Lakers defeated by Kings: historic 3-point differential
Jan 12, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) dribbles the ball next to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the fourth quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered another frustrating defeat Monday night in Sacramento, falling 124-112 to the Kings in a game that perfectly illustrates their recurring problems. Despite an exceptional performance from Luka Doncic (42 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds), the Lakers failed to contain a Sacramento team struggling this season (9-30).
Historic inefficiency meets record shooting
The contrast between the two teams from beyond the arc was striking. The Lakers shot just 22% from 3-point range (8/36), while the Kings posted an impressive 17/26 (65.4%). According to ESPN, this percentage represents the worst defensive rate in Lakers history on at least 25 opponent 3-point attempts.
« I think we played solid defense, » LeBron James said after the game. « They made a bunch of threes. We didn’t make many… Tonight was just one of those nights where we didn’t knock down our shots. »
Head coach JJ Redick didn’t mince words in the press conference: « We had 50 potential assists tonight, we only converted 21. That’s the recurring theme. It’s been the theme all season. So we have to keep shooting, I guess. »
Mounting structural problems
This loss marks the third straight for the Lakers and the seventh in their last eleven games, dropping them to 23-14 in fifth place in the Western Conference. The California team is now tied with Toronto as the league’s worst 3-point shooting team at 33.8%.
DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 32 points on excellent 14/19 shooting, while former Lakers Malik Monk (26 points, 7/9 from three) and Russell Westbrook (22 points, 4/8 from three) particularly hurt their former team.
LeBron James finished with 22 points but missed all five of his 3-point attempts, symbolizing his team’s offensive struggles. Injuries to Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura also complicate Redick’s rotation, as he must work with a depleted roster during this crucial period of the season.
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