George: Kings have plenty to clean up after Clippers blowout

The Sacramento Kings opened the season with a 121-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Matt George says the problems went well beyond one bad shooting night.

On the latest episode of Sactown Sports’ The Matt George Podcast, George pointed to Sacramento’s stagnant offense, turnovers and defensive miscommunication after the Kings were run off the floor at Intuit Dome.

The Kings never led, and after trimming an 18-point first-half deficit to seven at halftime, they were outscored 32-16 in the third quarter.

“The half-court offense [was] way too simple, forcing bad shots as this game got out of hand in the second half,” George said.

Sacramento finished 8-for-28 from three-point range and missed 12 free throws, shooting 16-for-28 at the line. The Clippers shot 40% from deep and got 30 points from Darius Garland. The Kings also turned the ball over 17 times while recording 22 assists.

(The Matt George Podcast is brought to you by IBEW Local 340 & Power Business Technology)

Rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. had a difficult NBA debut. The seventh overall pick scored 12 points but needed 24 shots to get there, going 5-for-24 from the field and 0-for-7 from three.

George said Acuff appeared to rush as missed shots piled up, while cautioning against drawing big conclusions from one game for a 19-year-old rookie.

“I’m certainly less worried about Darius Acuff Jr. than I am about Keegan Murray,” George said.

Murray scored two points on 1-for-8 shooting and missed all four of his three-point attempts. Acuff and Murray combined to go 0-for-11 from beyond the arc, a costly result for two players Sacramento needs to help create and finish offense.

George said he expects rookie growing pains from Acuff, but wants more from Murray in his fifth NBA season.

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Keaton Wagler #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers shoots the ball against Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings during the second half at Intuit Dome on October 21, 2026 in Inglewood, 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Zach LaVine led Sacramento with 28 points in his return from the hand injury that cost him much of last season. Domantas Sabonis added 14 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists, one of the few steady performances for the Kings.

George noted that LaVine and Sabonis could also help Sacramento’s trade options if the team decides to move either veteran.

The Saramento Kings now turn to Friday’s home opener against Portland. The Trail Blazers opened their season with a 124-83 win over Phoenix, making Sacramento’s response at Golden 1 Center an early test after a rough start.

“The Kings need to be competitive on a nightly basis,” George said. “That’s a bare minimum expectation.”

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

• Shorthanded Clippers torch Kings in lackluster season-opener
• Mark Jones on the Kings’ keys to success in 2026-27
• Sacramento Kings fans rank 6th in Nielsen NBA Fandom Index
• Kenny Caraway wants to see an aggressive Zach LaVine

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

• Friday, October 23rd vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, October 25th vs. Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Tuesday, October 27th @ San Antonio Spurs (5:00 P.M. PT)
• Thursday, October 29th @ New Orleans Pelicans (5:00 P.M. PT)
• Saturday, October 31st @ Memphis Grizzlies (5:00 P.M. PT)

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