On Sunday night, the Sacramento Kings had a golden opportunity to build on their momentum after winning their first game of the new season on Friday against the Utah Jazz. They were facing a shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers team missing both Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and the Kings were playing at home.
However, Austin Reaves delivered a stunning performance, exploding for 51 points as the Lakers outgunned the Kings 127-120. Reaves will undoubtedly receive most of the praise for carrying the Lakers to victory, showcasing superstar-level play throughout the night.
But Kings fans shouldn’t overlook another significant factor: the Lakers’ free-throw advantage. Los Angeles attempted 46 free throws compared to Sacramento’s 18, creating a huge disparity that was always going to be tough for the Kings to overcome.
Even Kings star DeMar DeRozan expressed disbelief at the number of free throws the Lakers received. “46 free throws to our 18? We had to beg for most of those. It’s deflating, especially when we go out there and play hard and try to compete,” DeRozan said. “It seemed like we were getting called for fouls, but on the other end, when we try to be aggressive, none of that goes our way. 46 free throws is crazy. It’s crazy.”
Reaves capitalized on this advantage, scoring 21 of his 51 points from the charity stripe on 22 attempts. The Lakers guard has an exceptional ability to draw fouls and made the Kings pay for some of their misplaced aggression on defense.
Historically, the Lakers have enjoyed a built-in advantage at the foul line, largely thanks to having stars like LeBron James or Luka Doncic on their roster. However, the Kings learned the hard way that even without those superstars, a player like Reaves can have a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-esque night at the free-throw line and capitalize on the opportunity.
### Kings’ Defense Needs Improvement
The Kings’ defense clearly has plenty of room for growth. In each of their first three games this season, their opponents have attempted more free throws than they have. The team’s tendency to be too handsy on defense is proving costly, and addressing this issue will be vital if the Kings want to compete at a higher level moving forward.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-news-demar-derozan-calls-out-lakers-crazy-free-throw-advantage
