The Sacramento Kings looked like a team ready to bounce back early in Wednesday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors. But then came the third quarter-and with it, a collapse that’s becoming all too familiar for this squad.
After a promising first half where Sacramento took a nine-point lead into the break, the Kings were overwhelmed in the second half, particularly in a third quarter that saw them outscored 43-21. The Raptors, one of the league’s surprise teams this season, flipped the script at Golden 1 Center and cruised to a 122-109 win, handing the Kings their third straight loss and dropping them to 12-33 on the season.
Let’s break down what went wrong-and what still showed signs of life-for Sacramento.
First Half Fight, Second Half Fade
The Kings came out of the gates a little flat, still carrying the hangover from Tuesday night’s rough outing against the Miami Heat. Toronto pounced early, building a quick nine-point lead.
But Sacramento didn’t let things spiral. Zach LaVine’s 10-point first quarter helped stabilize the offense, and Malik Monk came off the bench firing on all cylinders.
Monk was electric in the first half, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including 3-of-3 from deep. His scoring punch helped the Kings not only erase the early deficit but build a solid nine-point cushion by halftime. Sacramento’s defense held Toronto to just 36% shooting through the first two quarters, and the Kings were getting it done in the paint on both ends.
But whatever momentum they had heading into the locker room didn’t make it back out with them.
Toronto came out of halftime with a different level of intensity-and execution. The Raptors shot a scorching 73% in the third quarter, knocking down 14 of their 19 attempts and hitting four of six from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Sacramento’s offense sputtered, managing just 38% shooting in the frame. The Kings couldn’t buy a stop, and outside of rookie Dylan Cardwell’s energy on defense, the team looked completely out of sync.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors’ charge, dropping 14 points in the third alone. The Kings’ nine-point lead quickly flipped into a 13-point hole heading into the fourth quarter, and for a team with a 2-26 record when trailing after three, the writing was on the wall.
Sacramento made one last push with a 13-2 run late in the fourth to cut the deficit to single digits, but the damage had already been done. The Raptors closed it out with poise, handing the Kings yet another double-digit home loss to end their seven-game homestand with a disappointing 4-3 record.
Dylan Cardwell Continues to Make His Case
If there’s a silver lining in the Kings’ recent struggles, it’s the emergence of Dylan Cardwell.
The undrafted rookie out of Auburn has been turning heads with his energy, hustle, and ability to impact the game defensively. On Wednesday, he delivered again-this time with a career-best 13 rebounds, four blocks, and a steal in just 25 minutes.
Cardwell has now grabbed six or more rebounds in 11 straight games, joining fellow rookie Maxime Raynaud as the first Kings rookie bigs since DeMarcus Cousins to post such a streak. That’s not just a fun stat-it’s a sign that Cardwell is carving out a real role in this rotation.
He’s also now one of just five Kings rookies in the Sacramento era (since 1985) to post at least 13 boards and four blocks in a single game. The others?
Lionel Simmons, Brian Grant, Michael Stewart, and Jason Thompson. That’s good company for a guy who wasn’t even drafted.
With the trade deadline approaching on February 5, it’s hard to imagine the Kings not converting Cardwell’s two-way deal into a standard contract. He’s earned it.
Westbrook Honored, Keeps Producing
It was a special night for Russell Westbrook, who was honored by the Kings for becoming the highest-scoring guard in NBA history. Sacramento put together a series of video tributes and even handed out commemorative trading cards to mark the occasion.
Westbrook didn’t disappoint on the court, either. He poured in 23 points-his fourth straight game with 20 or more-and played 34 minutes, one of just three Kings to crack the 30-minute mark along with LaVine (37) and DeMar DeRozan (33).
After the game, Westbrook expressed gratitude for the recognition: “Extremely grateful for the Kings organization. I will never forget this particular day and moment.”
Despite the team’s struggles, Westbrook continues to be a steadying presence and a leader on a roster that’s still trying to find its identity.
Injury Updates
The Kings were shorthanded once again on Wednesday.
Domantas Sabonis sat out the second night of the back-to-back due to left knee injury management, and Keegan Murray is expected to miss 1-2 weeks with a moderate left ankle sprain. Both absences have been felt, especially with Sacramento struggling to close games and maintain consistency on both ends of the floor.
What’s Next?
The road doesn’t get any easier from here. Sacramento now hits the road for a six-game trip that begins Friday night in Cleveland. The Cavaliers, who finished last season with the best record in the Eastern Conference (64-18), will be a tough test.
Last year, the Kings did manage to sweep the Cavs in their two-game regular-season series. But with Sacramento now 21 games under .500 and reeling from three straight losses, they’ll need to dig deep to turn things around.
Catch all the action on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 3:00 PM PT and tip-off set for 4:30 PM PT from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
There’s still time for the Kings to salvage something from this season-but if Wednesday night was any indication, the margin for error is shrinking fast.