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After being unable to hang on late against the Miami Heat in their Summer League opener on Tuesday, the Lakers used some stellar defense to rally from a 12-point deficit and beat host Sacramento Kings in the California Classic finale.
The Lakers closed with a 14-3 run, getting clutch buckets from starters Vic Law, Justin Robinson and former Lakers two-way player Devontae Cacok late. The Kings finished with 19 turnovers, including several in crunch time, as active hands from Austin Reaves, Mac McClung and Cacok proved the difference.
Cacok led all Lakers scorers for the second straight night with 13 points and added 6 rebounds. Three other Lakers chipped in double-digit scoring nights, including McClung with 11 and Chaundee Brown with 12, both off the bench. Law also scored 11.
Reaves, one of the Lakers’ pair of current two-way players along with Joel Ayayi, looked impressive again as a ballhandler and defender. Though he finished with just seven points, he was a +9 on the night with three assists, two steals and a nice block from behind.
Nice block here by Austin Reaves. Frank Vogel approves! pic.twitter.com/lgekWkqgum
— Nicole Ganglani (@nicoleganglani) August 5, 2021
Ayayi went scoreless in 21 minutes, however, as he only took two shots. He did pull down five rebounds, but the Lakers will be looking for a much higher level of contribution from their other two-way signee.
Davion Mitchell, the No. 9 overall pick of the 2021 NBA draft by the Kings, finished with 10 points on 4-13 shooting.
Now 1-1, the Summer Lakers will next take the court on Sunday, Aug. 8 for their first game of Las Vegas Summer League. All Vegas schedule and TV information can be found here.
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