Sacramento Kings stun Los Angeles Lakers 113-97

By Luther Jefferson

SACRAMENTO, United States (TheSportsNEXT) November 22, 2012: A late flurry of points helped Sacramento Kings deliver the final punch as they prevailed over Los Angeles Lakers by 113-97 amid their worst-ever start to the NBA season.

It all started with a three-pointer by Marcus Thornton which filled the Kings with extra energy and they looked all set and ready to go that extra yard to achieve the victory as their appetite was visible with the way they executed their plans.

This is the first defeat for the Los Angeles Lakers under their new coach Mike D’Antoni and it also snapped their three-game winning run.

Sacramento Kings are the worst performers in the NBA Western Conference this season but victory over a strong side like LA Lakers will provide them enough boost in confidence to undo the early season defeats.

The Sacramento Kings made full use of the home advantage and kept their lead healthy and strong right throughout the second half but the Los Angeles Lakers were able to trim it down to only four points with only three minutes left when Marcus Thornton started a flurry that was simply unstoppable.

He delivered a three-pointer with 2:50 to play which sparked a 17 points streak for the Sacramento Kings as against five points hit by the Los Angeles Lakers which put an end to any chances of the visitors of achieving their fourth straight victory.

While Tyreke Evans added 18 points for the hosts, Marcus Thornton was exceptional right throughout the game as he hit 8-of-13 shots from the field and scored 23 points off the bench to augment the Sacramento Kings who have won their first game after five straight losses.

The NBA star Kobe Bryant was brilliant as usual as he scored 38 points, hitting 11-of-20 from the field and 11-of-13 from the foul line but lacked support from the other guys as the LA Lakers’ victory-run came to an end.

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Dallas Mavericks begin NBA 2013 with 99-91 win over LA Lakers

By Lindy Rumer

Dallas Mavericks, the only side to win away game in season-opener

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, United States (TheSportsNEXT) October 31, 2012: The Dallas Mavericks converted a nervy start into winning one at Staples Center in Los Angeles on the inaugural day of the NBA 2013 season when they defeated Los Angeles Lakers by 99-91 in their first road game.

The Los Angeles Lakers started their opening game of the new season with a strong show in the first quarter winning it by 29-25 but they failed to keep the momentum as Dallas Mavericks stormed their way back into contention to take the second quarter 23-17 and leading the game by 48-46 at halfway stage.

With famous singer Katy Perry among the crowd at Staples Center, the Mavericks continued their dominance in the third quarter and took it by 26-20 and extended their lead to eight points after third quarter before Lakers tried their best to reclaim the advantage in the final quarter but managed to match their opponents’ score of 25 points.

The victory was mainly attributed to superb performances by Darren Collision and OJ Mayo who scored 17 and 12 points, respectively.

It is important to mention here that the Dallas Mavericks are without services of their premier player Dirk Nowitzki who helped them win the NBA 2011 title almost single-handedly.

The Dallas Mavericks managed to shot only 47 percent from the field but did enough to hold off the high-flying Los Angeles Lakers who came into the season opener riding on an eight games preseason winning streak.

In a collective effort, the Dallas Mavericks also got great contribution by Elton Brand who hit eight points and added 11 rebounds while their bench contributed 11-point performances by veteran Vince Carter and Rodrigue Beaubois.

On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers were led by Pau Gasol with 23 points and 13 rebounds while Kobe Bryant hit 22 points and Dwight Howard delivered 19 points and 10 boards before fouling out late in the game. Steve Nash also came up with seven points and four assists but it was not a Lakers’ night by any standard.

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