With a four-game winning streak and five wins in their last six games, the Los Angeles Lakers headed north for a Jan. 7 contest against the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings owned a 20-17 record and were already starting to look like a surprise team. Many had expected them to miss the playoffs, but they were surpassing those expectations thanks to a strong season from guard De’Aaron Fox and center Domantas Sabonis.
Buy Lakers TicketsLos Angeles came into the contest 18-21 and needing wins in the worst way in order to put itself into position to contend for a postseason spot.
With Anthony Davis out due to a right foot stress injury, much of the burden fell on LeBron James. After a slow start versus Sacramento, he responded well, and down the stretch, he kept the Lakers neck and neck with the home team.
James scored a big layup while getting fouled to tie the game with 48.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and he made the ensuing free throw to put his team ahead. The Lakers ended up edging the Kings, 136-134, behind 37 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from him.
Center Thomas Bryant helped with 29 big points on 12-of-14 shooting, while guard Dennis Schroder added 27 points. But it was ultimately James who drove L.A. past Sacramento for its fifth win in a row.
