NBA

Celtics Embarrass Kings In 50-Point Laugher

Jan 25, 2022, 6:54 PM | Updated: 7:33 pm

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 25: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles to the basket while ...

(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Yikes.

Sad. Pathetic. Embarrassing.

How else would you describe Tuesday’s showing from the Sacramento Kings?

Not only did the Kings lose to the Boston Celtics, but they got completely dismantled as the Celtics held Sacramento to just 30 points during the first half en route to a 128-75 laugher at TD Garden.

The 53-point loss was the team’s most lopsided since November 2, 1991 when they suffered their worst loss in franchise history (62 points) to the Golden State Warriors.

With the (embarrassing) loss, the Kings (18-31) have now lost four-straight games and nine-straight road games.

There isn’t a better way to describe the first quarter of Tuesday’s game than two sad, simple words: completely miserable.

All-Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown paced a 27-3 run to lead by as many as 26 points as Boston made the Kings look like an elementary school team. Once play entered the second period, Boston had taken complete control of the game by taking a 38-13 lead after 12 minutes of play. The 13-point quarter was Sacramento’s lowest scoring output in a quarter this season.

Sacramento shot a horrifying five-of-29 (17%) from the field and one-of-12 (8%) from three-point range during a first quarter that was undoubtedly the team’s most pathetic single period of the season.

Well, if you were hoping that the Kings would respond in the second quarter, you would be very disappointed as Boston extended their gargantuan lead to 63-30 at the half–the lowest scoring half by the Kings since the 2015-16 season.

Boston’s lead quickly eclipsed the 40-point mark in the early minutes of the second half to put the finishing touches on the Kings before we even reached the eight-minute mark of the third quarter.

Entering the fourth quarter, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had combined to outscore the entire Sacramento offense on their own (66-55) to take a 97-55 lead into the fourth.

The final period was a bench vs bench affair for both teams as Boston put the finishing touches on the Kings’ worst loss of the 2021-22 season. When the marathon of sorrow finally came to a close, Sacramento had ended the night with just 75 points on 29-of-95 (30%) shooting from the field and six-of-33 (18%) shooting from beyond the arc.

Sure, De’Aaron Fox wasn’t playing. Sure, the Kings are an awful defensive team. Sure, the team has struggled as of late.

But trailing by 60 points and losing by 53…?

An absolutely historic franchise like the Boston Celtics, a team that has won 17 championships, nearly posted their largest margin of victory in franchise history on Tuesday night (56 points in 2018-19).

There is absolutely zero–and I mean zero–excuse to lose an NBA game the way that the Sacramento Kings did on Tuesday night. Zero heart. Zero effort. Zero sense of urgency. By the time the first quarter ended, it was clear that the game was over.

The fans of Sacramento deserve so much more. A team with heart, a team with undoubted effort. The fans at least deserve that.

Period.

Injury Updates

  • De’Aaron Fox (left ankle soreness) was listed as questionable prior to Tuesday’s matchup prior to being ruled out by head coach Alvin Gentry during his pregame media session. Gentry told the media that Fox’s injury is “just soreness” and added that the guard would be able to play if it was a playoff-type of situation. With Sacramento set to play the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday, the team is erring on the side of caution.
  • Chimezie Metu (knee soreness) was ruled out prior to tip-off. Gentry told the media that Metu, like Fox, would have been able to play if it was a pressing situation.
  • Damian Jones (left ankle soreness) was listed as questionable before Tuesday’s game prior to being ruled active.
  • Terence Davis injured his wrist on a drive to the basket during the second quarter and exited the game following his free-throw attempts. Davis was ruled out for the remainder of the game and is considered day-to-day.

Coming Up

See you all tomorrow!

The Kings will play the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday afternoon when they face Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.

A short-handed Hawks team bested the Kings back on January 5th at Golden 1 Center, even without the services of Trae Young, John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic during a 108-102 win.

YouTube video

Be sure to get all of your Kings vs Hawks coverage right here on Sports 1140 KHTK beginning at 3:00pm PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner prior to a 4:30pm PST tip-off from Atlanta.

Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule

  • January 26th @ Atlanta Hawks
  • January 29th @ Philadelphia 76ers
  • January 31st @ New York Knicks
  • February 2nd vs Brooklyn Nets
  • February 5th vs Oklahoma City

Newsletter

NBA

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors argues with a referee before being ejected during a...

Field Level Media

Warriors’ Draymond Green on most recent ejection: ‘It just can’t happen’

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said Thursday that he deserved to be ejected for his actions less than four minutes into his team's game against the Orlando Magic.

4 minutes ago

De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings guards Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks in the first...

Joseph Jarosz

Sam Amick on where the Sacramento Kings will be at the end of the season

With 10 games left in the season, the Sacramento Kings find themselves in an arms race for the sixth and final playoff spot. Where will they end the year?

33 minutes ago

Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks go for a ...

Brenden Nunes

Sacramento Kings need to limit turnovers and increased physicality in Friday’s rematch

Sacramento Kings need to improve turnovers and physicality Friday After suffering a costly 132-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, the Sacramento Kings get a chance for redemption on Friday.

2 hours ago

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks passes the ball over Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Ki...

Joseph Jarosz

Jason Anderson: The final playoff spot will come down to the Kings or Mavs

Jason Anderson, Sacramento Kings reporter for the Sacramento Bee, joined The Drive Guys to discuss the final push for the playoffs, another matchup with the Mavericks looming after Tuesday's loss, and more.

5 hours ago

Jalen Suggs #4 of the Orlando Magic drives on Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors du...

Field Level Media

Warriors complete back-to-back sweep, hold off Magic 101-93 Wednesday night

Gary Payton II stalled an Orlando run with an interior hoop, Stephen Curry saved his only two fourth-quarter baskets for the final 1:09 and the Golden State Warriors overcame the early ejection of Draymond Green to hold off the host Magic 101-93 on Wednesday night.

18 hours ago

Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a game against th...

Joseph Jarosz

Watch: Draymond Green ejected less than four minutes into Warriors vs Magic

It took Golden State Warriors' forward Draymond Green less than five minutes to get tossed from Wednesday's game against the Magic.

20 hours ago

Celtics Embarrass Kings In 50-Point Laugher