The margin at the final buzzer was just four points, far fewer than any of their previous preseason games, but it still counts as a loss.
The 116-112 final at Sacramento meant the Los Angeles Lakers finished their 2021-22 preseason schedule with an 0-6 record and an average margin of defeat of 14.6 points.
Their six losses include a 26-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets and a 29-point loss to the Phoenix Suns, both at the STAPLES Center.
In this game against the Kings, which was just the second time that the team fielded its big three, LeBron James finished with a game-high 30 points which played a big role in the team coming back from a 14-point deficit.
The Russ & LeBron fastbreak is fun. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/m3rW9caYpU
— NBA (@NBA) October 15, 2021
“I’ve been in the league 13 years, I don’t know my preseason record for any of those years." said Russell Westbrook, who finished with 18 points, five assists and three steals.
The last time the team finished winless in the exhibition games was back in 2012-13, the year the franchise built around Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard.
All three Lakers superstars and head coach Frank Vogel didn't pay too much attention to the 0-6 record, instead listing the positives.
Coach Frank Vogel was encouraged by the team's pace at this point of the season. Westbrook believed the team had “gotten a little better” each game while James was encouraged by the team's chemistry through these warm-up games.
"I feel good going into opening night," said Anthony Davis, who played five of the six games and was encouraged by the team's flow offensively.
While these games don't count officially, it's still been a winless exhibition schedule for the team that was widely considered to be the championship favourites from the Western Conference. Not to mention the fact that the team is already down a couple of players in Trevor Ariza (ankle; out for 8 weeks from Oct. 7) and Talen Horton-Tucker (thumb; out for at four weeks from Oct. 13).
Can they put this behind them and turn things around when the regular season starts? Only time will tell. The Lakers play in the second game on opening night, hosting the Golden State Warriors at the STAPLES Center at 10:00 p.m. ET.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.
