After slow-playing stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, rotating different lineups to accommodate an unreasonably busy six-game preseason schedule and giving their two-way players extended run, the Lakers buttoned up the rotation for a final preseason game Friday that coach JJ Redick called a “dress rehearsal.”

With the curtain finally lifting on Tuesday, the Lakers are not quite ready for showtime.

Doncic dazzled with 31 points, nine assists and five rebounds to lead five double-digit Lakers scorers, but the Kings came back for a 117-116 win at Crypto.com Arena. Despite playing without Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan or Malik Monk, the Kings still shot 54.7% from the field, led by 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from former Laker Dennis Schroder. Redick lauded the Lakers' 28 assists to 10 turnovers, but lamented that they should have had 35 assists had some lob plays not gone awry. 

The result won’t count, but the energy from the sideline in the final seconds still indicated the tight game mattered to those on the court. When Lakers guard Dalton Knecht hit a game-tying three-pointer with 9.4 seconds remaining, the entire Lakers bench, full of the starters and rotation players who had earned a rest to finish the preseason, jumped in the air to celebrate. 

But Kings forward Isaac Jones made a winning free throw with 0.8 seconds left after he was fouled by Nick Smith Jr. Doncic’s initial thought when asked what the team could take from its final preseason game was that it didn’t win. 

“We have two more practices,” Doncic said, “so we need to clean up some things.”

While Doncic and Austin Reaves (eight points, four rebounds and eight assists) played together in a preseason game for the first time, the Lakers were still without superstar LeBron James, who remains sidelined because of a sciatica issue in his right side. His absence, which is expected to last at least until November, forced the Lakes to re-evaluate their starting lineup.

Redick unveiled his first choice to fill the role, adding guard Gabe Vincent into the starting lineup along with Reaves, Doncic, forward Rui Hachimura and center Deandre Ayton. Vincent, who averaged 17 points in his first three preseason games while shooting 50% from three-point range, continued his incredible preseason with 14 points on five-of-six shooting with four made threes.

The 29-year-old who has struggled with injuries the last two seasons played the majority of the preseason without Doncic or Reaves, but fit into the starting lineup seamlessly Friday as a potential solution to James’ absence.

“His ability to shoot the ball in such tight windows; he takes shots that I would never even think about taking in situations,” Reaves said before the game Friday. “… And it can't happen to a better guy. He's one of our leaders of this team. Lead-by-example kind of guy. Shows up at work every single day, smile on his face.”

Marcus Smart, whose preseason got off to a slow start because of Achilles tendinopathy, came off the bench for 14 points with three rebounds.

It was a classic “Marcus Smart game,” Redick said proudly. The former NBA defensive player of the year dove on the floor for balls. He knocked down shots after a slow first half to score 11 points in the second half and attacked aggressively off the dribble.   

“This is probably the best I felt tonight since I got here,” said Smart, who has played in just 54 regular-season games over the last two seasons because of injuries. “As I continue to get better and get to 100%, you’ll see more nights like tonight where I’m more aggressive and I’m moving really well and just energy on both ends of the floor.” 

Smart was seen as a potential starting option after he signed with the Lakers. The team was desperate for his defense, leadership and toughness, and needs it even more with James sidelined. The team’s initial timeline that he would be re-evaluated in three to four weeks covers the first nine regular-season games. It will be the first time in James’ 23-season NBA career that he misses the season opener.

The 40-year-old superstar sat at the end of the bench Friday on an elevated seat cushion.

The Lakers were also without Bronny James (ankle) and rookie Adou Thiero (knee). Center Jaxson Hayes, who slammed three monstrous dunks in the first half, didn’t play the second half because of a right wrist contusion sustained on a lob dunk. Redick said X-rays were negative. 

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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