LeBron’s fourth-quarter run exposes Kings’ early-season weakness originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Leave it to LeBron James to expose the Kings’ biggest weakness two games into the 2024-25 NBA season.
The 39-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar scored 16 of the Lakers’ 21-point fourth quarter, propelling Los Angeles to a thrilling 131-127 victory over Sacramento on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
In doing so, James not only proved – once again – his undeniable value in his 22-year illustrious career, but also made it clear that the weakness of the Kings at the beginning of this season is defense.
The Kings’ defensive scheme, which didn’t lack any physicality or tenacity last season, had no answers for James and Co. late in the stretch, especially in transition after giving up turnovers.
“We were just trying to get stops, you know,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis told reporters on Saturday. “LeBron was kind of LeBron. He’s gone.
“He did his thing, and we were careless with the ball on the other end instead of scoring or taking good shots. We had some turnovers there that helped them make that run.”
Los Angeles won the rebounding duel 45-32 and offensively outrebounded Sacramento by eight rebounds. Sabonis, who finished the night with his first triple-double of the season, led the Kings with 12 rebounds, with guard De’Aaron Fox coming in second with five.
James finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, handing the Kings their first loss to the Lakers since Jan. 7, 2023, and leaving Fox in awe of the future Hall of Famer’s dominant longevity, which he believes it won’t be seen again
“I mean, guys his age play at the rec,” Fox said. “Obviously, what he’s done in this league throughout his career has been amazing. And what he’s doing now, still, in Year 22, will probably never be replicated.”
During the offseason, coach Mike Brown’s defensive structure, which ranked as high as No. 2 late last season, was questioned.
Late in the preseason, Brown expressed concerns with Sacramento’s 3-point defense, which was a major deficit in the Kings’ season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On the other hand, general manager Monte McNair, who gambled aggressively by signing DeMar Derozna, expressed no concerns weeks earlier on his decision not to upgrade the defense during the offseason, pointing to the Kings’ defensive strides last season as a repeatable formula.
Both Brown and McNair managed to keep most of the roster behind Sacramento’s feared defense late last season. It may only be a matter of time before the tides turn.
But so far that’s not the case for the winless Kings, who, as James pointed out, have a glaring defensive problem that requires immediate attention.
