Malik Monk scored 34 during the matchup against the Bulls on Thursday (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action Thursday night, playing the second night of a back-to-back. They welcomed the Chicago Bulls to Golden 1 Center for a 7 PM PST tip-off, marking Kevin Huerter’s return to Sacramento.

Huerter’s return felt bittersweet for Kings fans. He was a key part of the original Beam Team that pushed the Golden State Warriors to seven games in the playoffs just a couple of years ago. However, both the team and Huerter fell short of expectations in his final two seasons in Sacramento. On Thursday, it was all smiles and hugs for Huerter as he greeted media members, coaches, fans, and Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé.

The Bulls entered the game ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 29-40 record, while the Kings held the same position in the West at 35-33. Chicago came away with the win, defeating Sacramento 128-116.

The Kings started strong in the first quarter, catching fire from beyond the arc. Malik Monk hit five threes and Trey Lyles added four as Sacramento outscored Chicago 39-28 while shooting 65% from deep. Monk led the way with 15 points in the quarter, and Lyles added 12. The Bulls struggled to contain Sacramento’s attack, with Tre Jones leading Chicago with six points early.

In the second quarter, the Kings maintained the pressure but couldn’t stretch their lead. Chicago edged Sacramento 27-25 in the period, cutting the deficit slightly. The Kings led 64-55 at the break, playing solid basketball through the first half. Monk paced Sacramento with 19 points at halftime, while Nikola Vučević led the Bulls with 11.

The third quarter saw a shift in momentum. Chicago came out energized and outscored Sacramento 37-25, seizing control of the game. The Kings lost their edge, and the Bulls began to believe they could steal a road win.

In the fourth, the Bulls kept their foot on the gas. They outscored the Kings 36-27 in the final frame, closing out the win behind big performances from Coby White and Kevin Huerter. White finished with 35 points, and Huerter added 25 in his Sacramento return.

After the game, Doug Christie echoed a message he’s repeated during the team’s recent struggles. “Unacceptable,” Christie said at the postgame press conference. “There’s a lot there that’s unacceptable, but you can’t let people come into your house and just do what they want. The energy necessary to do what we need to do was not there tonight.”

Key Performers:
Malik Monk led the Kings with 34 points.

Trey Lyles added 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Bulls, becoming the 27th player in NBA history to surpass 25,000 career points.

Up Next:

The Sacramento Kings stay home to take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday at 7 PM PST at Golden 1 Center.