Well, that was certainly a game of basketball.
The Kings were back in action last night for their first preseason game and subsequently got blown out by Luka Doncic and the Lakers B team. Doncic played just about 16 minutes, but still managed to score 21 points. Nique Clifford led the way for the Kings with 23 points off the bench, while rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 19 and looked fairly comfortable doing it.
The first quarter saw both teams playing with most of their best players (The Lakers sat Walker Kessler, Austin Reaves and Collin Sexton, while the Kings sat Keegan Murray, Malik Monk and Ben Simmons), and it was a relatively close affair until the Lakers started getting hot from three towards the end. Domantas Sabonis suited up for the first time since late January and played just 10 minutes. He didn’t really look for his own offense, but he was doing his usual excellent screen setting and glass cleaning. I think Darius Acuff and Sabonis could learn to have a very nice two man game, as Sabonis was able to set several picks that freed Acuff up for wide open looks.
The Lakers came out with a mission to make Acuff’s life difficult, guarding him 94 feet from the start of the game, much like we saw teams do in the Summer League. Acuff handled the pressure relatively well, getting to his spots, using screens to free up for his own looks and also finding his teammates. There were some rough patches, and five turnovers is too much, but he looked more comfortable than he did in Summer League and was more efficient as well.
The game really fell apart for the Kings in the second quarter. The Lakers went on a 26-2 run to start the period, with the Kings only scoring their second basket with 4:51 to go. The Kings spent most of the quarter playing a two big lineup with Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, and the lack of spacing stood out for the Kings.
Speaking of the lack of spacing, the Kings spent most of the game ignoring the three point line (on both ends). The Lakers shot 20-44 from distance thanks to a bevy of wide open looks. Meanwhile the Kings shot just 4 of 23, and it’s the attempts number is more concerning to me than the makes. Preseason should be about experimenting and getting out of your comfort zone. The Kings were one of the worst three point shooting teams in the league last year both in attempts (30th) and efficiency (29th). Somehow a team that lost DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook attempted even fewer threes, in a preseason game where the stats don’t even matter. That’s on Doug Christie as a coach, and hopefully just a one game fluke. The three pointer is everything in today’s game, and the Kings need to embrace it to open up the floor. Emanuel Sharp and Daeqwon Plowden were the only ones really letting it fly from distance for the Kings, but they shot just a combined 2-13.
Nique Clifford was a genuine bright spot for this team, although he did struggle a little when asked to run the Point. The Kings lack of a true backup point guard was glaring in this game, and hopefully it will look better going forward when guys like Ben Simmons and Malik Monk are available. Nique did a much better job when off the ball and I liked his aggressiveness in attacking the rim. Nique scored a game-high 23 points, and got to the line 10 times. He also posted 9 rebounds and 2 assists with just 1 turnover. He was the only King to finish with a positive plus-minus.
Overall it was a pretty disappointing first performance for the Kings, but they’ll get a chance to redeem themselves against this very same Lakers squad on Thursday in LA.
Random Observations:
- De’Andre Hunter and Precious Achiuwa started in the frontcourt next to Domantas Sabonis and were both fairly invisible. Hunter seemed to have the primary job of guarding Luka Doncic, and that didn’t go that well.
- Zach LaVine scored a very efficient 9 points on 4-6 from the field in just 15:27. He was also a game worst -25.
- Maxime Raynaud might have had an ok counting stats game (12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists) but he didn’t look that great. It took a while for him to get going offensively, and playing with Dylan Cardwell really clogged the paint. Raynaud did let a couple three point shots fly, but they looked slow and awkward. He also had five turnovers. Until Raynaud can consistently hit an outside shot, I don’t think pairing him with another non-shooting big like Cardwell is going to work.
- As usual, Dylan Cardwell is a whirlwind of energy. 9 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals to go with 5 fouls in about 29 minutes.
- Emanuel Sharp had a bad shooting night (2-11), but his hustle was great. He was one of the few Kings getting physical out there and he earned each and every one of his 6 fouls.
- Alex Karaban only played 16 minutes but did a good job of being in the right spot at the right time but was otherwise fairly unremarkable.
Game Highlights:
The biggest dud of the game was the streaming.
What a joke!
Otherwise, it’s preseason and I’m not gonna get worried … yet!
