Out-of-Gas Lakers Sputter in Blowout : Pro basketball: Los Angeles’ four-game winning streak halted by Kings, 103-84, in third game in as many nights

Laker Coach Randy Pfund detected early in Thursday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings that his team, playing its third game in three nights, wasn’t ready to play.

And Pfund’s analysis proved correct as the Lakers sleepwalked through a 103-84 loss to the Kings before an announced crowd of 10,785 at the Forum.

“About halfway through the second half the only thing left for me to do was to try to embarrass them into a performance,” Pfund said. “I just basically told them in the huddle, ‘You guy’s aren’t going to get it done. You can decide what you want to run yourself.’

“I (played) a lot of people, but nobody seemed to have much energy. We didn’t play with any force, and it almost seemed to get worse as the night went on.

“Most of the (regular Laker beat) writers weren’t here tonight, not many fans were here tonight and thank heavens none of my management was here tonight. I really hope Dr. (Jerry) Buss (Laker owner) wasn’t here tonight.”

The Lakers, who were beginning to look like a playoff team after winning four games in a row and seven of their last 10, looked like a lottery team against the Kings, falling behind by 20 points with six minutes left.

They got no closer than 15 points afterward.

Forward Lionel Simmons scored 32 points as the Kings (15-32) beat the Lakers (18-29) for the third time in three games this season. It’s the first time in Sacramento Kings’ history that they’ve won a season series from the Lakers and the second time that the Kings have won at the Forum since the 1974-75 season.

“We have not seemed to find the answer to that team and we certainly didn’t tonight,” Pfund said.

The game was a makeup of the Jan. 17 contest postponed because of the Northridge earthquake.

The Lakers, coming off an emotional 103-96 win at Utah on Wednesday, looked as if they needed a night off, shooting only 33.3%.

Center Vlade Divac missed 10 of 16 shots, guard Nick Van Exel missed 13 of 19 shots and forward James Worthy missed 10 of 12 shots.

“It’s tough to have back-to-back games,” Divac said. “But to have back-to-back-to-back games is really tough.”

But overwork wasn’t a valid excuse because the Kings, who beat the Clippers, 105-95, Tuesday night in Sacramento, were also playing their third game in three nights.

The Kings, who shot 50% and outrebounded the Lakers, 48-43, outworked the Lakers.

All-Star guard Mitch Richmond had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and forward Wayman Tisdale had 18 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, and six rebounds.

The Lakers couldn’t stop the Simmons in the first half.

Simmons, who scored a season-high 33 points and had 10 rebounds in Sacramento’s 112-101 win over the Lakers on Nov. 10, scored 20 points, including 16 in the first quarter, in the first half as the Kings took a 49-43 halftime lead.

Simmons, who made his first eight shots, wound up making 13 of 32 shots and six of eight free throws in 38 minutes.

“That was one of his best performances of the year,” King Coach Gary St. Jean said. “I thought he was terrific in the first half and he really got us off to a great start.

“I knew he had it going tonight, so I don’t care if he had his tongue hanging down to his knees, I wasn’t going take him out tonight.”

Laker Notes

Laker Coach Randy Pfund said the club will make a decision this weekend on whether to sign Reggie Jordan for the rest of the season. Jordan, whose second 10-day contract expires today, had 28 points, five rebounds and three assists in last Sunday’s 107-90 win over Utah. . . . King guard Walt Williams missed his second straight game because of a bruised toe.