Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Marcus Thornton scored 19 points to lead five
Sacramento players in double figures as the Kings kept the Los Angeles Lakers
winless during this preseason with a 103-98 victory at the Thomas and Mack
Center.
Thornton knocked down 7-of-11 field goal attempts for Sacramento, which
received 18 points and 10 rebounds from DeMarcus Cousins. Jimmer Fredette and
Tyreke Evans each contributed 14 points off the bench, while James Johnson
finished with 12 points to help the Kings move to 3-1 thus far on their
exhibition slate.
Kobe Bryant poured in 22 points in 29 minutes, but it wasn't enough to prevent
the Lakers from falling to 0-5 in preseason play. Pau Gasol and Devin Ebanks
each netted 20 points in a losing cause.
The Kings trailed 43-42 late in the first half before Cousins sparked a 9-0
run with six points. Ebanks would halt the surge with a basket from beyond the
arc with 1.6 seconds in the second quarter, cutting Sacramento's lead to
50-46.
Los Angeles would pull to within 81-79 on Robert Sacre's layup with 9:52 left,
but Fredette sank a pair of 3-pointers during a 12-6 stretch that gave the
Kings an eight-point advantage with four minutes remaining.
The teams will square off again Sunday at the Staples Center.
GAME NOTES:
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