James Ham

6. Not his best game. Over the last handful of games, DeMar DeRozan turned into an assist machine and his shot attempts were way down. He didn't have that same type of impact on this game, scoring 17 points on 15 shots to go with 2 rebounds and an assist.

5. Got off the mat. Nique Clifford has been on a tear, but he couldn't get anything going against the Suns early. He found his game late to post a 10-point, 8-rebound, 4-assist game. Part of growing up in the NBA is finding consistency. Clifford is getting there.

4. Still scoring after all these years. Watching Russell Westbrook is an adventure. He got on a roll in this game, scoring 16 points, dishing out 7 assists, grabbing 2 boards and picking up 4 steals. His shooting numbers were solid and his turnover numbers were down.

3. Keep feeding him. Maxime Raynaud continues to impress in his rookie season, posting double-doubles on most nights. His touch around the rim is next level and he continues to improve overall. Raynaud scored 22 points to go with 10 rebounds and 4 assists.

2. Get a contract offer ready. Precious Achiuwa continues to give the Kings quality minutes at both the four and the five. The 26-year-old put on an aerial show, punching multiple dunks on the Suns. He finished the night with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

1. A tale of two halves. Kings fans cheer every time Malik Monk steps on the floor. He gave them plenty of reasons to get out of their seats in the first half, where he scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. In the second half, he went scoreless and turned the ball over repeatedly.

In front of a live national audience... The Sacramento Kings drew an NBC game and they didn't rise to the occasion. With all cameras rolling, the Kings allowed a Suns squad to torch them from 3 and on the break for a lopsided 114-103 loss. Here are six quick thoughts:

Kings get outclassed in the third, trail the Suns 90-75 heading to the fourth. 18 points for Achiuwa. 15 each for Westbrook and Raynaud. 13 points for Monk.

Kings fall asleep to open the second quarter, trail the Suns 59-55 heading to the half. Precious Achiuwa has 16 points to pace the Kings. 13 points for Monk, 11 points for Max Raynaud and 10 points for Westbrook.

Kings lead 30-22 after 1Q. Malik Monk has 11 points on 3-for-3 from 3 in 5 minutes. Max Raynaud and Precious Achiuwa both have 8 points.

Starters:

YouTube video by Locked On Kings (Sacramento) Is it time for Kings to PULL THE PLUG on Keegan Murray's season?

The latest on @lockedonkings.bsky.social - Is it time for Kings to PULL THE PLUG on Keegan Murray's season? youtu.be/uLMtqWZ17ms?...

Kings rookie Nique Clifford taking advantage of opportunity

YouTube video by Locked On Kings (Sacramento) Nique Clifford shows he is READY FOR MORE as Kings hit final 20 games

The latest on @lockedonkings.bsky.social - Nique Clifford shows he is READY FOR MORE as Kings hit final 20 games youtu.be/EbvGZvq8F6s?...

6. Tough assignment. Precious Achiuwa drew the short straw and had to defend LeBron James. It doesn't matter how old he is, James is still a superstar. Achiuwa did his best on the defensive end and added 8 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.

5. Feisty. Malik Monk picked up an early tech. Then he got into it with Maxi Kleber after a hard foul. The energy was good, especially for a game that was out of reach early. Monk finished with 10 points and 2 assists. He's alway motivated against his former team.

4. The handoff. If he wants to stay on the court for the Kings, DeMar DeRozan has to reinvent himself. Over his last 5 games, the future hall of famer is averaging less than 15 points per game, but he's pushed his assist number to 5.4. DeRozan posted 9 points and 8 assists.

3. Revenge game? Russell Westbrook's year and a half with the Lakers didn't go all that well. He looked motivated back in his old stomping grounds, even if it led to some forced action early. Westbrook posted 14 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds.

2. Uncharacteristic. Maxime Raynaud turned the ball over a total of 4 times over his last 7 games. The rookie center had 4 in the first half of this game. You could see the frustration on his face. He recovered to score 16 points and grab 13 rebounds.

1. Give him the keys and don't ask about the dents. Nique Clifford was a focal point of the Kings' attack, both as a shooter and a creator. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, but this is the next step in his progression. Clifford finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Over early. The Sacramento King finished off their five game road trip with a lopsided loss to the Lakers in LA Sunday night. It wasn't all that competitive as the Kings fell to 14-48 on the season with a 128-104 smackdown at Crypto. Here are six quick thoughts:

Kings trail 96-76 heading to the fourth in LA. Nique Clifford has 22 points. Russell Westbrook has 14 points. No other Kings player is in double figure scoring.

Better effort in the second quarter. Kings trail the Lakers 64-49 heading to the half. Westbrook leads with 12 points. Nique Clifford has 10 points. 12 turnovers and 12 assists for the Kings in the first half.

Kings trail the Lakers 36-18 after 1Q in LA. Nique Clifford has 8 points and 4 rebounds. No other King has more than 2 points.

Starters:

Keegan Murray has a mild left ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in 2 weeks

YouTube video by Locked On Kings (Sacramento) Kings YOUTH MOVEMENT on full display in win over Dallas Mavericks

The latest on @lockedonkings.bsky.social - Kings YOUTH MOVEMENT on full display in win over Dallas Mavericks youtu.be/ItmEb8cOTsw?...

6. Signs of life. A 10-day contract is brutal and Killian Hayes is trying to make the best of the situation. The 24-year-old does a nice job of pushing the tempo and looking ahead for breaking teammates. His shots aren't falling, but he's moving the ball and playing defense.

5. Showed up big. Two-way player Daeqwon Plowden is getting a shot to earn his way into the NBA and he isn't taking it lightly. The 27-year-old wing came off the bench and provided a spark with 19 points on 7-of-7 shooting and 4 rebounds.

4. A good starting place. Devin Carter's season hasn't gone as planned, but he got another start and played under control, team oriented basketball against the Mavs. Carter finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. So much better.