SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anthony Davis, in a familiar situation, stepped to the free-throw line with the game still in the balance.
With 12 seconds remaining, Los Angeles held a 101-99 lead over Sacramento. The Kings had just used an 8-0 run to turn the Lakers’ 10-point advantage into a one-possession game.
Davis, who has a history of missing clutch free throws, including earlier this season, had a chance to ice the game.
Only he missed — both.
But as the ball rattled off the rim, Rui Hachimura pushed past Domantas Sabonis and batted it backward to Davis near the 3-point line. Davis quickly pitched it to Austin Reaves, who was immediately fouled. Reaves made both freebies and the Lakers completed a two-game road sweep of the Kings with a 103-99 win on Saturday night.
“I know I definitely appreciate Rui with the tip out,” Davis said. “And my wife even called me and said, ‘Rui saved you.’ So I was — that made me feel like worse. ‘Whose side you on?’ But at the end of the day … we were able to get a victory.”
The game was shaping up to have shades of the loss to the Orlando Magic on Nov. 21, when the Lakers missed four free throws over the final 40 seconds — including Davis missing three. That loss triggered a stretch in which the Lakers lost seven of nine…
