Sports
'The cavalry ain't coming.' Why the Lakers' home loss to the Kings was a costly one
The Lakers had a big opportunity in front of them on Wednesday night, a chance to put some pressure on Sacramento in the Western Conference, an opening to get closer to the Kings as they jockey for position in the standings.
Instead, the Lakers flopped.
And they did it in an unbelievable fashion.
They led the Kings by 19 points in the first quarter. They also trailed the Kings by 22 in the third, a stunning turn of events.
As a result, the Lakers dropped to 10th in the West, 2½ games behind the seventh-seeded Kings.
The Lakers are one game behind the eighth-seeded Dallas Mavericks and a half-game behind the ninth-seeded Golden State Warriors.
The season is winding down and there’s not much time for the Lakers to make up ground.
“The cavalry ain’t coming,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after his team dropped a 130-120 game to the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. “We got 18 [games] left. We just gotta buckle down and try to do a better job.”
The Lakers have lost all three games to the Kings, giving up an average of 129 points per game.
They face the Kings once more in Sacramento next week, but the Lakers have already lost the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“We talked about it before the game. We saw the rankings and we talked about the team and this is going to be a big game,” said Rui Hachimura, who had 29 points. “And, like we said, that was a big game. I think we going to have one more against them next week. Yeah, this was a big one.”
The Lakers had no answer for De’Aaron Fox, who had his way with 44 points.
Domantas Sabonis dominated the Lakers with a triple-double of 16 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists.
Malik Monk had 26 points and eight assists off the bench for the Kings.
Hachimura said the Lakers remain “pretty confident” that they can get on a run to end the season.
“We just got to lock in,” he said. “We don’t have the time to relax, like today’s game. We were up like 20-something in the first quarter and all of a sudden we kind of relaxed and they were up by 20. We can’t relax anytime.”
Lakers bench struggles
The Lakers’ bench didn’t provide much offense, scoring 18 points as a group. Meanwhile, Sacramento’s bench had 50 points.
Ham has an idea of how his bench can be better.
“Play faster, play the right way,” he said. “Move the ball, shoot it when you’re open. Simple as that. We’ve had games, we had six, seven guys in double figures, and that was the recipe. Play faster, be disciplined with your running habits. Play for one another, make the simple play, and be shot-aggressive.”
Lakers forward Anthony Davis tangles with Kings forward Domantas Sabonis for a rebound during Wednesday’s game.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers bad on the backboards
The Lakers were outrebounded 46-34, including 9-3 on offensive boards.
Anthony Davis had 11 rebounds, but no other Laker had more than five.
The biggest offensive rebound by the Kings came late in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers had pulled to within 12 points and were making a dent in their deficit. They had played good defense and forced Monk to miss a shot.
But Sabonis got the offensive rebound and scored, putting the Lakers in a 14-point hole with 4:49 left.
Sports
Stefon Diggs, still seeking new NFL home, insists no team has a better No 2 receiver ‘than me’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Stefon Diggs is still looking for his next NFL team after one season with the New England Patriots, which ended in a Super Bowl LX defeat.
With NFL training camps across the country set to kick off at the end of the month, Diggs, who will be entering his 12th season, made quite the statement during a recent YouTube video on his channel.
Diggs stated that he is the best No. 2 receiver in the league, and he explained why.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) walks to the podium to speak to the media after a minicamp held in the WIN Field House at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 10, 2025. (Eric Canha/Imagn Images)
“Everybody got a 1,,” he said. “Opportunities aside, people might say there’s seven real 1s. In my opinion, I can compete with anybody, but take those as your 1s. You can’t name a No. 2 better than me. There’s not a No. 2 on a team. Let’s presumably give people the credit and just say, ‘OK, you want to take the No. 1 spot away.’ Name your No. 2 receiver right now. Tell me how much he makes. My last question is: Is he better than me?”
Diggs put up 1,013 yards in his 11th season, his first and only with the Patriots, on 85 receptions (102 targets) with four touchdowns from breakout star quarterback Drake Maye . It marked Diggs’ seventh 1,000-yard season in the NFL, which have come in seven of the last eight seasons.
ODELL BECKHAM TOLD GIANTS COACH HE’S READY TO ‘GO OUT ON MY SWORD’ TO EARN ROSTER SPOT
The 32-year-old did note being a No. 2 option, which means he could be willing to take a pay cut to join a squad that he could help get back to the playoffs and, as ever player hopes, the Super Bowl. But no team has pulled the trigger just yet.
Could Diggs’ off-the-field issues be a factor? He faced some serious allegations in December after being charged with felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault in a dispute with his private chef.
