Sports
'Can't skip details': Lakers left to look for solutions after another loss to Kings
It’s hard to know the gravity of this, the Lakers being on the wrong side of dominance from another team that seems to know exactly where the weakest points are in the Lakers’ defensive plans.
In Wednesday’s 120-107 loss in Sacramento, there was a mix of disappointment and calm inside the Lakers’ locker room at the Kings’ arena.
Players like Anthony Davis lamented the two biggest reasons for the loss — turnovers and Sacramento’s offensive rebounding. Others pointed to the breakdowns that allowed Harrison Barnes to make seven of the Kings’ 19 three-pointers.
“There’s nothing we can do about this game now besides watch and learn from our mistakes and what we can do to be better, especially in that third quarter,” Austin Reaves said. “Seventeen points, something had to get stagnant with our offense. But, I don’t think the vibe in the locker room really changed. It’s not like we hate each other now. You flip the page, got to figure out what we’ve got to do to be successful moving forward.”
There wasn’t any outward table-flipping anger Wednesday despite the circumstances. The Lakers had a practice and a shootaround to prepare for the Kings because of a scheduling break that had them with two days off before and after the game in Sacramento.
“It makes us even more comfortable to pour everything — our mind, body and spirits — into tonight,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said pregame.
But it never really looked like it, particularly from the Lakers’ stars. Davis continued to lose his battles with Domantas Sabonis, an issue exacerbated as Davis missed a ton of point-blank shots. LeBron James didn’t show much juice until the fourth quarter, and his play in the third — one for six from the field with three turnovers — stagnated the Lakers’ offense and ignited the Kings.
“One of the things I just told them: Can’t skip details. We had some guys that didn’t shoot the ball well, got great looks they normally make. But just in the sense of team basketball, just continuing to have a next-play mentality,” Ham said after the loss. “You turn the ball over or it’s a quick shot or … our shot selection is a little bit off, you have to recalibrate and try to play the right way. And again, do it as a unit, not just individually trying to get yourself going. If you’re trying to get yourself going, then we’re staying organized within what we’re supposed to be doing, then great. But we can’t skip the details.”
There was some regression from the past, the Lakers stars failing to keep Reaves and Rui Hachimura, who both were hot, primarily involved in their offense, especially in the third.
Hachimura took just one shot in the second half — a three-pointer. And Reaves, who scored 19 points in the first half, got just two shots in the third quarter.
Asked if the Lakers could’ve done more to get Hachimura involved, D’Angelo Russell declined to answer.
“Yeah, I’d rather not go there with it. It’s a good game for Rui,” he said.
The Lakers largely addressed some of the issues that had cost them against the Kings in earlier meetings — the defense adjusting coverages to keep De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk from comfortably attacking the same looks over and over.
But that wasn’t enough, a reminder that some of these flaws could end up being fatal.
There’s the Lakers’ point-of-attack defense problem, where, despite solid play from Reaves over the past month-plus, the Lakers have struggled with Jarred Vanderbilt sidelined. Gabe Vincent’s recent clearance to on-court, noncontact work could eventually give the team a boost, even if there’s going to be limited time for him to get into rhythm and establish a consistent place in Ham’s rotation.
Players have hinted optimistically that both Vanderbilt and Vincent could be back soon, but with only 15 games left in the regular season, there should be real concerns about their impact.
There was familiarity in the result Wednesday, another team spreading the Lakers wide, another team hitting a barrage of open threes and feasting on the glass, another team forcing the Lakers to play consistently at a level that they were unable to reach.
“Kryptonite,” one player said on the way out of the locker room.
And the Lakers have to wonder if it’s just the Kings or symptoms of larger, unfixable problems.
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As expected, the Washington Wizards have begun the 2026 NBA Draft by selecting BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick.
In a draft class loaded with “cant-miss prospects,” Dybantsa stood out above the rest, as the 6-foot-9, 217-pound forward put on a show with the Cougars in his one and only collegiate season.
Dybantsa averaged 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 51% from the field for BYU. He became the fifth Division-1 player in the last 40 seasons to average at least 25 points while shooting 50% from the field in a single season.
This is a breaking news story. More to come…
MINNEAPOLIS — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is planning for right fielder Kyle Tucker to be out for the rest of the series against the Minnesota Twins, after he left Monday’s game with low back spasms.
