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The Sacramento Kings remain without a win this season after falling 132-120 to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. Both teams entered the matchup at 0-4, but the Pelicans, who had lost four competitive games, pulled away in the second half to hand the Kings their fifth straight defeat.
Sacramento started strong, leading 30-24 after the first quarter and appearing to capitalize on a Pelicans team playing the second night of a back-to-back. However, New Orleans opened the third quarter with a 26-7 run and never looked back, dropping the Kings to 0-5 and leaving them as one of two winless teams in the league.
Key Analysis
The Kings' early-season struggles have been marked by a recurring pattern: competitive starts followed by dramatic fades at the beginning of halves. Against New Orleans, that trend continued as Sacramento allowed the Pelicans to seize control in the third quarter. Head coach Doug Christie's seat may not be hot yet, but consecutive losses and blown leads could change that if the team's performance doesn't improve.
One glaring issue has been the performance of the second unit. Sacramento's bench played just 42 minutes and scored only 8 points, while New Orleans' reserves logged 88 minutes and contributed 39 points. The disparity in bench production has forced starters like Domantas Sabonis, Darius Acuff Jr., and Precious Achiuwa to shoulder heavy minutes—all three played over 40 minutes—and highlighted the need for frontcourt depth with Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell sidelined.
Despite the loss, rookie Darius Acuff Jr. delivered a standout offensive performance, finishing with 34 points, 14 assists, and 6 rebounds on 13-of-26 shooting. Acuff's three-level scoring was on full display, particularly in a matchup against last year's seventh overall pick, Jeremiah Fears. While his defense remains a work in progress, his confidence and scoring ability offer a bright spot for Sacramento.
The road doesn't get easier for the Kings, who continue their road trip with a Halloween night game against the Memphis Grizzlies before facing Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.