Streaming? If they had the regular announcers doing the game, why not put it on NBC California? If it’s hard to find the game, why black out the NBA TV broadcast? If it’s on the app, shouldn’t the app feature that? The app could tell you prominently: “Hey, you want to watch the game? Here’s the link, available at 7.”
This team is most likely gonna be shit. Still have Doug as coach. Terrible. Still have ahole owner.
Maybe Acuff can develop? Maybe Keegan can start making his threes again. Maybe Simmons will be a plus. Maybe they’ll fire Doug.
this is what I hope to see.
we really need better coaches!
And owner
I don’t get this. You could bring Ty Lou in, Doc Rivers, Gregg fkn Popovic but not one of those guys is going to get you blood from a rock. Meaning aside from the culture looking like shit 1 preseason game in (I don’t see any cohesion outside of last year’s rooks and this year’s, and all the vets look stupid together currently,) there’s still ridiculous roster imbalance and despite having the “newly improved, better than ever” Ben Simmons, there’s little trustable depth. That’s Scooter Perry, year 2.5 but hey; Zach LaVine is expiring after this season! And we still have a pick swap with San Antonio (thanks Dennis Schoeder and Ranadive’s stupid ass!!!)
Yeah… the coach is the problem…
It was clear to me that J. J. Reddick had done a much better job of preparing the Lakers to play defense than Christie had done with the Kings. I don’t see the game as well as some other commenters who played high school or college ball, but I noticed one time when Lavine simply made no effort to get back on defense leading to a basket for the Lakers. I don’t understand why players can’t be coached to guard the three point line. Why did the Kings look so totally disorganized on defense in the second quarter?
There is no accountability for player’s not hustling or doing the basic stuff. Maybe for the minimum salary guys, or Monk for some reason. But bench Zach for piss poor effort? Not gonna happen.
This is probably going to the be season I am most negative and irritated in a long time. They have no plan, no future. Just throw the ball on the court and let the guys do what they want, when they want, with no repercussions. Such a joke.
And no, this is not an overreaction to one preseason game. It is a culmination of years of garbage, aside from 1 or 2 seasons of Mike Brown at the helm.
So you are saying we’re going to suck again??
Too soon for the meme?
For a play-in team, yeah! 😉
I have many saved.
Doug has never held anybody accountable. Last year, letting Westbrook do whatever the fuck he wanted rather than developing the young kids.
Not to mention his stubborn stance on tanking. I don’t know if they’ve assembled any kind of better talent, but Doug is not a real NBA coach. Useless having him run this team.
Has anyone secured “Relegation Nation” as a website yet?
5 comments, huh?
Kings must have won!
(Hashtag Old jokes)
Well played (your comment, not the game).
First preseason overreaction of the day:
What are the odds of Coach Doug still being employed when the calendar turns to 2027?
Matina will keep him on as a “Consultant”!
The fact the Woodson’s official title is Associate Head Coach tells me the writing is on the wall. How many teams have an assistant coach with that kind of title?
Remember, the Kings hired Woodson less than one month after Perry took over. Woodson has worked for a Perry affiliated front office not once…but twice (Detroit and NY), before coming to Sac. There is a shared history there.
Quick google search would say it’s at 4 teams. Lakers, Warriors and Knicks. Not sure if that’s accurate, but would make it not THAT rare.
Obviously the problem is not the name/title of other coaches but rather who the head coach and owner actually are in this case.
Low.
Followed by the inevitable Perry hiring a head coach only to leave/get fired, just to start the cycle of hiring a head coach before the GM for the 5th time. 😉
I only wish. Vivek and Matina only fire the qualified-successful coaches.
I’d say it’s damn near 100% that Doug is still the HC on 1/1/2027.
I think the plan is to ride out the Zach/Domas remnants as is this season (or until one can be traded).
I don’t see them making big staffing changes until the offseason. So, that percentage gets really small if you start asking about the beginning of the 2027-28 NBA season!
I think they’re high because they know how bad this team is gonna be and Vivek is cheap and doesn’t want to pay another coach when they’re gonna be terrible regardless.
wouldn’t mind seeing Sharp starting at SG and Lavine off the bench.
I’d like that, just because I can’t stand seeing Lavine on a basketball court.
