LeBron James sparks Lakers' rally to overtake Kings

[January 05, 2022] LeBron James and Malik Monk combined for 55 points, including five 3-pointers in a fourth-quarter rally that allowed the host Los Angeles Lakers to overtake the Sacramento Kings 122-114 on Tuesday night.

James finished with a game-high 31 points and Monk had 24 as the Lakers won a third straight to open a five-game homestand.

De'Aaron Fox scored a team-high 30 points and Buddy Hield tallied 26 for the Kings, who lost for just the second time in their last five games.

The Lakers trailed 96-89 with 8:11 remaining before riding 14 points from James and 11 from Monk in a 33-18 finish. James hit a pair of 3-pointers and Monk three as part of the flurry.

After James and Hield had split four consecutive lead-changing 3-pointers, Monk and Tyrese Haliburton exchanged two-point hoops. Monk gave the Lakers the lead for good, 112-110, with a 3-pointer with 2:50 to go.

James then added a pair of baskets to increase the lead to six with 52.5 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles held on from there.

Monk wound up 6-for-11 on 3-pointers for the Lakers, who won despite getting outshot 51.8 percent to 49.5 percent overall and 41-34 on threes.

Talen Horton-Tucker and Russell Westbrook added 19 points apiece for the Lakers, while Dwight Howard put up a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) reacts against the Sacramento Kings in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Hield made seven 3-pointers in 13 attempts to account for a majority of his 26 points.

Harrison Barnes scored 14 points and Damian Jones 11 for the Kings. Marvin Bagley III led Sacramento with 12 rebounds, while Haliburton amassed a game-high nine assists to complement seven points.

Playing their ninth consecutive game without Anthony Davis (sprained knee), the Lakers led 89-85 on Carmelo Anthony's hoop in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The Kings then made a run. Haliburton hit a 3-pointer and Davion Mitchell scored twice from the interior in an 11-0 spurt that allowed Sacramento to equal either team's largest lead of the game, 96-89, with 8:11 remaining.

--Field Level Media

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.  This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.]