Austin Reaves exploded for a career-high 51 points, Deandre Ayton complemented 22 points with a game-high 15 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers, playing without injured stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James, downed the host Sacramento Kings 127-120 on Sunday night.
Taking the leading role after Doncic was a late scratch due to finger and lower-leg injuries, Reaves surpassed his previous NBA best of 45 points set last February against the Indiana Pacers.
He also found time for 11 rebounds and nine assists, missing what could have been his fourth career triple-double by a single assist.
Reaves drilled six 3-pointers, including three during a fourth-quarter run that allowed the Lakers to flip a four-point deficit into an 11-point lead.
Seeking a second straight win after a season-opening loss to Golden State, the Lakers trailed 101-97 after a Domantas Sabonis 3-pointer with 9:50 remaining before scoring 20 of the game’s next 25 points to extend into a 117-106 advantage at the 4:18 mark.
Reaves triggered the uprising with consecutive 3-pointers, then added a third following an Ayton hoop to complete an 11-0 burst that produced a 108-101 lead.
Rui Hachimura added two hoops, Ayton another and Jake LaRavia a 3-pointer to finish off the flurry, which created a deficit from which the Kings never fully recovered.
Zach LaVine’s 3-pointer got the hosts as close as 122-119 with still 1:30 to play, but Reaves kept the Kings at arm’s length with four late free throws that capped a 21-for-22 night at the line.
Getting 28 more opportunities, the Lakers outscored the Kings 41-12 from the stripe.
Hachimura finished with 18 points, while LaRavia and Marcus Smart chipped in with 11 apiece for the Lakers, who played a third straight game without James, out with a back issue.
LaVine paced Sacramento with 32 points, while Sabonis (10 points, 14 rebounds) and Dennis Schroder (18 points, 12 assists) posted double-doubles.
DeMar DeRozan added 21 points, Russell Westbrook 18 and Malik Monk 15 for the Kings, who lost despite outscoring the visitors 54-24 from beyond the arc.
