6. Off night. With all of the standard point guards sitting out, Maxime Raynaud struggled to get anything going. He finished the game with just 4 points on 1-of-3 shooting and added 5 rebounds. In a new development, the 7-footer blocked 3 shots and now has 8 in the last three games.
5. Came out firing. In his first start with the Kings, Killian Hayes was looking for his shot, scoring the first 7 points for Sacramento. He cooled off as the game went on, but still managed to score 11 points to go with 4 assists and 2 rebounds.
4. The clean up man. Precious Achiuwa attacked the offensive glass in this game, coming away with 4 offensive rebounds. He added another 4 defensive boards to finish the night with 14 rebounds and 8 rebounds. Achiuwa continues to put up numbers.
3. So many minutes. After logging 38 minutes in the win over the Pacers on Tuesday, Nique Clifford played another 41 on the second night of a back-to-back. He's young. This is what happens when you're short handed. Clifford responded with 18 points, 7 assists and 4 boards.
2. More Daeqwon. Daeqwon Plowden continues to make a positive impression in games where he plays major minutes. He's solid defensively and he's not afraid of the big shot. The Kings' two-way wing scored 13 points on 5-for-11 from the field and 3-of-7 from three.
1. Still got it. DeMar DeRozan has taken a step back as a scorer, but with the Kings missing half their squad, the veteran had unlimited shots. DeRozan responded with a turn back the clock game, finishing with 39 points on 17-of-22 shooting to go with 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
When you have 16 wins on the season, 2 in a row is a streak. That streak officially came to an end Wednesday night with the Kings ran out of gas against a talented Charlotte Hornets team, falling by a final of 117-109. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings drop to 16-51 on the season:
From Kings:
With his field goal at the 2:36 mark of Q3, DeMar DeRozan surpassed Tim Duncan (26,496) for 18th on the NBA's all-time scoring leaders list.
Kings trail the Hornets 90-85 heading to the fourth. DeRozan leads all scorers with 31. Daeqwon Plowden has 13 points and Precious Achiuwa has 10 points and 7 rebounds.
Kings take a 62-59 lead over the Hornets into the half. DeMar DeRozan leads with 22 points. Nique Clifford has 8 points and Killian Hayes and Daeqwon Plowden each have 7.
Kings lead the Hornets 34-30 after 1Q. DeRozan has 8 points to pace the Kings. Killian Hayes has 7 points and Doug McDermott has 2 makes from three for 6 points.
Starters:
The latest Morning Cup of Kings - Devin Carter to the rescue, Kings pick up win No. 16 kings-beat.beehiiv.com/p/devin-cart...
The latest on @LockedOnKings from late last night - From ZERO TO HERO, Devin Carter comes off the bench to star in Kings victory over the Pacers. youtu.be/FVo5dgX4bYY?...
6. Uh oh. Malik Monk played 11 minutes in the first half and then was ruled out with a right ankle injury. The Kings are already a MASH unit. Losing Monk would make the final 16 games even more unbearable. Hopefully it isn't anything serious.
5. Keep playing. Nique Clifford was having a tough night like most of the Kings, but Christie stuck with him and he came up big late. Clifford finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Every minute is an opportunity to get better.
4. Dealing. Killian Hayes has struggled with his shot during his time with the Kings, but he has incredible court vision and he plays hard. The former top 10 pick made an impact, scoring 8 points to go with 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
3. Stats. Fresh off his 208th triple-double of his career, Russell Westbrook stuffed the stat sheet again, posting 16 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Westbrook was efficient on a night when no one else was. There is no quit in the 37-year-old.
2. At least someone scored. Rookie Maxime Raynaud was the only Kings player in double figures in the first half, scoring 10 of his 18 points before the break. Raynaud added 11 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the season and blocked 2 shots.
1. Bravo. Devin Carter didn't see the court in the first half, but when Doug Christie went to him in the third, he made a huge impact. The second-year guard scored a career-high 24 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and picked up a steal while running a +21.
With NSync's Joey Fatone sitting courtside with rapper 50 Cent, the Sacramento Kings came out flatter than Kyrie Irving's Earth. In a battle of two 15 win teams, the visiting Pacers showed life, until Devin Carter happened. Here are six quick thoughts as the Kings win 114-109:
Kings trail the Pacers 82-72 heading to the fourth. Westbrook has 16 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. 15 points and 10 rebounds for Raynaud and 12 points for DeMar DeRozan.
From Kings:
INJURY UPDATE vs. Indiana Pacers 3/10 Malik Monk (Right Ankle) - WILL NOT RETURN
Kings trail the Pacers 59-42 at the half. Maxime Raynaud leads Sacramento with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Westbrook has 9 points and DeRozan has 8. Kings shoot 34.7% as a team.
Ugly shooting quarter in Sacramento. Kings trail the Pacers 25-24. DeRozan leads with 8 points. Kings shoot 33.3% from the field. Pacers shoot 40.9%.
Starters:
From last night on @lockedonkings - MR. TRIPLE DOUBLE, Russell Westbrook stars in Sacramento Kings win over the Chicago Bulls. youtu.be/v1Y_Kgv_Mi8?...
6. Jack of all trades. Nique Clifford doesn't need to post big scoring numbers to be impactful. The rookie finished this game with a balanced 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block. You can see the work he's done on his 3-point shot.
5. Consistency. Precious Achiuwa has gone from a nice find to one of the most consistent performers on the Kings' roster. The 26-year-old settled into a starting job a long time ago. Achiuwa finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
4. Leave your mark. In just his second NBA start, two-way player Daeqwon Plowden came ready to contribute. He was active on both ends of the court and finished with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Plowden might be in line for a regular roster spot down the stretch.
