SACRAMENTO — Josh Hart picked up where he left off in the regular season and rookies Moe Wagner and Svi Mykhailiuk turned some heads, but the Lakers started summer league play with a 98-93 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday night in the California Classic at the Golden 1 Center.
Hart and Wagner led the Lakers with 23 points apiece, while Mykhailiuk added 15, going 6 for 10 from the field (3 for 6 from 3-point range). Wagner, a late first-round pick out of Michigan, added seven rebounds and went 6 for 17 from the floor (2 for 8 from 3-point range) but 9 for 10 from the free-throw line, drawing his share of fouls with strong head-fakes and fancy footwork on the block.
“I thought he did a great job of knocking down shots, early in the game setting the tone defensively,” Lakers summer league coach Miles Simon said of Hart, who was 7 for 15 from the field (4 for 7 from 3-point range). “He was super aggressive on the offensive end, which we love, and he also, in doing that, found a balance not only just scoring but getting us in our offense as a point guard, which is not a natural position for him to be in.”
Wagner’s second 3-pointer of the night followed consecutive 3-pointers by Mykhailiuk to pull the Lakers within two points with about a minute left. Kings rookie Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 overall pick in last month’s draft, converted a three-point play at the other end, but Wagner answered with a long 2-point jumper.
The Kings made a free throw following Hart’s ejection (second technical foul), then added a Frank Mason 3-point basket with 22 seconds left to seal the victory.
The California Classic is a four-day, four-team event in Sacramento before all 30 NBA teams convene in Las Vegas later this week for the traditional summer league. Hart, who had a strong finish to his rookie season, including a 30-point, five-rebound, five-assist effort in the season finale against the Clippers, is not expected to play in the Lakers’ two remaining California Classic games, and he might play in just one of the team’s five guaranteed games in Las Vegas.
The game had its share of sloppy play on both sides, but Hart moved from shooting guard to point guard in the first quarter and promptly led a 9-3 run to turn a 15-15 tie into a 24-18 Lakers lead. Hart, who had five turnovers, scored all six points during a second-quarter run that gave the Lakers their largest lead of the night at 32-20. His buzzer-beating 3-pointer gave the Lakers a 54-48 lead at halftime.
Second-year point guard De’Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists (five turnovers), going 9 for 15 from the floor. Bagley finished with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots – all on Wagner.
The Lakers face Miami on Tuesday at 6 p.m., take Wednesday off, then close the event with a game against Golden State on Thursday at noon.
NOTE
Malik Newman (sprained left foot) and Joel Berry II (right ankle sprain) sat out Monday’s game.
Josh Hart and Moe Wagner dropped 23 to lead the team in scoring, but the Lakers fall to the Kings 93-98. pic.twitter.com/tH8A67iQCj
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 3, 2018
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.@milessimon talks post-game with @LakersReporter to share his thoughts on @Sviat_10 & @moritz_weasley's #Lakers debuts. pic.twitter.com/aS5jaYDjz1
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) July 3, 2018
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Good first impression for Svi Mykhailiuk.
Hustles for the loose board and man is that a quick trigger for 3. pic.twitter.com/cze1EOlAdP
— Joey Ramirez (@JoeyARamirez) July 3, 2018
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— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 3, 2018
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Nice dish by Xavier Rathan-Mayes finds Moe Wagner for the easy slam #LakeShow (
: @SpectrumSN & NBA TV) pic.twitter.com/D5vIaGHtjN
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 3, 2018
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.@moritz_weasley talks with @LakersReporter about his performance and takeaways following tonight’s #LakersSummer loss against the Sacramento Kings. pic.twitter.com/ODNtIxGmgE
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) July 3, 2018
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