SACRAMENTO – This is more like it.
After an unsettling couple of weeks when the roster underwent a major facelift, the Kings returned home Saturday for a much-needed 123-118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden 1 Center.
Once again, Domantas Sabonis was the guiding force with 27 points and 16 rebounds for his NBA-leading 46th double-double of the season. Zach LaVine looked more comfortable in town and dropped 22 points, while Keegan Murray scored 19. Keon Ellis and Malik Monk had 13 points apiece.
Air LaVine takes flight 🛫
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 9, 2025
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The Kings (26-26) dug themselves an early double-digit hole but worked out of it behind Sabonis’ big night and some clutch play-making and shooting down the stretch.
That helped overcome a big night from the Pelicans' big man, Zion Williamson, who had a season-high 40 points.
U.S. & World
It also helped the Kings stay in the thick of the NBA playoff picture. Sacramento entered the night tied for the final NBA Play-In Tournament spot in the Western Conference.
The Pelicans controlled the game from the onset, building a 20-point lead in the first quarter that led to a smattering of boos from the Golden 1 Center crowd.
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LaVine helped quiet things down by scoring 10 points in the second quarter, as Sacramento pulled within 65-54 at the break.
The Kings kept coming and took their first lead of the game when Ellis made a steal then fed the ball to Murray, who dunked for a 78-77 lead with five minutes left in the third.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s game:
LaVine More Aggressive
LaVine looked a little tentative in his first two games with the Kings, but it was a different story against the Pelicans.
LaVine was much more on the attack with the ball with aggressive drives down the lane, which forced the Pelicans to try to pack the paint more. In turn, that created spacing for Sacramento’s shooters from distance.
Six of the seven baskets that LaVine made came off drives deep into the key.
Immediate Impact
Jake LaRavia wasted no time ingratiating himself to the G1C crowd.
Twenty seconds after checking in to make his first home appearance at G1C, LaRavia made a steal and running layup. The next time down the court LaRavia pulled up and nailed a 3-pointer as the crowd roared. He finished with seven points in 13 minutes.
LaRavia’s first bucket in a Kings uniform 😤
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 9, 2025
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Acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies at the NBA trade deadline, LaRavia is a guy who can give the Kings quality minutes off the bench and can make a decent impact on both ends. His energy vibes well with the second unit.
Sloppy, Sloppy
No need to read tea leaves to figure out where this one went sour.
Although Sacramento did a pretty good job shooting (43 of 91, 47.3 percent), the Kings spent far too much time in their transition defense after repeated failures taking care of the ball.
The Pelicans scored 14 points off 18 Sacramento turnovers.
