SACRAMENTO – Zach LaVine was welcomed with a rousing ovation by the Golden 1 Center crowd when he made his Kings debut Wednesday. It arguably was the loudest the crowd has been this season, and maybe one of the loudest ovation in the brief history of Sacramento's home arena.
That was about as far as the good times went.
LaVine and the Kings were out of sync most of the night and never found a consistent and smooth rhythm to the offense. Defensively, it was bad, bad and more bad.
“It was a tough one all around,” LaVine said. “Obviously not the debut you want, but that’s why you play in the NBA. Another game tomorrow, literally.”
The Kings do play Thursday against the Trail Blazers in Portland, but it will take more than 24 hours to wash the memories away from this one.
Sacramento was out-worked by an inferior Orlando Magic team that had lost nine of its previous 10 games before taking the Kings to the whipping shed with a 130-111 win in LaVine’s first game wearing a Kings jersey.
There was plenty of blame to go around, too.
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The offense was disjointed and herky-jerky most of the game, Sacramento’s second since packaging point guard De’Aaron Fox and sending him to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a multi-team trade.
That wasn’t all that surprising considering LaVine didn't have much time to learn interim coach Doug Christie’s system. LaVine also hadn’t played since Jan. 27 while on paternity leave from the Chicago Bulls.
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“It’s new for all of us,” Kings center Domantas Sabonis said. “It’s just the first game. We’re going to watch film, we’re all going to get used to each another and I think it’s going to work amazing.
“He’s super talented. He’s going to open up the floor for everybody. I’m going to do my best job trying to get him easy looks. It just adds another dynamic to our offense. Once we get clicking, I think it’s going to be very dangerous.”
Asked if he was nervous before the game, LaVine smiled.
“I don’t get nervous anymore,” he said. “I’ve got three kids and a wife. Stuff like that makes me nervous,. It was an anticipation. It felt really good to be out there and playing. I haven’t played in two weeks, so it was good to get back out there. Doug’s like, ‘You all right to play 12 minutes?’ I’m like, we’re about to find out.”
LaVine and his wife welcomed their third child recently, and the two were courtside for his first game with the Kings. When LaVine was announced during pregame introductions, the Golden 1 Center crowd went nuts.
LaVine heard and felt every bit of the love.
“Whenever you’re wanted somewhere it means more than anything,” LaVine said. “To hear the appreciation, the ovation, just the fans talking, seeing my family courtside, it was great. Only thing that would have been better was that win. Hopefully we get that soon.
“Obviously a debut game is something that’s very important, that people get up for. I wish it would have resulted better, but I appreciate it. You can definitely feel the appreciation.”
Despite all the things that didn’t go well for the Kings, LaVine sounded very optimistic about things coming together soon in his new home.
“The first game is always just go out there and try to play hard,” LaVine said. “Obviously would’ve loved to come out with the win, regardless of how you play or how your teammates play.
"I’ve been in the NBA for 11 years, I know how to play basketball. I’ll figure it out.”
