The Kings got a rough first look at the preseason, and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. came away with a clear read on what went wrong.
Sacramento was beaten badly by the Lakers, who had Luka Doncic cooking from the start and looked sharp enough to make the Kings chase the game all night. Acuff Jr., the former Arkansas star, posted a promising debut with 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting, but he also coughed it up five times in a performance that left him pointing straight at the other end of the floor.
“I don't think offense is the problem, I think defensively we just wasn't racking up stops as a team as much as we needed to…I think offensively (we) will be fine,” Acuff Jr. said.
Los Angeles shot 50 percent from the field, with Doncic finishing with 21 points and three made 3-pointers in limited minutes. The Lakers’ ball movement kept Sacramento scrambling, and coach JJ Redick’s group made the Kings look out of sync on defense for much of the night.
Nique Clifford led Sacramento with 23 points, while former UConn star, national champion and rookie Alex Karaban made his debut with three points and three rebounds. The Kings now turn to their next preseason game on October 8 at Crypto.com in Los Angeles.
There’s plenty for Doug Christie to sort through beyond one preseason loss. Sacramento is dealing with lineup uncertainty as rumors continue to swirl around a possible Domantas Sabonis trade, and Christie himself is still early in his coaching career with a 49-84 record. Still, he’s been around winning basketball before, from his days with Rick Adelman, Chris Webber and Vlade Divac in Sac-Town.
For Acuff Jr., the debut offered both a taste of what he can bring and a reminder of how much sharper Sacramento has to be on defense. The next chance to measure up comes quickly, and the Lakers will be waiting again.
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Darius Acuff Gave Kings Fans One Reason To Feel Better Fast
The Kings did not get the result they wanted in their first preseason game, falling 127-103 to the Lakers while their shooting and ball security lagged behind. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine were limited to the first half, leaving plenty of room for the younger players to soak up minutes, and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. was one of the few bright spots on a night when Sacramento needed one.
Acuff finished with 19 points on 47 percent shooting and four assists in 27 minutes, a solid step forward from his Summer League showing and the kind of outing that gives a struggling exhibition roster some immediate hope. Nique Clifford added 23 points and Dylan Cardwell chipped in nine points and 10 rebounds, but Acuffs sharpest work stood out because it suggested the Kings may already have a young guard worth watching closely as preseason rolls on. [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 🡒]