New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs speaks during his introductory press conference on March 28, 2025. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
However, Diggs was found not guilty by a jury, with the NFL closing its review on the matter, stating there was insufficient evidence to warrant a suspension for violating its personal conduct policy. Diggs’ attorney said that “professional athletes have a target on their back” following the non-guilty verdict.
“We have taken these allegations seriously from Day One and that’s exactly why we were eager for the facts to come to light through the legal process,” Mitch Schuster of Meister, Seelig & Schuster, the firm that represented Diggs, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital in May.
The Patriots released Diggs in March, but he has been staying in shape and looking for the next opportunity since the league cleared him last month.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs plays against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 8, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Teams to watch could be the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs, or even a Buffalo Bills reunion with Josh Allen, who built such a rapport with him to earn four straight Pro Bowls from 2020-23.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Dodgers swept by Diamondbacks in first winless series of season as they stagger into All-Star break
The Dodgers needed to turn things around Sunday to wrap up the first half on a high note. Manager Dave Roberts said as much the night before.
“When you give teams free bases, extra outs, it’s hard to win a game, regardless of the opponent,” he said. “Emmet [Sheehan] needs to go out there and throw the baseball well tomorrow. We’ve got to find a way to win a game tomorrow to feel somewhat better about going into the break.”
Instead, the Dodgers fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, swept for the first time this season. It was Arizona’s first sweep at Dodger Stadium since September 2017.
Perhaps the break is coming at a good time.
“I guess,” Roberts said. “Gives guys a reset. … We’ve got some good teams coming up and we’ve got to play good baseball.”
Sheehan at least did his job, holding the Diamondbacks to three runs in 5⅓ innings. It was clear from the first at-bat that his pitch count could limit how deep he pitched into the game. Sheehan won a 14-pitch battle to strike out Ketel Marte.
The right-hander then struck out the side and was efficient enough to pitch into the sixth. He exited after his pitch count reached 101.
Max Muncy swings at a pitch in the seventh inning.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Shohei Ohtani sparked the offense with his ninth leadoff home run of the season — and 22nd overall — on a two-hit day. But he’ll get treatment this week instead of playing in the All-Star Game.
It wasn’t a clean defensive game for the Dodgers. In the midst of the Diamondbacks’ two-run fifth, All-Star center fielder Andy Pages tracked a long fly back to the wall but missed the catch as the ball bounced off his glove for an error.
In the sixth, the tying run scored when All-Star third baseman Max Muncy’s throw to the plate hit Geraldo Perdomo in the back as he ran home for another error.
“Just a slump,” Muncy said. “You go through slumps both offensively and defensively, mentally. It’s just one of those stretches for us right now, and I think everyone’s ready for the break.”
Regardless of some sloppiness, the Dodgers have had a successful season going into the break.
“Just flush it,” Roberts said. “We’re still in a really good spot. Don’t let it carry over to the second half.”
They have the best record in the majors (61-36) and an 11½-game lead in the National League West. They also had six players selected as All-Stars.
So, as Major League Baseball pauses play and honors some of the best performers in each league, now’s a good time to hand out our first-half awards.
Sports
2026 World Cup Young Player of the Tournament Odds: Lamine Yamal Favored
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Ask anyone who is favored to win Young Player of the Tournament for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, and presumably, you would struggle to hear a name other than Lamine Yamal.
The Spanish sensation, at only 18, is already viewed as one of the game’s greatest players — and he hasn’t even come close to his prime.
With that, let’s check out the odds for who will win Young Player of the Tournament as of July 12.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Young Player of the Tournament odds
Lamine Yamal: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)
Desire Doue: +280 (bet $10 to win $38 total)
Pau Cubarsí: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Nico O’Reilly: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Here’s what to know about this oddsboard:
The Race: Lamine Yamal has been the favorite since before the tournament began and has not moved from the top of the oddsboard. Statistically, Yamal has only one goal and no assists in this World Cup, but his presence on the field has clearly opened up things for Spain on numerous occasions en route to its semifinal berth. Doue has a goal and an assist in three starts for France.
-
Denver, CO5 minutes agoDenver area events for July 13
-
Seattle, WA11 minutes agoWhat could the Seattle Seahawks look like under new owners?
-
San Diego, CA17 minutes agoSports Night: Padres End 1st Half on Good Note, Midseason Grades, Manny Heats Up
-
Milwaukee, WI23 minutes agoPost From Community: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
-
Atlanta, GA29 minutes agoApple sues OpenAI, Instagram backlash
-
Minneapolis, MN35 minutes agoMN weather: Dangerously hot week ahead
-
Indianapolis, IN41 minutes agoDriver injured after car crashes into guardrail
-
Pittsburg, PA47 minutes agoPirates Could Bring Mason Miller Home