Malik Monk made seven 3-pointers and scored 26 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 124-112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
DeMar DeRozan added 32 points and six assists for the Kings (10-30), who won their second straight game after a seven-game losing streak, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Russell Westbrook contributed 22 points and seven assists for the Lakers.
The win marked Sacramento’s first home victory against Los Angeles since March 13, 2024.
Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 42 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, recording his seventh 40-point game of the season as the NBA’s leading scorer. LeBron James scored 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.
DeAndre Ayton added 13 points to reach 7,000 career points, while Jaxson Hayes chipped in 12 points for the Lakers (23-11), who have now lost two straight following a three-game winning streak.
Los Angeles jumped out to an early lead but could not contain a determined Sacramento team, which remained ahead for the final 38 minutes. The Kings also defeated the Lakers for the first time in three meetings this season.
Sacramento erased an early eight-point deficit in the first quarter, taking a 57-41 lead late in the second after Monk made his fifth 3-pointer of the game. James and Doncic combined for 38 of Los Angeles’ 54 first-half points, keeping the game competitive.
The Kings opened the third quarter with a 19-6 run, building a 20-point lead en route to the decisive win. The Lakers briefly closed to 102-95 early in the fourth quarter, but a 3-pointer by Monk helped Sacramento pull away.
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