Farmar, Brooks, hot shooting carry Lakers

LOS ANGELES — Point guard Jordan Farmar and forward MarShon Brooks were teammates in New Jersey, and on a Los Angeles Lakers roster consisting mostly of strangers this season, the previous connection worked out well on Friday night in a 126-122 come-from-behind victory over the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center.

Farmar scored a career-best 30 points, hitting 8 of 10 3-point tries, and Brooks produced 21 of his 23 points in the second half, making all three of his 3-point shots, as the Lakers (20-38) overcame the Kings (20-38) mostly from long distance. Los Angeles made a franchise-record 19 3-pointers in a regulation game on 27 attempts.

“We were shooting the ball really well tonight,” said Farmar, who came off the bench and got the Lakers going late in the third quarter after they fell behind by 15 points at 92-77. “I just made a couple of shots. We were losing and I wanted to try to spark it up and make some things happen.

“MarShon did a really good job. I played with him in Jersey and I kind of know what he could do, so I was going to him often.”

Forwards Rudy Gay (32 points) and Derrick Williams (26) led the Kings, who lost the game despite winning the rebounding battle 44-31 and making only 11 turnovers to the Lakers’ 17.

Lakers center Pau Gasol and guard Jodie Meeks scored 22 each as the Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak. But it was Farmar who got most of the credit for the comeback.

“In the third quarter, he brought us back,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “They were making twos and we were making 3s, so we caught up.

“I just thought the spirit was right, and the ball movement was better.”

The Lakers had a season-high-tying 35 assists, including seven by Farmar, and 10 from starting point guard Kendall Marshall, who was held scoreless for the third game in a row.

“They shot the lights out,” said Sacramento coach Michael Malone, who added the biggest difference was the Kings “allowed their bench to score 58 points. Jordan Farmar got 30 … I knew we would be able to get whatever we wanted on offense because they don’t defend, either, but this was two bad defensive teams playing basketball tonight.

“If we are going to think these last 24 games remaining in the season, that this is who we are going to be, then it’s going to be a long 24 games. I am embarrassed by the defensive effort we put forth tonight. We allowed the Lakers to get whatever they wanted against us. Hopefully, we make a change and have a much different mindset than tonight.”

The Lakers hit 10 consecutive 3-point shots during one stretch. Farmar connected from long distance with 8:34 remaining for a 108-105 lead, then again with 7:06 left — surpassing his previous career high of 28 points — for a 111-107 advantage.

A 3-pointer by guard Isiah Thomas gave Sacramento its largest lead at 92-77 with 3:44 left in the third quarter. But the Lakers, led by Farmar, Brooks and Meeks, hit 9 of 12 3-point tries in the quarter to cut their deficit to 99-95 entering the final 12 minutes.

The Kings opened the second quarter on an 11-3 run behind the play of Gay, then went on to build a 65-54 halftime lead. Gay had 10 of his team-leading 15 first-half points in the quarter.

Farmar scored or assisted on the Lakers’ first 15 points in the second quarter, keeping them in it when the Kings threatened to break away. But he and Gasol, who had 18 first-half points, were the only consistent sources of offense for Los Angeles. Farmar had 11 points and four assists in the first half.

The Kings shot 58.7 percent from the field in the first half, converting 27 of 46, and outrebounded the Lakers 22-14. Los Angeles shot 54.8 percent from the field (23 of 42) but had two more turnovers (8-6) than Sacramento.

Sacramento led 31-27 after one quarter. Williams, starting in place of suspended center DeMarcus Cousins, led the Kings with eight points. Gasol paced the Lakers with 10, including a lob-city-type dunk on the fast break off a Meeks feed.

Gasol complained earlier this week about D’Antoni’s penchant for using small lineups with just one true post player. The Lakers opened that way again and led 21-17 before D’Antoni opted to go with two bigs. The Kings outscored the Lakers 14-6 the rest of the quarter, then got off to a quick start in the second before the Lakers went small again.

NOTES: Kings C DeMarcus Cousins served his one-game, NBA-mandated suspension for throwing a punch at Houston G Patrick Beverley on Feb. 25. … Kings F Carl Landry (knee) also missed the game and so coach Michael Malone deployed a small lineup with Jason Thompson at center and Derrick Williams at power forward. Malone stressed that he wants Williams to stay aggressive at all times “so that he can be the best player that he can be.” … The Lakers again went with their small lineup by choice, with 6-7 Wesley Johnson at power forward and center Pau Gasol the lone true big. “What it does is, it spreads the floor for Kendall Marshall, Jordan Farmar and Jodie Meeks,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said of the lineup. “For them to be effective, you have to spread them out.” … Lakers G-F Nick Young missed his third consecutive game because of a sore left knee. He has missed nine of the past 10 games. … Lakers G Xavier Henry continues his D-League assignment on Saturday. D’Antoni said Henry will rejoin the Lakers on Sunday. … Lakers backup C Chris Kaman (back spasms) returned to action after missing one game.