It’s just a pre-season game, just to stretch your legs a bit. Not enough to sound the alarm. Nevertheless, the Los Angeles Lakers would no doubt have liked their first public outing since the catastrophic last season to be a little less … painful. The Lakers were largely beaten (105-75) by the Kings last night, for a small back-to-school derby between Californians.
Of course, LA stars, like LeBron James et Anthony Davis, only played a good quarter of an hour, which may explain the score. That said, LeBron was still not having a good night in terms of skill (0/7, 2 assists, 1 rebound) and it’s always comforting to know that the substitutes can do the job. They didn’t do it in this case… Los Angeles led by 5 points at the break, when Darvin Ham decided that the evening of its stars was over. Sacramento took advantage and the last two quarters were a slaughter (64-29).
In the radius of satisfactions, we must turn to the Kings and their rookie Keegan Murray. Coming off the bench, pick n°4 of the 2022 Draft stood out with great activity and efficiency: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist at 7/11, with the best differential in the game. match (+19) in 21 minutes of play.
Keegan Murray turns his steal into a slam!#NBAPreseason is live on NBA TV!
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???? https://t.co/rtPKXguWaF pic.twitter.com/HLzo78scEP— NBA (@NBA) October 4, 2022
Keegan Murray from DEEP! ????#NBAPreseason is live on NBA TV!
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???? https://t.co/rtPKXguWaF pic.twitter.com/p7BkP8lyts— NBA (@NBA) October 4, 2022
Patrick Beverley (8 pts) made his debut for the Lakers off the bench, Russell Westbrook (5 points, 3 assists in 15 minutes) being in the starting five with Kendrick Nunn, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Damian Jones.
Ben Simmons played basketball once more, the Brooklyn Big Three beaten by the Sixers