Luka Doncic scores 42, but Lakers lose to hot-shooting Kings
Published January 13, 2026, 05:59 AM
Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives as Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa defends during the first half on Monday night in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers star Luka Doncic attempts a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa, second from left, blocks a shot by Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie looks on during the first half of a game against the Lakers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) goes up to shoot over Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook handles the ball as Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt defends during the first half on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James looks on during the first half of a game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes goes up to dunk as Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk defends during the first half on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
The Sacramento Kingsā DeMar DeRozan drives as Lakers center Deandre Ayton defends on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Luka Doncic goes for a layup against Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud (42) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers head coach JJ Redick calls a play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers forward LeBron James gets to the basket for a layup during the first half of a game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook goes up for a shot as the Lakersā Luka Doncic, left, and Deandre Ayton defend during the first half on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James, top right, goes up to shoot over Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) shoots over Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) gestures to the Lakers bench after a three point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) fouls Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) dribbles against Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) goes for a layup during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers star Luka Doncic drives as Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan defends during the first half on Monday night in Sacramento. Doncic scored 42 points, but the Lakers lost to the hot-shooting Kings, 124-112. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) is fouled by Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) while going for a layup during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
Lakers star LeBron James looks to drive as the Sacramento Kingsā Dylan Cardwell defends on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James reacts during their game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots over the Sacramento Kingsā Malik Monk, right, and Nique Clifford, left, on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kingsā Precious Achiuwa drives as Lakers forward LeBron James defends on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James gets to the basket for a shot past the Sacramento Kingsā DeMar DeRozan (10) on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk reacts after he scored during their game against the Lakers on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James gets to the basket for a layup in front of the Sacramento Kingsā Zach LaVine on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shoots as Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk defends on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts after scoring against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk reacts after he made a 3-point shot in front of Lakers star LeBron James during the fourth quarter on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kingsā Precious Achiuwa reacts after he made a shot during the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James wears a special patch, upper left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
A young fan waits to get an autograph from Lakers star Luka Doncic before their game against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Sacramento. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives as Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa defends during the first half on Monday night in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Justine Willard)
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SACRAMENTO ā Luka Doncic had another big night for the Lakers, but it wasnāt enough to keep them from a second straight loss against a hot-shooting opponent.
DeMar DeRozan had 32 points and six assists, while former Laker Malik Monk made seven 3-pointers and scored 26 points to help the Sacramento Kings hand the Lakers a 124-112 defeat on Monday night at the Golden 1 Center.
Former Laker Russell Westbrook added 22 points and seven assists for the Kings (10-30), who shot 17 for 26 from 3-point range to win their second straight after a seven-game skid.
Doncic paced the Lakers with 42 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, but he scored just two points in the fourth quarter and looked slower after having his left thigh wrapped at the end of the third quarter. Doncic said issue, which he was aware of going into the game, is somewhere in the inner thigh or groin area.
āYeah, I was really uncertain. Before the game, I felt something,ā said Doncic, who said he was unsure if he would play before the game. āBut tomorrow, weāll see how I wake up.ā
LeBron James had 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting but missed all five of his 3-point attempts on a night when the Lakers shot 8 for 36 from behind the arc.
āItās literally we canāt make a shot,āĀ Lakers coach JJ RedickĀ said.
The Kings were sizzling from everywhere, shooting 59% from the field.
āI think we played solid defense,ā James said. āI mean, they made a bunch of threes. We didnāt make many, but I thought we played. We had our game plan, we executed our game plan. Tonight was just one of those cases where we didnāt make shots.ā
DeRozan abused the Lakers from inside the arc, shooting 14 for 19 overall. Monk (7 for 9), Westbrook (4 for 8) and Zach LaVine (3 for 4) did the bulk of the Kingsā damage from 3-point range.
The Lakers trailed the entire second half ā by as much as 20 points in the third quarter ā but closed within 102-95 early in the fourth before a 3-pointer by Monk helped the Kings pull away.
āWe faced a hot-shooting team tonight,ā Redick said.
DeAndre Ayton scored 13 points and Jaxson Hayes added 12 points for the Lakers (23-11), who were playing the first game of a stretch of three in four nights and five in a seven-day stretch.
The Lakers got the early edge, but they couldnāt contain an energized Sacramento team that never trailed over the final 38 minutes while beating the Lakers for the first time in three games this season.
The Kings rallied from eight points down in the first quarter to lead 57-41 late in the second after Monkās fifth 3-pointer of the game.
James and Doncic ā who had his seventh 40-point game of the season ā kept the Lakers close, combining for 38 of the Lakersā 54 points in the first half.
The Kings began the third quarter with a 19-6 run and opened their 20-point lead on their way to the win.
Rui Hachimura is expected to make his return from right calf soreness in Tuesdayās home game against the Atlanta Hawks. He was available to play Monday, but he sat out his seventh consecutive game, with Redick saying he is on a minutes restriction and would only be available for one of the two back-to-back games.
Whether James plays on the second night of a back-to-back set will be determined.
It was the Kingsā first home win against the Lakers since March 13, 2024.
James wore a patch on his jersey commemorating his historic 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represent the three franchises he has played for ā the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
He will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey, dated and shipped to a Toppsā production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.
The Lakers host Atlanta on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
“Literally, we can’t make a shot⦠this has been the theme.”
JJ Redick talks with the media after the Lakers drop their 3rd straight game, losing 124-112 in Sacramento. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/Rvh8t2m3sY
ā Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 13, 2026
Luka DonÄiÄ (42 PTS, 7 REB, 8 AST, 4 STL) speaks to the media after the Lakers suffer their third straight defeat, losing to the Kings 124-112. #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/rb4sTCHMuO
ā Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 13, 2026
“Tonight was one of those cases where we didn’t make shots.” #LakeShow
LeBron James (22 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, STL) talks with the media after the Lakers fall in Sacramento 124-112 for their 3rd straight loss. Get closer to the action with Spectrum SportsNet+. :⦠pic.twitter.com/KOjlPMMApg
ā Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 13, 2026