Roberts hopes to write Tucker into the lineup Friday, when the Dodgers open a three-game series in San Diego, after three days off, plus most of the game Monday.
“Hopefully he [can take] advantage of this, obviously to get right, but also kind of a mental reset,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the four days will suffice.”
Tucker, who said he felt a little better Tuesday but still sore, especially when rotating, is “pretty confident” that he’ll be able to avoid the injured list. And if he can take swings on Wednesday, he’ll probably be on track for that Friday return.
“But if he doesn’t, then we’ll have probably a tougher decision on Friday,” Roberts said.
Tucker, who has a .707 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage this season, has had a slow offensive start to his Dodgers’ tenure. He wasn’t ready to make any declarations about the potential benefits of time off to reset.
“Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see after I get back. We’ll see how that goes.”
The news on catcher Dalton Rushing, who exited Monday’s game to rule out a concussion, was more straightforward.
Rushing hadn’t yet gone through the second round of concussion testing needed to clear him to play when Roberts addressed the media Tuesday afternoon. But Rushing had told Roberts he was ready to play.
“That doesn’t carry too much weight until I hear from the medical staff,” Roberts said. “But it is good to know that he said he’s good to go. My hope is that he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity.”
As a downpour hammered the tarped field early Tuesday evening, it was unclear when exactly the Dodgers would be playing. But despite plenty of rain in the forecast Tuesday evening, the teams and Major League Baseball identified a window for the game.
The Twins announced an estimated 5:05 p.m. PDT first pitch, representing a 25-minute rain delay.
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Wyndham Clark reflected on winning what was his second U.S. Open with an emotional message filled with appreciation.
Clark went wire-to-wire at Shinnecock Hills to become the 24th player to win at least two U.S. Opens in their career after beating fellow American Sam Burns by one shot. The 32-year-old’s first U.S. Open title came in 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, another one-shot victory, where he got the best of runner-up Rory McIlroy.
“I’m not sure I’ve found the words yet. If I’m being honest, last year wasn’t filled with many highs. There were a lot more questions than answers, a lot more frustration than celebration, and plenty of moments that tested my belief in myself,” Clark’s note on X began.
Wyndham Clark of the United States looks on after winning the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
WYNDHAM CLARK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LOVED, BUT HE DOES HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AFTER US OPEN TRIUMPH AT SHINNECOCK
“This game can be incredibly humbling. It doesn’t owe you anything, and sometimes the only thing you can do is keep showing up and trust that the work will eventually pay off. That’s why this week means so much. To the fans, thank you for making this championship what it is. New York crowds are passionate, honest, and demanding. Whether you were pulling for me or not, you created an atmosphere I’ll never forget and pushed all of us to compete at our best.
“Thank you to the USGA, the members of Shinnecock Hills, the volunteers, and every person behind the scenes who made this week so special. This place is everything a U.S. Open should be, and I’m incredibly honored to have my name connected to it forever.
“To my team, family, friends, and sponsors, thank you for staying in my corner through the difficult stretches. Thank you for believing in me on the days when believing wasn’t easy. This trophy means more because of the road it took to get here. The setbacks, the doubts, and the hard days all make this moment that much sweeter. I’ll never forget this week, this place, and what it feels like to stand here as a two-time U.S. Open Champion. Forever grateful.”
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NEW YORK GOLF FANS DESERVE TO BE CALLED OUT, SAM BURNS HAS A GOOD CRY, WYNDHAM CLARK’S BEST SHOT AT SHINNECOCK
Wyndham Clark celebrates with his caddie, David Pelekoudas, on the 18th green during the final round of the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 21, 2026, in Southampton, New York. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Clark was far from the fan favorite during Sunday’s final round at Shinnecock. The majority of fans on the Long Island, New York property appeared to be pulling against the Colorado native with countless shouts for his golf ball to find bunkers and minor roars after each of his five bogeys during the final round.
Wyndham Clark celebrates with his girlfriend Emily Tanner after winning the 126th U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. (Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour)
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Clark made a pair of public mistakes during the 2025 PGA Tour season. During the final round of the 2025 PGA Championship, he threw his driver through an advertisement sign behind a tee box. A month later, after missing the cut at Oakmont in the 2025 U.S. Open, he ripped apart two lockers inside the clubhouse and was barred by the historic club in the following days.
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