Playing on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday night may have been the difference for the Sacramento Kings, who suffered from a second-half collapse in their 126-113 loss in Chicago.
LaVine’s game-high 30 points on 12/19 shooting weren’t enough to leave his lone homecoming with another tally in the win column. The Bulls cruised to their fifth consecutive start this season thanks to their depth and cohesion.
After 42 first-half points in the paint, the Kings ended with just 60 total. Allowing 126 points to Chicago doesn’t bode well for the Kings, who fall to 1-4 five games into their 2025-26 campaign.
They’ve been competitive in every battle, but wins and losses are the final tally that matter, and it’s been a slow start for this edition of the Beam Team.
Kings @ Bulls Game Notes
Sacramento’s first back-to-back of the season also featured its first repeat starting lineup. Russell Westbrook got the call, but LaVine’s return to Chicago, where he played over 400 games in eight seasons.
While a few familiar faces remained, the Bulls roster was vastly different from even last season. Their depth and offensive versatility had led them to a 3-0 start.
Chicago showed that ability early, converting 7 of its first 10 field goals. An early 19-4 run gave the home squad a 24-12 advantage in a hurry.
Sacramento’s offense sputtered in the opening moments, but expected Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk changed that quickly.
Moments after entering Wednesday night’s action, Monk splashed his team’s first triple and subsequently set Sabonis up for his easiest bucket of the night.
A 2-3 zone was successfully utilized last night in Oklahoma City, which once again appeared in Drew Eubanks’ first minutes.
Monk’s production, along with a second unit that also featured Devin Cater and Keon Ellis, helped the team recover the lead. Missing just seven shots, the Kings recovered from 12 down to trail just 36-33 at the end of one.
Alternating between zone and man defense threw Chicago off for stretches, but it was an offensive showdown in the Windy City. Kings head coach Doug Christie seems to have found a more comfortable rotational pattern, which includes stretches of LaVine at the four.
The grouping of Schroder, Ellis, Monk, LaVine, and Sabonis displayed some of their best offense in the early season. With three knockdown shooters and as many quality playmakers, their paint touches, spacing, and ball movement excelled.
But the Bulls strung together timely runs to hang out, ending the half 9-0 as Sacramento led 64-62. Shooting 64.4 percent from the field while recording 42 points in the paint and 20 assists was the clear highlight.
Zach LaVine rises up and slams it down with force in his return to Chicago.
He’s up to 16 pts on 7/10 in the first half. pic.twitter.com/IDTIoIdYsK
— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) October 30, 2025
Running a nine-man rotation without two key pieces, the back-to-back fatigue seemingly crept in during the third frame. Buzelis, 6’8, easily found his way to the basket and knocked down more triples than anyone would’ve expected.
LaVine, who closed the first half aggressively attacking the basket en route to 16 points on 7/10 shooting, couldn’t sustain that into the third. Their half-court offense excelled in the first, but struggling to get stops forced them to play at a slower pace, limiting ball movement.
Maintaining their momentum, Chicago’s eventual 11-point lead held at 75-66. The paint pressure that previously existed disappeared while various Bulls ball-handlers easily made their way to the rim for finishes. Maybe the scheduling had an impact, but the Kings were a step slow.
Their once-hot shooting halted after shooting 8/20 in the third and, more damagingly, allowing 17/26 from their opponents. Chicago led 101-91 after a 39 point frame.
More of the same came from there. Playmakers couldn’t reliably generate paint touches, with Christie even replacing Schroder with Monk in the closing unit, likely searching for a spark.
It was to no avail, as the Bulls cruised to their fifth consecutive start this season, defeating Sacramento 126-113.
LaVine’s game-high 30 points on 12/19 shooting weren’t enough to leave his lone homecoming with another tally in the win column.
After 42 first-half points in the paint, the Kings ended with just 60 total on Wednesday night. Allowing 126 points to Chicago doesn’t bode well for the Kings, who fall to 1-4 five games into their 2025-26 campaign.
Milwaukee and Denver are still on Sacramento’s schedule for the ongoing road trip, tall tasks for a shorthanded team still trying to identify and accentuate their strengths.
More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports
The Sacramento Kings are finding their way during the early stages of the 2025-26 regular season, and doing so with a shorthanded roster as forward Keegan Murray (hand surgery) works his way back to the hardwood.
NBC Sports California analyst Kayte Christensen joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share her thoughts on the Kings’ slow start, highlighting what sticks out about the reigning champion Oklahoma Thunder, explain what back-to-backs are like at the pro level, and much more.
Be sure to check out the entire interview with NBC Sports’ Kayte Christensen on the Sactown Sports 1140 YouTube page.
Read More:
Kayte Christensen reacts to the Kings’ slow start
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Saturday, November 1st – @ Milwaukee Bucks – 2:00 PM PT
Monday, November 3rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PT
Wednesday, November 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PT
Friday, November 7th – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – 7:00 PM PT
Sunday, November 9th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – 5:00 PM PT
Thank you for readingSactownSports.com. Follow us onTwitterandGoogle News, and subscribe to ourYouTubechannel.