Luka Doncic scores 21 as Lakers unveil new defense

SACRAMENTO — The Lakers pressed, switched and swarmed from the opening whistle. After the Sacramento Kings had been caught for a shot-clock violation on the first possession of Monday’s preseason sport, Luka Doncic raised his fists toward the Lakers bench with a triumphant grin to symbolize the profitable start.

But Doncic’s smile toward his teammates had a trace of sarcasm; this is still just an exhibition.

The Lakers teased their new defensive id in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench.

Playing without star middle Walker Kessler, who missed the sport with a finger injury, and guard Austin Reaves (ankle), Doncic led the Lakers with 21 factors. He took a onerous knee to the facet of his quad halfway through the second quarter, but stayed in the sport. With the Lakers up 26 factors at halftime, Doncic didn’t need to return.

“We all had fun out there,” said Doncic, who relished the prospect to play in his first aggressive basketball sport in six months, one of the longest breaks of his profession. “Especially with Matisse [Thybulle] and Ziaire [Williams], just that beginning of the game, the start, that’s contagious for everybody, and how they start the game, it was inspirational.”

The star guard really was bringing down the staff’s capturing average. While he was three-for-nine from three-point vary in the first half, his teammates mixed to make 9 of their first 13 three-pointers. Williams led with excellent three-for-three capturing from distance with 13 factors and one steal while serving as the Lakers’ top on-ball defender. Thybulle, another key defensive offseason addition, had two steals and made two threes.

At halftime, coaches confirmed gamers a clip of Williams, a 6-foot-9 ahead who signed on a minimal contract, guarding the ball full court. The spotlight then confirmed how Doncic’s power picked up. Thybulle adopted swimsuit.

“You don’t wanna be the only guy out there that’s not being physical, not picking up full, not being a pest,” Williams said. “Coming in, I knew that I saw that the team could use that, someone who could pick up full and could guard the main ball handler and really set the tone on that end. I try to just focus on that every possession.”

Coach JJ Redick, in his third season with the Lakers, said it was the first time in his tenure that he felt the staff had a number of gamers who had been succesful of handling that defensive accountability. The Lakers call it their “line of confrontation.” Williams, Thybulle, second-year ahead Adou Thiero and guard Quentin Grimes had been among the gamers who guarded the ball full court. The Lakers compelled 4 steals in the first quarter and 15 for the sport. They averaged 8.5 per sport last season.

The product Monday is way from what the Lakers hope to show in their regular-season opener Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.

Kessler was carrying a splint on his left pinky finger after he jammed it on the backboard during apply last week. Redick doesn’t anticipate any of the accidents that saved Reaves, guard Collin intimacyton (decrease physique) and two-way ahead Arthur Kaluma (decrease physique) to be long-term.

Reaves, who tweaked his ankle in apply, still went through his pregame warmup routine Monday.

Even without two of their three top gamers, the Lakers overwhelmed the Kings, who are anticipated to be among the worst groups in the Western Conference again. Rookie level guard Darius Acuff, the No. 7 choose in last April’s draft, had 19 factors with 4 assists and 5 turnovers.