Sacramento has familiar concerns after Preseason opener

The Sacramento Kings opened the preseason with a 127-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, but the first game still offered plenty of takeaways.

On the latest episode of Sactown Sports’ The Matt George Podcast, Matt George broke down what stood out from the Kings’ preseason opener, including an impressive debut from Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento’s defensive struggles and some familiar concerns from beyond the three-point line.

George made it clear that one preseason game isn’t enough to draw sweeping conclusions, but he also believes there are things worth keeping an eye on.

“The good news is, it does not count,” George said. “But this is not a doom and gloom podcast by any means, after a preseason game.”

The biggest positive was Acuff, who finished with 19 points, four assists and five turnovers on 8-of-17 shooting. After a disappointing Summer League showing, the seventh overall pick looked much more comfortable attacking NBA defenders and getting to his spots.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 05: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball towards the basket past Ziaire Williams #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half of the preseason game at Golden 1 Center on October 05, 2026 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)

George particularly liked what he saw from Acuff alongside Domantas Sabonis early in the game.

“I thought Darius Acuff Jr. looked pretty comfortable with Domantas Sabonis right away,” George said. “It seemed like there was a natural understanding of how the two are supposed to play with each other.”

Acuff wasn’t the only bright spot. Nique Clifford led Sacramento with 23 points and nine rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting, while Dylan Cardwell added nine points, 10 rebounds and three steals.

But the Kings’ defensive performance was difficult to overlook.

Sacramento was outscored 37-19 in the second quarter and eventually trailed by as many as 33 points. The Lakers shot 20-of-44 (45%) from three-point range, while the Kings committed a whopping 27 turnovers.

George believes the lack of physicality was particularly concerning after Sacramento spent training camp emphasizing that exact trait.

“The Kings did not do a good enough job at all setting the tone physically, especially on the defensive end,” George said.

The three-point shooting was another familiar concern. Sacramento went just 4-of-23 (17%) from deep, while the Lakers connected on 20 attempts.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 28: Nique Clifford #10 of the Sacramento Kings poses for a picture during the Kings Media Day at Sacramento Kings Practice Facility on September 28, 2026 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)

George also questioned whether the Sacramento Kings’ half-court offense has enough variety when Sabonis isn’t creating opportunities for teammates or Acuff and Zach LaVine aren’t creating shots for themselves.

Still, George isn’t ready to make any major judgments.

“It’s one preseason game,” he said. “We certainly learned some things from this game, although I’m definitely curious to see what kind of tweaks and changes Doug Christie makes with his rotations.”

With Keegan Murray, Malik Monk and Ben Simmons all sidelined, the next preseason matchup against the Lakers in Los Angeles should provide another opportunity to see what the Sacramento Kings look like closer to full strength.

Listen to all episodes of The Matt George Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and watch each episode on SactownSports.com, the Sactown Sports app, or the Sactown Sports YouTube page.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Darius Acuff Jr. impresses in preseason debut, but Lakers steamroll Kings
• Jerry Reynolds: Why the Sacramento Kings could outperform low win projections
• Doug Christie: Nothing I read about Ben Simmons was true
• Zach LaVine says he has ‘a lot left in the tank’ ahead of 13th season
• Ben Simmons is ready for a fresh start with the Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings Schedule: 2026-27 Preseason

• Thursday, October 8th @ Los Angeles Lakers (7:30 P.M. PST)
• Saturday, October 10th @ Golden State Warriors (5:30 P.M. PST)
• Tuesday, October 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PST)
• Friday, October 16th @ San Antonio Spurs (7:00 P.M. PST)

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