Kings Romp While Laker Defense Rests

In the old days, as in a year ago, the cowbells would have been out, Shaquille O’Neal would have hammered away down low, Chris Webber would have made mid-range jumpers and Rick Fox and Doug Christie would have continued whatever bizarre rivalry they started with a fight before a preseason game.

The Lakers and Sacramento Kings are no longer what they were, onetime rivals who are now only four more games on each other’s schedule, their revamped rosters taking away the drama that once existed.

There was another, less subtle difference that played out Sunday: The Kings are still a playoff team, the Lakers are not.

The Lakers allowed a 43-point third quarter and were crushed in rebounds on the way to a 124-105 loss in front of 17,317 at Arco Arena.

Kobe Bryant declared the rivalry dead before the season began, and the Kings made sure it stayed that way amid the backdrop of front-row fans who heckled Bryant about the early vacation the Lakers will be taking after April 20.

There were no cowbells, only catcalls, particularly in a third quarter where the Lakers let the Kings make 16 of 23 shots and trailed, 99-81, well on their way to falling to 7-36 when giving up 100 or more points.

“That’s been our story,” Bryant said. “Games that we struggle defensively are games that we don’t give ourselves a chance to win. Games that we play well defensively are games that we have an opportunity to win.”

Bryant, like everyone else on the team, seemed resigned to talk about it.

“I’ve got to because you guys keep asking me about it,” he said with a slight smile.

Bryant had 18 points, Caron Butler had 17 and the Lakers lost for the 14th time in 16 games.

They were outrebounded, 62-32, and let Kenny Thomas spring for a career-best 32 points. Three Kings -- Thomas, Brian Skinner and Darius Songaila -- combined for 35 rebounds, three more than the Lakers.

“That was crazy,” Thomas said. “Sixty-two to 30-something? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. They’re pretty small, so me, Brian and Darius were just trying to rebound the ball.”

The Kings, fifth in the Western Conference, had little pity on a Laker team that went without injured starters Chris Mihm and Lamar Odom, the Lakers’ top two rebounders.

“At halftime, we talked about the rebound situation and transition points,” Coach Frank Hamblen said. “Apparently I didn’t talk loud enough.”

The Lakers made two buzzer-beaters in the first half, Bryant sinking a fadeaway over Cuttino Mobley to end the first quarter and Chucky Atkins banking a soft jumper to end the second quarter after stealing the ball from Songaila.

And still, they trailed at halftime, 56-46, with not even the hint of a rivalry that peaked in 2002, when they took the Kings in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

“It’s completely different now,” Bryant said. “Now you have Kenny Thomas and Brian Skinner out there playing. The only ones that are there from the rivalry days are Mike Bibby and Peja [Stojakovic]. You’re talking about [Doug] Christie, Chris [Webber], and Vlade [Divac] plays for us now. It’s not much of a rivalry.”

At the very least, the Lakers gave back the minor momentum they gained with a surprisingly crisp victory Friday against the Seattle SuperSonics.

“They just whipped us really badly on the boards,” Hamblen said. “They’re going somewhere and we aren’t.”