Zach LaVine shoots in the win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday (Photo Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–As Doug Christie walked into the press conference room in Denver after Wednesday’s loss to the Nuggets, the frustration was palpable. He described a game that was going to “sting for a bit.” The Kings outplayed the Nuggets for most of the night but collapsed in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 116-110. They also took issue with the officiating, as their free-throw attempts dried up in the second half.

On Friday, the Kings had an opportunity to bounce back at home following their tough loss in Denver. They welcomed the San Antonio Spurs, marking the return of De’Aaron Fox. Fox had spent nearly eight years with the Kings before being traded to San Antonio on February 3rd in a three-team deal that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento. Fox received an ovation during his tribute video but was booed every other time he touched the ball. The Kings went on to defeat the Spurs 127-109.

The Kings’ offense started slowly in the first quarter, appearing disjointed and out of sync as the Spurs outscored them 26-20. Stephon Castle led all scorers in the quarter with nine points, while DeMar DeRozan paced the Kings with seven.

In the second quarter, the Kings flipped the script with an offensive outburst, outscoring the Spurs 36-16 to take a commanding 56-42 halftime lead. Zach LaVine fueled the surge with 16 points in the period, while Jonas Valančiūnas added eight. LaVine led all scorers at halftime with 18 points, while De’Aaron Fox had an underwhelming first half, managing just six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

The Kings continued to dominate in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 39-35 to extend their lead to 95-77 heading into the final period. With the game firmly in their hands, they only needed to stave off any comeback attempt from San Antonio.

Early in the fourth, the Spurs made a brief push, but the Kings quickly countered, securing a 127-109 victory. LaVine led Sacramento with 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting. Castle paced the Spurs with 25 points in the loss, while Fox struggled in his return to Sacramento, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

In many ways, the Kings’ win over the Spurs felt like the final chapter of the De’Aaron Fox era in Sacramento. While he had already been gone for weeks following the February 3 trade, seeing him score in an opposing uniform at Golden 1 Center made it feel definitive.

Postgame, Fox spoke with reporters in a crowded visiting press conference area just outside the Spurs’ locker room. He reflected fondly on his time in Sacramento, despite the chaos surrounding his departure. When I asked if he hoped the city would remember him more favorably in the future, he replied, “I’ve said my peace, and I’m not really worried about anything else.”

Up Next: The Kings travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers at Intuit Dome on Sunday night.