Darius Acuff Jr. gave Kings fans exactly the kind of first look they wanted Monday night, even if the scoreboard turned sour fast.
In Sacramento’s preseason opener at Golden 1 Center, the seventh overall pick looked settled from the jump, building early chemistry with Domantas Sabonis and showing off a polished feel for the offense. The Kings lost big, 127-103, to the Lakers, but Acuff still walked off as the night’s clearest bright spot.
He got into rhythm quickly in the first quarter, scoring eight points on 4-of-6 shooting while adding two rebounds and two assists in just eight minutes. The rookie kept it rolling in the second quarter, especially when working off screens and attacking from the mid-range. By halftime, he had 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting and three assists in 19 minutes.
Over 27 minutes, Acuff finished with 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting, plus four assists and five turnovers. That came after a Summer League stretch in which he shot just 35 percent from the field, so this was a much sharper showing.
“Summer League, the intensity is not the same,” Acuff said postgame, stating that the pace of play in Saturday’s preseason opener was more comfortable for him. “It was a learning experience.”
Doug Christie liked what he saw, too, praising the rookie’s calm under pressure.
“His poise is at a really high level. He’s not ducking the smoke; he’s not scared.
He’s about his business,” Christie said postgame. “There are times when I don’t have to call anything.
He’ll look at me and already have a play in mind.”
The Kings, though, couldn’t keep up with Los Angeles once the Lakers punched back. The second quarter turned sharply when the Lakers ripped off a 26-2 run, and Sacramento’s offense stalled as turnovers and missed threes started piling up. The Kings committed 14 turnovers in the first half, and the Lakers turned that into a 16-2 edge in fast-break points.
Luka Doncic was the engine for Los Angeles, scoring 21 first-half points while helping the Lakers shoot 12-of-22 from three-point range. Sacramento, meanwhile, managed only 2-of-10 from deep before the break and never found its shot from outside, finishing the night 4-of-23 for 17 percent.
With Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine done for the night at halftime, the second half belonged mostly to the younger group. Christie leaned into that approach, giving major minutes to Acuff, Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp.
Clifford had one of the better all-around nights for Sacramento, leading the team with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting and adding nine rebounds in 28 minutes. Cardwell chipped in nine points, 10 rebounds and three steals off the bench. Raynaud added 12 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes, though he also had five turnovers.
The loss itself won’t carry much weight in the first preseason game, but the Kings still had a few clear takeaways: the shooting needs to come around, the defense needs to tighten up, and Acuff looks ready to handle real NBA responsibility sooner rather than later.
Ben Simmons did not play in the opener, despite being one of the most anticipated names on Sacramento’s preseason roster. He signed a one-year deal before training camp, is healthy, and is expected to make his preseason debut on Thursday in Los Angeles or Saturday at Golden State, according to ESPN’s Marc Spears.
Per Spears, the Kings will be careful with Simmons as he works his way back after a one-year absence, largely spent healing from previous injuries and getting his body right.
Keegan Murray and Malik Monk also sat out Monday and are scheduled for another chance to play on Thursday.
In Other News...
Kings Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. Sounds Alarm After Ugly Lakers Loss
The Kings preseason meeting with the Lakers offered an early look at where Sacramento stands as camp moves forward, and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. was one of the few bright spots on a rough night. Acuff scored 19 points while playing with the aggression the Kings need from a young guard, but the game also showed the cost of learning on the fly, with five turnovers and a defense that never found much footing against a Lakers attack led by Luka Doncics 21 points.
For a Kings team still trying to sort out rotations and identity, the loss carried more weight than a typical October box score. Sacramento is heading into its next preseason game with defensive questions still hanging over the roster, and theres a larger layer of uncertainty around the frontcourt as possible changes involving Domantas Sabonis continue to loom. For a rookie trying to carve out space and a team trying to stabilize before the games count, the margin for sloppy play is already looking thin. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Have A New Bench Name To Watch Closely
The Kings got an early preseason reminder that their second unit could have a real weapon in Nique Clifford. In Sacramentos opener against the Lakers, the second-year forward led all scorers with 23 points and backed it up with nine rebounds, looking the part of a player who can tilt a game with energy, physicality and scoring punch.
Cliffords path to a bigger role is starting to look more interesting by the day, especially with the way he attacked the rim and drew 10 free throw attempts. For a team that will need reliable production beyond its starters, that kind of versatility off the bench is exactly the sort of development worth watching as the regular season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Kings May Have Finally Found Hope At Point Guard
Darius Acuff got his first NBA start at point guard and gave the Kings a glimpse of what they have been hoping to find for years. Sacramento has struggled to settle the position in recent seasons, and the seventh overall pick was brought in with the idea that he could grow into the job. Against that backdrop, Acuffs line stood out for more than just the points, with two rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block adding to a debut that looked composed in key stretches.
The performance was not spotless, of course, as turnovers and shooting inefficiency were part of the package. Still, for a team that has spent so long searching for stability at the spot, even an imperfect showing from a rookie starter carries real weight. The next step is the one the Kings care about most, and Acuffs first turn running the offense at least gave them a reason to believe the answer might already be in-house. [Read more 🡒]