Above: Luka Doncic during an All-Star game practice. Photo by Erik Drost on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-2.0)
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena on March 1, 2026, by 128-104. In their last 10 head-to-head matches, the Lakers have won 7, while the Kings have come out dominant only 3 times. If you look at the Western Conference table, the Kings are struggling at the last spot, while the Lakers are right in the top 7.
For Californians, the Kings-Lakers rivalry is always a delight to watch. Out of their 496 meetings, the Los Angeles Lakers have won 315 games. In contrast, the Sacramento Kings have won 181 games and have included their historical names: Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and Kansas City Kings.
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Over the last 10 games, the Lakers have won and lost 5 each, including a 3-game losing streak against the Celtics, Magic and Suns. After convincing victories against the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking in good touch and would love to continue their winning momentum.
On the other hand, there is no clear hope for the Sacramento Kings, as they have lost 8 of their last 10 games. Things could have been better if there were no injury challenges, such as the loss of power forward Domantas Sabonis. As a result, the Lakers dominated the game, while the Kings struggled to keep the ball.
What happened at the Lakers' home ground?
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The Lakers are in 6th place in the Western Conference standings with 36 wins, 24 losses, and a winning percentage (pct) of 0.600. On the other hand, the Kings are at the bottom with 14 wins, 48 losses, and a winning percentage (pct) of 0.226. The game was declared one-sided based on the statistics, but some fans hoped for a miracle that, unfortunately, did not come for the Kings.
The match started with a bang, and both teams ran smoothly on the court. The Kings started with a basket in the very first minute of the game, but as soon as the Lakers had the ball, things began to change. They had strong body language and moved like a cold breeze in the court. As the match progressed, the dominance of LeBron James, Dončić, Ayton, and Reaves changed the game.
By the beginning of the second quarter, the Lakers were 18 points ahead of the Kings. The second quarter was getting interesting as the Kings tried their best to fill the gaps, but their first-quarter deficit kept them from surpassing the mighty Lakers. As the first half ended, Lakers Luka Dončić had 15 points, 8 assists, and 2 rebounds, while Kings Russell Westbrook had 12 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds; the score was 64-49.
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Kings vs Lakers: Before the final whistle
The match was pretty much under the Lakers' control, and they were eying their second win in two days. Similarly, the Kings wanted to continue their winning run after defeating the Dallas Mavericks on February 26, 2026. However, it was Dončić's day, and nobody could tackle his form.
It would be unfair to give all the credit to Dončić, as impactful blocks by DeAndre Ayton and dunks by LeBron James also played critical roles in the Lakers' win. The third quarter is always a game-changer, and the Kings were trying their best to minimise the deficit and take the lead, but the Lakers continued their form. The third quarter ended at 96-76.
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With a 20-point trail, the Kings needed a miraculous recovery in the last 12 minutes of the game. Now, it was time for the misses, blocks, rebounds and goals. In the very first minute of the last quarter, Drew Eubanks committed a foul, which led to a free throw, and LeBron James took advantage by scoring two in two.
The Lakers led by 25 points, and the Kings were playing only for pride. As the match ended with 128-104, the camera showed LeBron James talking and hugging tennis star Novak Djokovic, celebrating their victory. While the Lakers dominated, key highlights for the Kings included Nique Clifford's 26 points, DeMar DeRozan's 8 assists, and Maxim Raynaud's 13 rebounds. For the Lakers, it was mostly Luka Dončić, along with Jake LaRavia's 7 rebounds.
