LeBron’s fourth-quarter run reveals 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 superstar scored 16 points during the Lakers’ 21-0 fourth-quarter run, propelling Los Angeles to a thrilling 131-127 victory over Sacramento on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
In doing so, James not only demonstrated his undeniable value in his 22nd NBA season, but also made it clear that the Kings’ glaring weakness early this season is defense.
The Kings’ defensive scheme, which lacked physicality and tenacity last season, had no answers for James and company down the stretch, especially in transition after allowing turnovers.
“We were just trying to get stops, you know,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis told reporters Saturday. “LeBron was kind of LeBron. He went away.
“He did his thing and we got careless with the ball on the other side instead of scoring or taking good shots. We had a couple of turnovers that helped them get that run.”
Los Angeles won the rebounding duel 45-32 and offensively outscored Sacramento by eight rebounds. Sabonis, who finished the night with his first triple-double of the season, led the Kings with 12 rebounds, followed by guard De’Aaron Fox 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, leaving Fox in awe of the dominant longevity of the future Hall of Famers he He thinks it won’t be seen. again.
“I mean, kids his age are playing at recess,” Fox said. “Obviously what he’s done in this league throughout his entire career has been amazing. And what he’s doing right now, in year 22, will probably never be replicated.”
During the offseason, coach Mike Brown’s defensive structure, which rose to the No. 2 spot late last season, was questioned.
Already entering the preseason, Brown expressed concern with Sacramento’s 3-point defense, which was a major deficiency in the Kings’ season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On the other hand, general manager Monte McNair, who made an offensive commitment by signing DeMar Derozan, did not express concerns weeks previously about his decision not to improve the defense during the offseason, pointing to the Kings’ defensive strides last season as a replicable formula.
Both Brown and McNair managed to retain most of the roster behind Sacramento’s feared defense late last season. Maybe it’s just a matter of time before the tide turns.
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.