With De’Aaron Fox back in the fold, the Sacramento Kings visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, looking to solve what has ailed them on the road in the early part of the season.
Fox returned from a five-game absence Monday to score 28 points with six assists in 36 minutes of a 132-120 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. But outside of its own building, Sacramento is just 1-3 and on a three-game road losing streak.
The last time Fox took the court before Monday, it was in a 132-127 overtime victory over the Lakers at home on Oct. 29. Fox sprained his right ankle in that game but looked as spry as ever in his most recent game.
“It felt good just to be able to go out there and contribute,” Fox said. “When you’re hurt and you’re not playing, you’re just watching, I don’t want to say you’re helpless, but you just want to be out there to help your team.”
Fox helped head coach Mike Brown to his 400th career victory, but he had plenty of help. Keegan Murray added 25 points and Domantas Sabonis had 23 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists.
It was Brown’s 53rd victory in two seasons as Kings head coach. He had 42 victories in parts of two seasons as a head coach with the Lakers, in a brief era that ended early in the 2012-13 season. In two separate stints with the Cavaliers, he had 305 victories and one trip to the NBA Finals (2007).
“You feel all of the emotions: Fortunate, blessed, lucky,” Brown said. “… You feel blessed, fortunate, lucky to be around quality people (with the Kings), and people that obviously play at a high level, perform at a high level … and are good people too.”
From his days with the Cavaliers, Brown is extremely familiar with Lakers star LeBron James, who returned from a one-game absence because of a left calf contusion to score 16 points in 23 minutes Tuesday.
The Lakers’ 134-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies increased their winning streak to three games and was the start of a stretch where Los Angeles will play six games in nine days.
D’Angelo Russell led the Lakers with 24 points while going 6 of 8 from 3-point range. Los Angeles made 22 3-pointers to tie a franchise record while shooting 62.9 percent (22 of 35) from distance. According to ESPN, it is the highest percentage from 3-point range in NBA history (minimum 35 attempts).
Anthony Davis scored 19 points with 11 rebounds for the Lakers on Tuesday and looked fully recovered from a groin injury that forced him to miss a game last week against the Houston Rockets. Davis and James were able to watch from the bench in the fourth quarter.
“It was an all-around dominant performance,” Davis said after the game. “I think this was the first game we played a complete game, 48 minutes, on both ends of the floor. … We didn’t want to come out (slow) and have to fight back knowing we have another one (Wednesday).”
The Lakers have looked rejuvenated since a fourth-quarter rally Friday that led to a road victory over the Phoenix Suns. Victories over Portland and Memphis followed, although a step up in class is ahead against Sacramento.
Davis matched a season high with 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the loss to the Kings last month.
–Field Level Media
