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On Halloween night, the Sacramento Kings endured more tricks than treats, though rookie Darius Acuff Jr. provided a sweet silver lining in a 136-105 blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The game unfolded as expected when a winless 0-5 team faces an undefeated 5-0 squad. Sacramento kept it close at halftime thanks to Acuff's heroics, but the same familiar collapse occurred, and the game slipped away in the second half.
The Kings' defense remains a glaring issue; they struggle to get stops and keep pace, leaving fans wondering when the first win will come.
The Treat: Acuff Shines Bright
Thank goodness for Acuff. The seventh overall pick poured in a game-high 38 points, nearly reaching his first 40-point game as a pro. His performance was efficient, not just volume shooting: he shot 12-of-25 from the field, 9-of-14 from three-point range, and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. He also contributed five rebounds, five assists, and just three turnovers, a modest number given his heavy ball-handling duties.
While Acuff has already shown scoring explosions this season, his three-point shooting stood out on this night. When he's dialed in from deep, he's nearly unstoppable. It's a reminder of how valuable it is to have a franchise star who can knock down threes consistently. Even during the De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis era, neither was a primary three-point threat—Fox had his moments, but the long ball wasn't his forte. Acuff's ability to catch fire from beyond the arc signals a new dynamic for Sacramento, one that hasn't been seen in the city for a long, long time—if ever.
The Tricks: Everything Else Goes Wrong
Aside from Acuff's brilliance, the rest of the game was a Halloween trick—full of unexpected scares and disappointments. De'Andre Hunter had another solid outing with 19 points, but beyond his continued strong play, there was little to cheer about for Sacramento.
Sabonis and Zach LaVine each scored 11 points. Sabonis grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out 8 assists but attempted just five shots—a recurring issue. LaVine took nine shots but managed only one assist and committed two turnovers to go with his scoring.
The bench was virtually absent, contributing a combined 20 points. Malik Monk led the reserves with eight points, but he still appears to be searching for his rhythm this season.
Defensively, the Kings were torched by Memphis, which shot 55.3% from the field and a scorching 50% from three-point range (19-of-38). Meanwhile, Sacramento shot just 11-of-38 from beyond the arc. These are the same problems that plagued the team last year.
What's Next?
The Kings are already at the 'what's next' stage, and unfortunately, there are no easy answers. Head coach Doug Christie appears to be staying, and nearly every statistical category looks bleak. For now, the only hope is that Sacramento eventually stumbles into a win.