half with strong contributions from Tristan Thompson, Terence Davis and Buddy Hield.
Ja Morant injured
The Kings will get their first look at the Memphis Grizzlies when they conclude this brief road trip Sunday, but they probably won’t be seeing Ja Morant.
The 22-year-old point guard left Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with an injury to his left leg. Preliminary results of an MRI showed Morant suffered a left knee sprain. There was no official timeline for his return, but he is highly unlikely to play against the Kings on Sunday.
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Lakers
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Staples Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK
Odds: Lakers -8
Over/under: 229.5
Injury report
Kings: OUT — Harrison Barnes (foot); Richaun Holmes (eye); Neemias Queta (G League); Robert Woodard II (G League).
Lakers: QUESTIONABLE — LeBron James (abdominal strain); Austin Reaves (hamstring). OUT — Trevor Ariza (ankle); Chaundee Brown Jr (G League); Kendrick Nunn (knee)..
Note: Check back for updates with the latest news, notes, quotes and injury updates before, during and after tonight’s game between the Kings and Lakers.
This story was originally published November 26, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
