Kings react to ‘huge’ 42-point performance from Zach LaVine

Following a blockbuster trade that sent star guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs and two-time All-Star wing Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings, it was fair to expect some growing pains for the Beam Team’s new acquisition.

LaVine, a volume scorer who entered his Kings tenure having shot 44 percent from beyond the three-point line this season with the Chicago Bulls, struggled to find a rhythm to start his time in a Sacramento uniform.

In his first seven appearances with the Kings, LaVine shot just 26 percent from long distance–a mark that loomed large as Sacramento searched for consistency in that category.

Of course, for sharpshooters, shots tend to fall in bunches–and that’s precisely what happened on Monday night at Golden 1 Center.

LaVine had an electrifying breakthrough performance during Sacramento’s 130-88 win over Charlotte, scoring 42 points on a red-hot 16-of-19 shooting from the field that included an eight-for-nine showing from beyond the arc.

The 29-year-old put on the show in the fourth quarter to put the Hornets away for good, scoring 18 points in the period while drilling all four of his attempts from deep in front of an amped sold-out crowd.

“It felt good, especially being able to do it here for the first time with the home crowd,” LaVine said postgame of his 42-point outing. “I’ve played here a bunch of times, obviously, and felt the energy. So, we needed a win like this. Not just me, but the whole team, especially after coming out of the break the way we did. So, it was good to get a win like this.”

Witnessing LaVine score in bunches isn’t new to DeMar DeRozan, not after the two stars shared the court together in Chicago from 2021-24. Now teammates in Sacramento, DeRozan made it clear that he encouraged LaVine to let it fly and keep his hot-streak going against Charlotte.

”I was just waiting. It took long enough,” DeRozan said with a laugh of LaVine’s big night. “I kept telling him the whole game, ‘Just shoot’ and the outcome, he went 16-for-19. It’s nothing new to me. I think it was just cool to have the bench going and the crowd going for him.”

LaVine’s 42-point outing on 84 percent shooting from the field made him the first Kings player to score 40+ points on 80+ percent shooting since Wayman Tisdale did so in 1993, and also made him the 15th player in NBA history to score 40+ points with a true shooting percentage of 1.000 or better.

Kings head coach Doug Christie–who, like LaVine, hails from the Seattle, Washington area–wasn’t surprised by his newest player’s big night. Christie’s message for LaVine is simple: Be yourself.

“It’s huge. I’ve known Zach and the way that he plays and what he’s capable of, and he and I have had conversations. To his credit, I thought that he’s been trying to fit in, and we need him to be himself so that we can figure out how to best support him,” Christie said following Monday’s win.

“That does not mean he is going to come out and get 42 every night, but stay aggressive. Be aggressive.”

An aggressive Zach LaVine is exactly what Sacramento needs to see more of during the final stretch of the regular season, especially as the Kings navigate the treacherous waters of a March schedule that features little breathing room.

As Christie said, LaVine may not score 40 points every night–but he is talented enough to make a difference, one way or another, game in and game out.

When is the next game for Zach LaVine & the Kings?

The Zach LaVine and the Sacramento Kings will embark on a four-game road trip that begins on Wednesday night against the lowly Utah Jazz.

Sacramento is looking for a clean four-game regular season series sweep of the Jazz after winning the first three games against Utah this season, including a 141-97 throttling at Golden 1 Center on December 8th.

Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before action tips off at 6:00 PM PT from downtown Salt Lake City.

Upcoming schedule for the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings

• Wednesday, February 26th – @ Utah Jazz – 6:00 PM PT
• Saturday, March 1st – @ Houston Rockets – 5:00 PM PT
• Monday, March 3rd – @ Dallas Mavericks – 5:30 PM PT
• Wednesday, March 5th – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PT
• Friday, March 7th – vs. San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 PM PT

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