LeBron James and Lakers Outduel De'Aaron Fox and Kings

De'Aaron Fox had a big game, but LeBron James and the Lakers come away with the victory.

Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a shot attempt against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings struggles continued in a 99-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. De'Aaron Fox scored 31 points and dished out 7 assists, but LeBron James had 32 and 7 to lead the Lakers.

James was in attack mode from the start and made the Kings pay inside all night.

LeBron James in the paint tonight: 8-of-10 (80%)

Hard to stop him when he gets downhill, and Kings had no answer for it tonight.

— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) December 22, 2024

The Kings now fall to 13-16 on the season with their third straight loss and have an alarming 3-10 record in games decided by five points or fewer.

For a team that came into the season with two of the best clutch scorers in the NBA in Fox and DeMar DeRozan, that was supposed to be a strong suit for Sacramento. Instead, the struggles continue in the tight contests.

The Kings had a chance to win the game down the stretch, but after Anthony Davis missed two free throws, Rui Hachimura tipped the ball out to Austin Reaves for a second opportunity to seal the game. Reaves made both attempts and secured the game for the Lakers.

It was an unfortunate play, as the Kings did a much better job keeping the Lakers off the offensive glass. After Los Angeles had 14 offensive rebounds on Thursday, that number dropped to 9 tonight. But it being the key play down the stretch will be what sticks in people's minds tonight.

The Kings have a quick turnaround as the Indiana Pacers come to town for another matinee matchup tomorrow.

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