Kings’ Shot Selection Problems On Display in Season Opener

An unideal shot profile hurt the Sacramento Kings in their season opener, but Domantas Sabonis could help improve that moving forward.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Oct 22, 2026, 6:27 PM

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots the ball aga...

Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings shoots the ball against Brook Lopez #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the fourth quarter at Intuit Dome on October 21, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

(Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Shot profile plagued the Sacramento Kings in their 2026-27 regular-season debut loss in Los Angeles. The Clippers made seven three-pointers in the first quarter, while Sacramento hit 8/28 over the full 48 minutes.

“You got to take the right ones, but it’s a math game,” Zach LaVine said following Wednesday’s 121-96 loss. “In today’s NBA, if you don’t shoot a certain amount of threes, you’re not gonna compete mathematically.”

This isn’t new for Sacramento under head coach Doug Christie. They ended last season dead last in three-point attempts per game (30.2) and 29th in 3P% (34.0%). That carried into this preseason, where they attempted 30.4 triples per game, the fewest among teams.

Wednesday night’s 8/28 showing was a mark below those already underwhelming averages. Of course, it’s not as simple as letting it fly from beyond the arc. Christie wants his team to take their time in searching for quality looks from deep, preferably in the corners, rather than settling for mid-range shots early in the shot clock.

“There’s that 13 to 14 seconds in there where you just can’t settle for mid-ranges or shots that the opposition, I’m sure, shot-profile-wise, they would be happy with mid-range contests,” Christie said postgame. “Just continue on down (then) drive, kick, swing.”

While adjustments can make life easier for their play-finishers, some roster shortcomings make that difficult. Darius Acuff and Zach LaVine were the only two active players who appeared comfortable and capable of creating those advantages off the dribble.

That’s where Ben Simmons’ season-ending Achilles injury, along with Malik Monk’s unavailability due to ankle soreness, hurt most.

The Clippers were comfortable helping off Precious Achiuwa, Nique Clifford, Jonathan Mogbo, and Daeqwon Plowden. That lack of ideal spacing adds another complicated layer to Sacramento’s unideal shot profile.

LaVine explained that aspect of their roster construction well, I thought, when asked how they can generate more quality shots from range.

“The right people got to shoot (threes). But, I mean, certain people aren’t off-the-dribble shooters,” he said. “So you have to help them get shots.”

“You need to have downhill penetration. You got to have, you know, people being willing to help off of these guys. If they’re not willing to help, or if defenders are (not) getting beat and put in situations to rotate, you know, you’re not going to generate them unless you’re a good off-the-dribble three-point shooter, create your own shot. We only have so many of those guys on the team.”

LaVine and Acuff are the only two who can do that — my words, not LaVine’s. Neither is outstanding at reading the second or third level of the defense and throwing cross-court passes to open teammates.

Acuff, in particular, was an abysmal 5/24 from the field in his rookie debut and settled for too many mid-range stepback jumpers with plenty of time left on the shot clock.

The 19-year-old was self-critical after reviewing the film at Thursday’s practice. “It was a lot of zero-pass shots, starting with myself,” Acuff said. “I’ve got to be better in that part, especially as the point guard. That can’t happen. So, I take a lot of responsibility for that, but that’s what film is for. It’s good to learn from it.”

Acuff and LaVine could benefit from easier looks, and Keegan Murray, De’Andre Hunter, and Emanuel Sharp are catch-and-shoot threats from three. Even though Murray has struggled from deep since his rookie season, defenses still respect him from deep.

Monk, listed as probable for tomorrow’s home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, would add a much-needed threat and is probably their best perimeter passer. Sabonis, while not a shooter, is adept at creating advantages for his teammates. The former All-Star said he believes he can help create those three-point looks.

“Move the ball. Get me the ball more so I can swing it and get guys open,” Sabonis said Thursday. “We took a lot of one-pass shots, pick-and-roll shots without passing the ball. Those numbers were really high. I feel like we’re best when we kind of mix it up.”

“Point guard shoots, point guard hits the corner, point guard hits me, then I can make the read,” he continued. “That’s where I’m best at.”

Instead of jacking up mid-range shots with plenty of time left, returning the ball to their playmaking big man could turn a good shot into a better one. Years of tape show Sabonis is phenomenal at what he outlined. He’s a key to optimizing some of their other offensive play finishers and warrants more touches.

In the pick-and-roll, Acuff and LaVine could benefit from finding Sabonis early so he can read the defense from the short roll and spray to shooters.

Murray thrived in his rookie season off Sabonis dribble handoffs. Hunter may be able to do the same, and both can attack downhill if defenders chase them over the screens.

The day before their season opener, Christie explained his team’s ideal offensive process based on how much time remains in the possession.

“We want to break the shot clock down,” he said. The first four to six seconds, you’re getting across, pushing the basketball because we want to play fast. And if we don’t have an immediate advantage, we got to search for it. Then that means drive, kick, swing. That means creating advantages, whether it’s drag, double drag, or whatever the play is, and having the patience and discipline to just continue to search for it until you find that shot.”

Acuff, LaVine, and Monk’s shot-making is important when times get tough. As the clock winds down, they should get to their spots in the mid-range and pull up.

“Once you get to that last seven seconds, which we call ‘butter or fire,’ then you settle for the best available shot,” Christie continued. “And that’s a process of learning shot profile and what we want, but it’s a good working process, and they did a better job today.”

The Kings, and Acuff in particular, didn’t execute that in game one. It sounds like they know where they fell short, and nobody should expect a 19-year-old rookie to have it all ironed out on the first night.

It will be intriguing to see how he and the team respond Friday night when they host Portland. Monk’s potential return could go a long way, but they also need to get Sabonis more involved so he can enable their other finishers.