Lakers Absorb Another Blow : Pro basketball: They lose to Sacramento, 112-101, as Lionel Simmons scores 33 points and takes 10 rebounds to lead the Kings.

The Lakers, limping through the first week of the season as they wait for three starters to return from injuries, took another kick in the shins Wednesday night when they were jumped by their one-time Lilliputians, the Sacramento Kings.

Their dominance over this team and Arco Arena disappearing as fast as all the other remember-whens, the Lakers fell behind by 23 points before staging a late comeback, only to fall short, 112-101, before 17,317.

Lionel Simmons had 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Kings, who improved to 2-1 and probably knocked the Lakers around more than in the standings. They probably scrambled the Laker lineup, Coach Randy Pfund saying afterward that chances are good he will move Doug Christie into the opening lineup at small forward and have either Trevor Wilson or Kurt Rambis replace Antonio Harvey at power forward for Friday’s game against Denver at the Forum.

The Lakers, coming off a season in which they lost two games to the Kings for the first time since 1979-80, got as close as six points in the fourth quarter. The last time was at 90-84 with 7:24 to play, but even after that they stayed within striking distance, trailing only 97-90 with 5:08 remaining.

When Vlade Divac, who had 18 points and 15 rebounds, missed both free throws on back-to-back possessions, the Lakers (1-3) dropped off the pace for good.

“Any loss is not good,” said James Worthy, who led the Lakers with 20 points. “But I don’t think they (the Kings) can measure themselves against us this particular year. We’re still learning. If we don’t learn fast, this can be a long year.”

Playing their fourth game in six nights, the Lakers looked the part. They stayed close until midway through the second quarter, when the Kings’ small lineup sprinted away.

When guard Randy Brown blew past Harvey on the right flat for a dunk, the Kings’ lead was 50-42. When guard Mitch Richmond sliced past small forward Worthy four possessions later, the advantage was 56-45. When the 6-foot-7 Simmons drove the right side on center Divac, it was 58-47 with 44 seconds to play in the half.

The Lakers were unable to counter, even with the size advantage while playing Divac and Sam Bowie together. The only baskets in that same stretch were a layup on a three-point play by Tony Smith and a free-throw line jumper by Smith.

The Lakers’ drive for respectability against a perennial last-place team suddenly turned into a charge back into the game after they fell behind, 74-51, in the third quarter. They used an 11-4 rally to get within 82-67, then finished the quarter with three unanswered baskets to cut the deficit to 82-73.

Laker Notes

From starter to being waived, all in the same week? It could happen to Trevor Wilson, though his play while filling in for Doug Christie at small forward has probably taken him off the bubble for when Elden Campbell and Anthony Peeler come off the injured list Saturday or Sunday. “I would say that’s highly unlikely, the way he has played,” Coach Randy Pfund said of cutting Wilson. “But if you look at the roster, with Trevor, Doug Christie, James Worthy and Tony Smith, who we have talked about (at small forward) if we want to play small, it’s not impossible. Trevor has done a nice job, but you have to realize the contract situation about these things.” Wilson has a guaranteed contract at the league minimum of $150,000, which easily makes him the lowest-paid small forward on the team. But he went into Wednesday’s game, his fourth consecutive start, averaging 13.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 57.1% after spending the previous two years in Spain. The Lakers can always avoid having to cut anyone by having two players replace Campbell and Peeler on the injured list with well-timed ailments. . . . Vlade Divac, Sedale Threatt and Worthy are on the all-star ballot.