It appears Malik Monk's early blunt assessment of Zach LaVine helped the new Kings guard snap out of his shooting slump.
LaVine dropped a season-high 42 points on an incredible 16-of-19 shooting from the field and 8 of 9 from 3-point range in Sacramento's blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night at Golden 1 Center, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 31 minutes.
It was his best performance since being traded to the Kings on Feb. 2, and the most points he'd scored since dropping 51 on Oct. 28, 2023, as a member of the Chicago Bulls.
"About time," Monk told NBC Sports California's Morgan Ragan and Deuce Mason on "Kings Postgame Live." "... Hopefully he continues this because he ain't been hitting nothing with us."
Tough crowd.
LaVine responded to his teammate's playful criticism with an Instagram post that included Monk's comments, along with a flurry of his 3-pointers in Monday's win and the caption: "About time huh"
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Monk's first remarks came after LaVine's third game with the team, a 123-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. LaVine had 22 points in that game but went just 1 of 7 from beyond the arc to worsen his overall 3-point shooting as a member of the Kings to 4 of 20 (20 percent) through three games.
"That m----------r ain't hitting no 3s like he do with everybody else," Monk said after the game. "Man, I don't know what it is. His s--t broke right now. He's going to start hitting them, though. He's just got to get a few games under his belt."
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Entering Monday's matchup, LaVine was seven games in with Sacramento and had displayed better shooting showings but still hadn't looked like the elite shooter he is. He was shooting 26.4 percent from deep through his first seven games.
That all changed Monday night.
LaVine had 22 first-half points and then went on a full-blown heater in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points in a little more than three minutes of the final frame alone.
Monk commented on LaVine's Instagram post with an exaggerated "thank you" and clapping hand emojis.
A little tough love never hurt anybody. Right, Zach?