FTFY
Just putting it out there. I don’t know if this will be the opening day lineup or not, but it feels to me like this is where they might eventually land on starting lineup. It’s the one I want, anyway:
I can tell you right now that I would actually want to watch that lineup.
You’re a masochist too?
Since I’m going to watch a few games played by my local team, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have a preferred starting lineup. Masochism would be if I took joy in watching the Lakers run roughshod over my team. That’s not me, guy.
If Acuff brings the ball down, what do you think Simmons role would be?
What’s going on when I look at the Sacramento Kings in the last 2 or 3 days and all I’m getting is Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. I don’t want to listen or read about the Lakers I’m a Kings fan. GO KINGS!
If that were the lineup, I’d have Simmons as the primary ball handler and have Acuff coming off down screens, cutting, etc. much like how the Dubs use Curry.
This. And, BTS, that’s probably the lineup I’d go with as well.
I actually have this voice in the back of my head that says Simmons is gonna be one of their best players.I guess because I’ve watched so much of him early in his career. He was a bit of a difference maker.
Pillar.
You’ve won the thread today, Rob! LOL!
I’d start Sharp at the 2. Undersized but actually plays defense and looks capable of guarding larger guards. Lavine needs to come off the bench or not at all. Doesn’t even attempt to pass the ball or play defense.
OT: ESPN has the Kings ranked dead last in this year’s BPI projections. Behind even Brooklyn and the Bucks. Expected to be the worst in the league the very same year the bottom 3 teams get punished. Bravo Kangz, bravo.
The lottery is not based on ESPN’s pre-season projections, Adamsite!
/I find your lack of faith disturbing gif
It’s just one practice game but if things continue to happen and Hunter is a non factor in the starting lineup then Simmons might be a starter at the 4 moving Murray to the 3 which IMO is where he should be, Simmons as a rebounder but more importantly a defensive player taking the pressure off Murray which IMO is part of Keegan’s decline on offense. He can’t and schould’nt have to it all.
As of shooting guard I would start Clifford over Lavine. Really a better defender and looks to me can also score. I would bring in Sharpe as the backup. Lavine can be the 3.
Christie wants defense so looking above he gets it. My problem is the opponents shooting the 3. As of Monday night if this continues we might win 5 0r 6 games all year. Doug wants to protect the middle but he has to also look at all those threes being shot like last year. We also have to shoot a better percentage of our threes. 17% just doesn’t hack it.
Agreed! Sharpe and Clifford at the 2 makes sense. Sharpe is a dog and Clifford shows potential and the effort is there. I don’t see anyway Lavine can be a positive unless we need an isolation bucket. Keegan has to step up this year as well.
Look at the bright side – in 2031 when the Spurs take our first-round pick, at least it won’t be a high one.
Last year, ESPN picked the Kings to go 38-44, the same record as the San Antonio Spurs.
2025-26 NBA season simulation: Predictions, playoffs, Finals – ESPN
Luca torched us in what felt like 2 minutes on the court. Like, I get it, he’s generational. But man, he’s multi-dimensional against us.
That starting lineup played like absolute dog shit. And while the rookies / sophomores at least played hard, they’re not competing against a regular lineup of starters or even the middle “echelon’s” bench units. As evidenced against the Lakers.
Another Vivek’ed season, Oh Boy!
At least it won’t be on the radio on my drives home. Vivek’ed again!
Get used to it because this team is going to be awful. Most teams in the Kings situation have been tanking but the Kings are actually just that bad. They never actually tanked. I don’t think people are prepared for how bad it’s going to be. I think this team’s ceiling is about 25 wins and there’s a decent chance they’re under 20.
On a sidenote, the laundering the Sacramento media has done for Deandre Hunter is pretty incredible. Do none of them realize how bad this guy is? I’m not sure where any of them got the idea that he’s a 3 and D wing. He’s not. He plays no D and is an inconsistent shooter. People better get used to stat lines (LOL) like tonight.
I told a friend the other day, he’s the 6’7″ Malik Monk without the passing. That took the wind out of my buddy’s sails pretty darn fast.
Yeah I’ve had a couple friends insinuate that Hunter is a positive. I regrettably have to inform them that he is in fact really bad.
Badge Legend