Entering play on Thursday night, the Sacramento Kings were inching closer to must-win territory as they began to lose their footing in the Western Conference Play-In race.
Having lost four-straight games, the task was simple as Sacramento entered the final matchup of a season-long seven-game homestand: Stop the bleeding.
Thanks to an impressive bounce-back performance from Zach LaVine and a complete effort from the Kings offense, Sacramento snapped its skid with a 128-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Kings (36-37) retained their ninth-seed spot in the West while pushing their lead over the 11th-seed Phoenix Suns to one game with nine contests remaining on the regular season schedule.
Zach LaVine’s first half vs. Por ⤵️
🔥 20 PTS
🔥 75 % FG
🔥 50% 3-PT FG pic.twitter.com/DCcRQWZsq3
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) March 28, 2025
Kings vs. Blazers recap & takeaways
Heads were turned around Golden 1 Center on Thursday night before the game tipped off.
While it was Malik Monk who was announced as Sacramento’s starting point guard during pregame introductions, Keon Ellis took the floor alongside the rest of the Kings’ first five–Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine.
Monk, who returned following a three-game absence due to an illness, entered the game at the 4:13 mark of the first quarter as a reserve, breaking a 45-game streak of starting for Sacramento.
The Kings offense found success early against Portland, shooting 62 percent from the field during the first quarter (40% from three-point range) behind quick starts from Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine.
LaVine, who entered the night having scored less than 20 points in four consecutive games (all losses), didn’t let his recent struggles affect him early as the star guard poured in 20 points during the first half on nine-of-12 shooting from the field (two-of-four from deep).
With LaVine locked in and the rest of the Sacramento offense following suit (63 percent shooting) as a team during the first half), the Kings took a commanding 68-50 lead into the break.
The Trail Blazers were held to just 36 percent shooting from the field (24 percent from three-point range) to add to Sacramento’s impressive start.
SHEEESH 😱 https://t.co/DgXtPSqIGR pic.twitter.com/JnlqXfH3rx
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) March 28, 2025
Once play entered the third quarter, the Kings would add to their lead and never look back.
Sacramento’s lead passed the 20-point mark as players like Domantas Sabonis and Malik Monk complimented LaVine’s big night, but the former Chicago Bulls guard’s much-needed bounce-back performance was the story of the night.
Getting LaVine engaged was one of the Kings’ most significant issues during their losing streak, but that wouldn’t be a problem on Thursday night.
The two-time All-Star attacked the basket with authority, scoring 18 of his 29 points in the paint (nine-of-ten shooting in the paint).
“Even after makes and misses, we finally pushed the pace,” LaVine said of his team’s offense following the win. “That helps everybody get in a rhythm. I think we just had a good flow and the right mindset.”
When LaVine scores 22 or more points, the Kings hold a record of 8-3 (.727).
LaVine’s efficiency appeared to be contagious for Sacramento. The Kings finished the night shooting a season-high 65 percent from the field while also turning in a 37 percent showing from beyond the arc. They even took care of business at the foul line (81%) as they improved to 23-8 when scoring 120+ points this season.
Was Thursday a ‘must win’ game for Sacramento? Seeing that there are just nine regular season games remaining, it’s fair to say the Kings really needed to stop the bleeding. The margins are thin for the Beam Team, as they embark on a six-game road trip holding onto a slim one-game lead over Phoenix for a spot in the Play-In game.
Lineup Change?
When asked about the Monk-Ellis starting lineup swap, interim head coach Doug Christie said the change was always planned, and that a mix-up with the scorers table resulted in the pregame confusion that involved Monk’s name being announced in player introductions.
Christie said the change is one that Sacramento will continue to evaluate as time goes on, adding that he likes what Monk brings off the bench in a scoring role.
“Going forward, we’ll see how it goes. Our biggest thing is to win the games,” Christie said. “A lot of the time, it’s not about who starts; it’s about who finishes. And [Monk] is a finisher for sure.”
Rounding Out The Box Score
Malik Monk picked up right where he left off the last time he came off the bench, scoring 16 points on six-of-nine shooting from the field over just 17 minutes.
Domantas Sabonis had a big night for Sacramento, scoring 22 points, grabbing 19 rebounds, and dishing out six assists in what was the big man’s NBA-leading 53rd double-double of the season.
DeMar DeRozan brushed off a four-game stretch that saw him shoot 38 percent from the field, the future Hall of Fame forward had an efficient night, scoring 21 points (six-of-ten shooting) to go along with ten assists (his third double-double of the season) in the win.
Keegan Murray turned in a strong performance on Thursday, scoring 17 points–his fourth-straight game scoring 13+ points–while grabbing seven rebounds and shooting seven-of-11 from the field.
Keon Ellis established a new career-high by swiping six steals in the win.
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
The Sacramento Kings will embark on their final road trip of the regular season, a six-game trip that will begin on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.
Sacramento dropped a 130-111 contest to the Magic at Golden 1 Center back on February 5th as Franz Wagner (31 points) and Paolo Banchero (23 points) spoiled Zach LaVine’s Kings debut.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Orlando Magic drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 PM PT on Game Night before action tips off at 4:00 PM PT from downtown Orlando.
Upcoming schedule for the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings
Saturday, March 29th – @ Orlando Magic – 2:00 PM PT
Monday, March 31st – @ Indiana Pacers – 4:00 PM PT
Wednesday, April 2nd – @ Washington Wizards – 4:00 PM PT
Friday, April 4th – @ Charlotte Hornets – 4:00 PM PT
Sunday, April 6th – @ Cleveland Cavaliers – 4:00 PM PT
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