Lifeless Kings offense falls flat vs. Pacers as losing streak continues

Dec 22, 2024, 5:47 PM | Updated: 6:20 pm

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 22: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket ...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

The Sacramento Kings have officially reached a fork in the road.

Following back-to-back home losses against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Kings had an opportunity to silence some outside noise on Sunday afternoon with a matchup against the Indiana Pacers.

Instead of showing up and making a statement, Sacramento rolled over during the second half of a 122-95 loss that very well may have pushed this team, roster, and front office to a breaking point.

The Kings (13-17) have lost four consecutive games and are now a season-worst four games under the .500 mark. Sacramento continues to inexplicably struggle at Golden 1 Center, falling to 6-11 on their home floor this season (tied with the 4-22 Washington Wizards for the most home losses in the NBA).

Changes are needed by the February 6th trade deadline, but the Kings don’t have that long. They must decide which road to take, and they must decide fast before the 2024-25 season become a wash before we reach the new year.

Tyrese Haliburton knocks down his fourth three‼️#NBAAllStar | https://t.co/T6jmxAY3iX pic.twitter.com/2rxaNsCE0K

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 23, 2024

Kings vs. Pacers recap & takeaways

De’Aaron Fox picked up right where he left off 24 hours prior to jumpstart another sluggish start by the Sacramento offense.

Fox scored eight of the Kings’ first ten points during the opening minutes of Sunday’s game, acting as the main bright spot during a first quarter that saw Sacramento shoot 41 from the field and two-of-nine (22%) from three-point range.

While both the Kings and Pacers struggled from deep during the first quarter, the triples started to fall before the end of the first half.

Indiana (62%) and Sacramento (50%) brushed off cold starts from the perimeter and ended the second quarter knotted up at 52-52, setting the Kings up for another opportunity to show up late as they hoped to end a three-game skid.

Malik shows some PASSION on the two-handed jam 😤 https://t.co/XmDIgXFb8t pic.twitter.com/EkUEnJwFRO

— NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2024

Any momentum that Sacramento had heading into the break was erased during the opening minutes of the third quarter.

The Pacers pounced on the Kings to begin the second half by mounting a 21-9 run that put Sacramento in their largest hole of the game. As head coach Mike Brown called a timeout, fans in attendance at Golden 1 Center relayed their disappointment in the form of boos as Sacramento faced yet another double-digit deficit.

Indiana outscored the Kings 35-26 in the third quarter while shooting 65 percent from the field, putting Sacramento in a tough spot as they entered the fourth quarter staring down the barrel of a four-game losing streak.

After struggling from long distance early, the Pacers found a rhythm the rest of the way. Indiana entered play with the NBA’s eighth-best shooting offense in the league this season (37.6% from deep), and they created separation from the Kings by using the long ball on Sunday.

Sacramento’s abysmal perimeter defense allowed Indiana to shoot 17-of-39 (43%) from three-point range, marking the ninth time this season the Kings have allowed an opponent to convert 17 or more triples. In those nine games, Sacramento is 2-7 this season.

“There are going to be nights where you don’t have it offensively, but you can’t give up 70 points in a half,” head coach Mike Brown said of his team’s poor defensive showing. “That’s what it came down to.”

JARACE WALKER OFF-THE-BACKBOARD DIME 🎯

Pacers secure the victory in Sacramento! pic.twitter.com/ndnMQDk5Iv

— NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2024

The Kings’ defense was awful across the board on Sunday, as Sacramento also lost the battle of the paint (52-38) and the battle of the fast break (18-9).

Indiana outscored the Kings 70-43 during the second half while holding Sacramento to 31 percent shooting from the field and 26 percent from deep during the final 24 minutes of action.

On the other end of the floor, the Kings’ high-paced and active offense, which typically involves plenty of ball movement, was nowhere to be seen against Indiana. Sacramento finished the night with 95 points–their third-straight game with 100 or fewer points, marking the first time since the 2017-18 season that they failed to score over 100 points in three or more consecutive contests.

The Kings finished the night shooting 36 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range. DeMar DeRozan continued to struggle (two points on one-of-seven shooting). Malik Monk turned in his second straight performance of missing ten or more field goal attempts. Keegan Murray’s three-point struggles continued.

Sacramento’s offense, which has put the ‘Beam Team’ on the map, is a shell of itself, and there’s no easy answer or room for internal improvement as we cross the 30-game mark of the regular season. This is a personnel issue.

Fans in attendance were booing throughout the duration of Sunday’s game, and it’s hard to blame them.

Expectations were high entering this season, especially when you factor in that this current roster has the most raw talent of any Kings team in the past 20 years. The talent is there, but the depth isn’t.

For three years now, Sacramento has rolled out a top-heavy rotation that lacks forward depth. In the current state of the NBA–especially the loaded Western Conference–you need defensive-minded wings that can defend multiple positions. Keegan Murray is the Kings’ lone player who matches that description.

Changes have been made in order to find the correct balance in the starting and bench lineups. Kevin Huerter was moved to the bench, back to the starting lineup, and back to the bench for Keon Ellis. The Ellis experiment was shortlived before Brown ripped off the band-aid and slotted Sixth Man candidate Malik Monk into the starting five for the first time in his Kings career.

Nothing has warranted the results that Sacramento is looking for: stability and, most importantly, a winning product.

Sacramento’s offense has looked good at times, but the failure to defend the perimeter has constantly put this team in a position where they have to play catch-up early and often. Overcompensation on protecting the paint and Domantas Sabonis, who is not a rim protector, is costing the Kings by allowing shooters daylight on the perimeter.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after there was a no foul call on a play against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Golden 1 Center on December 21, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Pressure is mounting in Sacramento, particularly around star guard De’Aaron Fox, whose future with the organization is currently up in the air.

Fox, who will become a free agent at the end of next season, turned down a three-year, $165 million extension in the summer as he and his representation–Klutch’s Rich Paul–evaluate the franchise’s direction going forward.

According to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater, Paul recently met with Sacramento’s front office to discuss the team’s plans to develop into a competitive team in the Western Conference.

Following that meeting with Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox, Sacramento has responded by laying consecutive eggs in front of sellout crowds at Golden 1 Center.

The honeymoon with the ‘Beam Team’ is officially over. Changes are needed, and they are needed quickly.

How will McNair and his front office respond? The clock is ticking for the Kings–for Fox’s time with the organization, the patience of the fanbase, and McNair or Brown’s jobs as well.

“The fans deserve better than what we showed today,” Brown said. “We owe it to ourselves.”

Injury Updates

Devin Carter (left shoulder surgery) continues to make progress in his return from torn labrum surgery. Carter has been participating in on-court activities and is getting closer to being re-evaluated. On track to debut sometime in early January.

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

Following a short holiday break, Sacramento will conclude a five-game homestand on Thursday night when they face the Detroit Pistons at Golden 1 Center.

Last year, the Kings and Detroit split the two-game regular season series as both road teams came away victorious.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Pacers action 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 7:00 PM PT from downtown Sacramento.