South Bay Lakers recap: G League Lakers' playoff run has ended
A magnificent season for the G League Lakers ended on Sunday against the Kings.
The South Bay Lakers advanced to the G League's Western Conference finals for the first time since 2018 with a blowout victory on Friday over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. On Sunday, they hosted the Stockton Kings at UCLA Health Training Center with a trip to the G League finals on the line. South Bay was a bit short-handed for this game, as Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht and Nick Smith Jr.
were with the big-league Lakers due to the injuries suffered by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Without them, the team was competitive and was able to build an 11-point lead in the third quarter. But after taking a 78-74 lead into the fourth quarter and holding an 89-80 lead with 6:32 to go in the final period, it fell apart offensively and lost 101-97.
The Lakers shot just 40. 7% from the field and 32. 3% from 3-point range, and they committed 18 turnovers.
R. J. Davis tried to keep them afloat with 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting, and while Drew Timme scored 18 points, he had seven turnovers and fouled out with 2:26 left in the game.