Russell Westbrook scored 22 points with seven assists as the Sacramento Kings defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 124-112 on Monday night.
“Just making extra, a lot of one mores. We did a good job of getting our spacing right. I thought it generated some open threes, push it in transition, generate some over looks,” Westbrook said on Sacramento’s offensive execution.
He praised the team’s consistency, noting they didn’t lose any quarters. “Came out and just kept up the intensity the whole game. Just dove in on our defense, got stops when we needed to. Executed down the stretch, did a good job of playing together for 48 minutes,” Westbrook said.
Westbrook highlighted the defensive support from the Kings’ frontcourt. “It’s good. They do a good job of making sure they have our back,” he said on having Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud protecting the rim.
He addressed the internal motivation behind the win. “Whatever we talk about internally, we keep internally and we took care of business tonight,” Westbrook said.
Regarding facing former teams, Westbrook maintained focus on consistency. “Not really. I play the same way every night. I do enjoy beating teams that I was former at for different reasons,” he said.
Westbrook commended Malik Monk’s recent performances. “Not surprising to me. Malik can hoop, can put the ball in the hole. Given opportunity, he’ll produce in some shape or form. If it’s not scoring, generating offense, do a good job of making the best play for somebody else,” Westbrook said.
He also explained his lighthearted three-point celebration. “2027. I’ll explain it then,” he said when asked about the gesture after shots.
The win marked Sacramento’s first home victory over Los Angeles since March 13, 2024, snapping a three-game skid against the Lakers this season.
Westbrook’s performance complemented Malik Monk’s 26 points and seven 3-pointers, as well as DeMar DeRozan’s 32 points and six assists.
Los Angeles was paced by Luka Doncic’s 42 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, with LeBron James contributing 22 points. The Lakers have now lost two straight games following a three-game winning streak.
The Kings will host the New York Knicks on Wednesday, while the Lakers face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
