SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Bogdan Bogdanovic made a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Sacramento Kings rallied from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Los Angeles 117-116 on Thursday night in the Lakers’ first game this season without LeBron James.
Bogdanovic finished with 23 points and De’Aaron Fox added 15 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Willie Cauley-Stein had 19 points and eight rebounds, while Iman Shumpert scored 18 points and matched his career high with six 3s.
James was held out with a groin injury, ending his consecutive games played streak at 156. The four-time MVP was injured during the Lakers’ 127-101 victory over two-time defending NBA champion Golden State on Christmas when he slipped while going for a loose ball.
Kyle Kuzma had 34 points to help make up for James’ absence, and Lonzo Ball added 20 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. But the Lakers struggled down the stretch and lost their fourth in six games.
Los Angeles led 104-89 with 6:44 remaining following a dunk by Tyson Chandler before Sacramento surged back.
Bogdanovic, who had 11 points through three quarters, sparked the comeback with 12 points in the fourth, including a pair of buckets from beyond the arc.
After Justin Jackson made three free throws to tie the score at 112, Kuzma made a 3-pointer with 41 seconds remaining. Fox followed with two free throws for Sacramento, and Kuzma made one of two for Los Angeles with 4.6 left.
Following a timeout, Bogdanovic got the ball outside the arc and launched a 27-footer over the 7-foot-1 Chandler for the game-winner.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Chandler had 11 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. . Los Angeles had seven turnovers in the first quarter but none in the second. . Kuzma scored 12 points in the second quarter.
Kings: Fox made a buzzer-beating jumper to end the third quarter. . Sacramento made its first six shots then missed nine of the next 12. . No. 2 draft pick Marvin Bagley III remains sidelined with a left knee bone bruise.
