Kings Collapse in Second Half as Raptors Run Away with Win
For one half, the Sacramento Kings looked every bit the team Doug Christie has been preaching about - composed, confident, and locked in on both ends of the floor. But the second half told a very different story, one that ended in a 122-109 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Golden 1 Center in front of 16,182 fans.
Sacramento came out swinging, building a 12-point lead in the second quarter behind a red-hot Malik Monk, who was perfect from the field in his first 11 minutes off the bench. But after halftime, the wheels came off. The Raptors blitzed the Kings with a 43-point third quarter, flipping the game on its head and leaving Sacramento scrambling to keep up.
Christie, stepping in as acting head coach, didn’t deflect blame postgame. He owned the collapse.
“These are the times as a coach, you reflect and you own up a lot of it,” Christie said. “We were playing too well to let a game like this slip away.”
Raptors Flip the Switch in the Third
Toronto came out of the locker room like a team on a mission. The Raptors hit 10 of their first 13 shots to open the third quarter, turning a nine-point halftime deficit into a seven-point lead in just over eight minutes. By the end of the period, they were up 95-82 - and the Kings never fully recovered.
The numbers from that third quarter paint a brutal picture for Sacramento. Toronto shot a blistering 73.7% from the field (14-of-19), hit four of six from deep, and converted 11-of-12 at the line. The Kings, by contrast, shot just 38.1%, turned the ball over six times, and gave up 11 points off those giveaways.
Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each poured in 23 points to lead Toronto, while Sandro Mamukelashvili added 22 points and nine boards in a strong all-around performance. Immanuel Quickley chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists, orchestrating the offense with poise and pace.
Westbrook Leads Kings, But It’s Not Enough
Russell Westbrook led the Kings with 23 points and received a warm ovation during the game as Sacramento honored his latest milestone - passing Oscar Robertson to become the highest-scoring point guard in NBA history. The tribute included video messages from family and former teammates, a moment Westbrook called “unique” and “something I’ll always appreciate.”
Zach LaVine added 19 points, Monk finished with 17, and Dennis Schroder contributed 16. Rookie Dylan Cardwell had a career-high 13 rebounds, providing energy on the glass, but even he acknowledged the Raptors’ relentless pace in transition.
“That’s a great team,” Cardwell said. “They play fast. As soon as you make a shot, they’re already down the court scoring again.”
The Kings made a late push, trimming a 19-point deficit to eight after a driving layup by LaVine with 3:27 left, but they couldn’t get any closer.
Sabonis Sits Again
Sacramento was once again without Domantas Sabonis, who sat out for left knee injury management. The three-time All-NBA center has played sparingly since returning from a partially torn meniscus that sidelined him for two months. In his three games back, Sabonis has come off the bench, averaging 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in just under 20 minutes per game - far below his usual workload.
His absence was felt, especially in the third quarter when Toronto dominated the paint and controlled the tempo.
What’s Next
The Kings now head out on a six-game road trip, starting Friday in Cleveland against a Cavaliers team that’s quietly found its rhythm. Donovan Mitchell is putting together a career year, averaging 29.0 points on 48.5% shooting, and he’s getting help from a deep supporting cast - even with Darius Garland sidelined by a toe injury.
For Sacramento, the focus has to be on putting together a full 48 minutes. The talent is there, the flashes are real - but until they can string it together consistently, nights like this will continue to sting.
As Christie put it: “We’ve got to make sure we come out and we are ready to go.”