Kings’ Young Core Flashes Potential, But Cavs’ Veterans Seal the Deal in Sacramento
The Sacramento Kings might be in the midst of a brutal stretch, but if there’s a silver lining to their 12th straight loss-a 132-126 heartbreaker to the Cleveland Cavaliers-it’s that their young core is starting to look like something worth building around.
Let’s start with the positives, because there were plenty for Sacramento despite the final score. Rookie guard Nique Clifford had a night to remember, pouring in a career-high 30 points while knocking down five triples.
That puts him in rare company-just the fourth rookie in Kings history to post 30+ points and five or more threes in a single game. Clifford wasn’t just lighting it up from deep, though.
He played with a defensive edge that gave Cleveland fits for most of the night, constantly disrupting passing lanes and making life difficult for the Cavs’ backcourt.
Devin Carter, another promising young piece, chipped in a career-best 18 points of his own. Between Clifford and Carter, Sacramento’s backcourt of the future looked fearless against a Cleveland team that’s been rolling.
And then there’s Russell Westbrook. The veteran guard brought his usual intensity and filled up the stat sheet with 21 points, nine assists, and five rebounds on an efficient 8-for-14 shooting night. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing-seven turnovers proved costly in a game where every possession mattered.
Dylan Cardwell continued his strong recent play, logging his second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. His energy helped the Kings build a 121-114 lead late in the fourth, and it looked like Sacramento might finally snap their skid.
But that’s when Cleveland’s stars took over.
Donovan Mitchell, as he so often does, played the role of closer. The All-Star guard dropped 35 points, including several clutch buckets down the stretch to erase Sacramento’s lead and flip the game in Cleveland’s favor. Mitchell’s ability to create his own shot, especially in crunch time, was the difference-maker.
And while Mitchell was the headliner, James Harden made sure his Cavs debut didn’t go unnoticed. The former MVP added 23 points and eight assists, showing flashes of his vintage playmaking and scoring touch. His presence gave Cleveland another layer of offensive firepower-one Sacramento just couldn’t match when it mattered most.
Jarrett Allen was a force in the paint all night, finishing with 29 points and 10 rebounds while shooting a staggering 11-for-12 from the field. He started the game 11-for-11 and made life miserable for Sacramento’s frontcourt. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud held his own with 14 points and seven boards, but containing Allen on the roll proved to be a tall order.
Second-year forward Deaqwon Plowden also made his first career start and made the most of it. He brought relentless effort on the offensive glass, grabbing all six of his rebounds on that end, and added 16 points, four assists, and a steal. His hustle was infectious and gave Sacramento a much-needed edge in the trenches.
Former Kings Keon Ellis and Dennis Schröder also made their returns to Golden 1 Center, both coming off the bench for Cleveland. Ellis, in particular, received a warm ovation from the Sacramento crowd when he checked in early in the second quarter. He responded with a solid all-around performance-six points, three assists, and three steals.
Despite the loss, this was one of Sacramento’s most promising performances in weeks. The young talent is starting to pop, and while the 12-game losing streak now ties the longest in franchise history, the development of Clifford, Carter, Cardwell, Raynaud, and Plowden gives fans a reason to stay engaged.
The Kings will have a chance to finally get back in the win column Monday night when they take on the struggling New Orleans Pelicans. The losing streak may be historic, but if the kids keep playing like this, better days could be closer than they seem.