DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on December 23, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back in action for their final game before Christmas on Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center. The Kings welcomed the best team in the Eastern Conference of the NBA to town as Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons took on the Kings. The Pistons have taken the league by storm the last two seasons and held the best record in the East at 23-6 heading into the contest. The Kings, fresh off their win against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, looked to make it a winning streak on Tuesday as the game tipped off at 7 p.m. PST.

The Pistons defeated the Kings 136-127 in front of a good crowd on Christmas Eve Eve.

In the first quarter, the Kings struggled mightily to contain the Pistons in the paint and in transition. The Pistons scored 24 points in the paint compared to the Kings’ 12 points and had 11 fast-break points in comparison to the Kings’ two. The Kings were dominated on both ends of the floor by a team playing on the second night of a back-to-back. The Pistons outscored the Kings 37-24 to take the early 13-point lead as Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 10 first-quarter points. DeMar DeRozan was cooking early for the Kings with 11 points, but it was proving too little.

In the second quarter, the Kings kept a better pace with the Pistons, but the Pistons continued to build their lead. The Pistons outscored the Kings 38-34 in the second to take the 75-58 lead into halftime. DeMar DeRozan was doing his best to keep the Kings in the game as he scored 23 points in the first half, which led all scorers. In the first half, the Pistons outscored the Kings in the paint 44-24 and on fast-break points 21-4.

During the second quarter, it appeared as if Keegan Murray injured his right calf as he landed awkwardly after a block. He did not come out of the locker room to start the third quarter, and shortly thereafter the Kings ruled him out for the rest of the game with a right calf injury.

In the third quarter, the Pistons continued the offensive onslaught, outscoring the Kings 40-39 in the quarter. Through three quarters, the Pistons had scored 115 points on the Kings and were in firm control with an 18-point, 115-97 lead going into the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings showed some fight and battled until the end with the Pistons. In the end, the Pistons defeated the Kings 136-127, but only after the Kings outscored the Pistons 30-21 in the fourth in an attempt to battle back into the game.

Doug Christie was pleased with his team’s effort in the second half on Tuesday, and how some of his interior changes may be leading to some success.

“If you just look at the last three games from the very first Portland game, we went big with Keegan at the three, and I think that those big guys on the interior, they help with confidence… anything that comes off of that backboard is ours. Anything that drives down the lane is going to be contested. And when you as a perimeter player have that behind you, it’s just a confidence that I can be a little bit more aggressive.”

DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with a valiant 37-point effort in the Kings’ loss as Russell Westbrook added 27 points. Tobias Harris led the scoring for the Pistons, dropping 24 in 29 minutes of action.

Up next: The Kings will stay home for the Christmas holiday and then take on the Dallas Mavericks on December 27 at 2 p.m. PST in Sacramento.