Kings Hand Lakers 35th Loss

The Los Angeles Lakers fell behind early and never managed to take a lead against Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 112-93 behind impressive double-doubles from Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins.

The Lakers got off a slow start, which is more common than not this season, and trailed by 10 points after the first 12 minutes. Two minutes in the second quarter, the visitors led by 14 points, but Kobe Bryant rejoined the action to spur the Lakers on a first half rally. The 37-year-old aggressively looked for shots and scored 11 points in the second quarter on his own.

By halftime, the Lakers had trimmed the Kings' advantage to only five points.

In the third quarter, the Kings would come out and tighten their grip on the contest. Cousins would notch his double-double early in the third quarter, as the Kings opened up a 15-point lead in the quarter. Cousins would finish with 36 points and 16 rebounds in a dominant performance.

Led by the reserve tandem of D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Bass, the Lakers managed to draw within four points in the fourth quarter. Russell would finish with 14 points and five assists, while Bass put up 18 points and seven rebounds. However, Cousins and the Kings would immediately put together a 9-0 run that erased all the ground the Lakers had rained and then some.

At one stage, the Kings led by 20 points, and Rondo had a great deal to do with the Kings' dominance. The point guard out of Kentucky tabbed 17 assists and 11 points in the victory. Rudy Gay added 16 points for the visitors, who finished with five players scoring in double-figures.

With the defeat, the Lakers dropped to 9-35 on the season. Next, the Lakers host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, which happens to be the 10th anniversary of Bryant's 81-point game.

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Notes: The Lakers made nine dunks, so the Lakers Youth Foundation donated $9,000 to Make-A-Wish of Greater Los Angeles. Bass led the team in scoring and recorded a season high.

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