Turnovers haunt Kings in loss to Lakers after bizarre ending

Kings weigh in on bizarre ending to loss vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

The Kings’ 122-114 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday had a bizarre ending at Crypto.com Arena. 
 
Down by five with just under 25 seconds left in the game, guard De’Aaron Fox thought he was making a smart move that ended up costing Sacramento a possession. 
 
After Lakers’ guard Malik Monk missed a free throw, Fox purposely let the ball roll thinking the clock would stop and time would be on Sacramento’s side. 
 
But to Fox’s knowledge, and many others, that wasn’t the case. 
 
It was technically no one’s possession after the missed free throw, so officials ruled it a jump ball — which the Kings lost, giving the ball right back to the Lakers. 

Coach Alvin Gentry was visibly and verbally frustrated with the call but told reporters after the loss that officials made the right call.
 
“Before you ask me about that play, it’s a horses–t rule in the NBA,” Gentry told reporters. “The referees did exactly what they were supposed to do. It is the rule. They enforced the rule the way it is. If anything needs to be changed, the rule needs to be changed. 
 
“I think there needs to be some common sense about, you know, we have the basketball right there, they started the clock, we didn’t start the clock, it wasn’t our error, and so we got punished for a dumbass rule, that’s the bottom line. But it had nothing to do with the officials. All they did was exactly what they were supposed to do. They enforced the rule.” 
 
But with less than 25 seconds left, it’s unclear how much that possession would have changed the game. 
 
Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes said he’s not familiar with the rule, but didn’t blame the officials’ decision in the team’s loss. 
 
The Kings’ 18 turnovers, including Fox’s two in the finals moments of the game, turned into 21 points for Los Angeles, while the Lakers turned the ball over five times.

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