San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) and forward Domantas Sabonis (11) in second half action at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Dec 1, 2024

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday night. They were coming off their most recent game, a blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a real gut-check loss for the Kings, who fell further below the .500 mark. On Sunday night, the Kings welcomed the San Antonio Spurs to Golden 1 Center, with tip-off set for 6 PM PST. The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Sacramento Kings 127-125 as the Kings fell to 9-12 on the season.

Mike Brown made a pre-game change to the starting lineup, electing to go with Malik Monk. It was the first time Monk had started a game during his time in Sacramento.

In the first quarter, the Malik Monk spark appeared to pay off. The Kings exploded for a 42-point quarter, while the Spurs managed only 28 points. It was a breath of fresh air for a Kings offense that had struggled to score recently. However, their perimeter defense continued to be a concern.

In the second quarter, the Kings’ performance dipped. They became sloppier with the ball, committing four turnovers. The offense managed just 23 points, while the Spurs put up 30. All in all, it was still a decent quarter for the Kings, who aimed to maintain their solid shooting in the second half. At halftime, the Kings led the Spurs 65-58. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 18 points in the first half, while Victor Wembanyama paced the Spurs with 16 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings struggled to find their rhythm against the Spurs. They managed to hold on to a five-point lead but were clearly losing the sharp edge they’d built early in the game. The Spurs outscored the Kings 34-32 in the quarter, narrowing the gap. Heading into the final quarter, the Kings led 97-92.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings surrendered their lead. With the game tied at 111 and 4:50 remaining, the Kings desperately needed a win. For the rest of the quarter, the Kings fought hard but ultimately came up short. They were outscored 35-28 in the fourth quarter, losing to the Spurs 127-125. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs to victory with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings in defeat with 28 points.

Postgame, Malik Monk spoke about what is holding the Kings back. Malik said, “It’s attention to detail… we have to be better on the little things… we will figure it out.” Mike Brown echoed similar sentiments when he addressed the media. He appeared pleased with the addition of Malik Monk to the starting lineup and noted that it would continue for the foreseeable future.

Up Next: The Sacramento Kings will remain at home to face the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. The Rockets enter the game with a 14-6 record, sitting in second place in the Western Conference.