The tension from Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings didn’t end at the final buzzer.

After Sacramento’s 124–112 win at Golden 1 Center on January 12, a physical altercation between a Lakers fan and a Kings fan broke out in a parking garage outside the arena. Video of the incident quickly spread across social media, adding an ugly postscript to a game that had already been charged with emotion.

The Kings, coming off a win over Houston, controlled the contest after an early Lakers push. Sacramento built a double-digit lead by the third quarter and never let it slip, knocking down shots from deep and turning the game into a comfortable home victory rather than the “clutch” battle it was briefly billed as early on.

For the Lakers, it marked another frustrating night in a season already defined by inconsistency. For the Kings, it was a statement win fueled in part by former Lakers Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk, who both delivered strong performances against their old team.

In the video, the two exchange words before the Kings fan throws the first punch. The Lakers fan ducks the swing and fires back with a pair of punches before the clip cuts off as the situation continues to unfold.

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Fan altercations aren’t new, particularly in rivalry games with deep history

While disturbing, Monday’s fight wasn’t an isolated event. Just last week, fans were involved in a physical altercation during a Warriors vs. Bucks game in San Francisco, with punches thrown in the stands before security intervened.

Incidents involving Lakers and Kings fans also carry historical weight. Their rivalry dates back decades, most notably the infamous 2002 Western Conference Finals.

During that series, tensions in Sacramento reached a boiling point. Former Lakers forward Robert Horry later recalled Kings fans throwing objects and even rocking the Lakers’ team bus upon arrival for Game 7. After advancing to the Finals, Shaquille O’Neal famously responded by mooning the crowd from the bus, a moment that still lives in NBA lore.

The hostility surrounding Lakers–Kings games has extended beyond the stands this season.

Earlier this month, the NBA suspended Kings guard Dennis Schröder for three games after he confronted Luka Dončić following a December 28 matchup between the teams. According to league findings, Schröder waited in the arena hallway after Sacramento’s loss and attempted to strike Dončić, though no punch landed.

Shams Charania later reported that the league determined Schröder “attempted to swing” at Dončić, leading to the suspension. The altercation followed months of simmering tension between the two, including international competition at the 2025 EuroBasket, where Germany defeated Slovenia in the quarterfinals.

Schröder will miss three games and is scheduled to return on January 16 against Washington.

While the Kings celebrated a convincing home win and the Lakers absorbed another loss, the night ended with a moment neither fan base wants attached to this rivalry, one that spilled beyond the court and into the parking garage.