Darius Acuff Jr. isn’t getting much time to ease into the league, and Friday’s home opener could be another harsh welcome.
The Sacramento Kings host the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center, and Acuff is set to draw a serious backcourt test against Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, two veterans who can make life miserable for any young guard. The rookie is already coming off a rough debut, and this matchup only raises the degree of difficulty.
Darius Acuff Jr. on Damian Lillard, who the rookie will face on Friday in the home opener: pic.twitter.com/KmDPM0Ek3T
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) October 23, 2026
Against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at Intuit Dome, Acuff struggled in a 12-196 loss. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-24 shooting and missed all seven of his attempts from beyond the arc. In 35 minutes, he also chipped in three rebounds, three assists and three steals, but he committed four turnovers as well.
Even so, Acuff sounded eager for the chance to go against Lillard. In a video posted by ESPN 1320 Sacramento’s James Ham, he said:
“I see a lot of similarities in my game with him. I always watched him growing up, and you admire his hard work. You gotta respect that, especially if you know what they do and then they show it on the court,”
“I always have the utmost respect for guys like that, and he's definitely one of my favorites, for sure.”
Lillard wasted no time making his own mark in his return from an Achilles injury. In his first game back, he scored 25 points with six three-pointers, three rebounds and six assists to help Portland beat the Suns, 124-83, at Moda Center on Wednesday.
Acuff’s job does not get any softer from there. Along with Lillard and Morant, he may also see Jrue Holiday, another elite defender. For the 19-year-old rookie, this one demands his best.
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