Happy Sacramento Kings circle around the beam button from left to right Precious Achiuwa (left), Dylan Cardwell (32), Daeqwon Plowden, Nique Clifford (5), and Maxime Raynaud (42) after defeating the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Apr 3, 2026 (AP News photo)
Friday, April 3, 2026
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
New Orleans Pelicans 113 (25-53)
Sacramento Kings 117 (21-57)
By Stephen Ruderman
SACRAMENTO–In a season that has lacked thrilling moments, the Kings created some Friday night, as they came all the way back from a 17-point deficit in the second quarter, led by March Western Conference Rookie of the Month Maxime Raynaud, to a late 117-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Following a 123-115 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, the Kings had a chance to do something they have only done four times all season, and that was win back-to-back games. The Kings would be up against another team that will be going home for the summer in less than 10 days, the New Orleans Pelicans.
Contrary to reporting by The Onion, the Kings won the opening tip, and we had a game here at Golden 1 Center Friday night. The Pelicans opened up an early 7-2 lead, as Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey led the early charge. Maxime Raynaud scored all of the Kings’ first eight points of the night, and helped close the deficit to 9-8.
DeMar DeRozan hit a jumper to give the Kings their first lead of the night, 10-9 with 7:31 left in the first quarter. However, after Trey Murphy the III slammed one down just 35 seconds later, New Orleans took control of the game.
The Pelicans led 30-21 at the end of the first quarter, and then had opened their lead to 55-38 with 4:25 left in the second quarter. This was looking to be an uneventful laugher. However, the Kings closed out the quarter with a 17-11 run to close the deficit to 66-55 at the half.
By the half, Jeremiah Fears, who had not started the game for the Pelicans, led both teams with 18 points. Raynaud led the Kings with 17 points in the first half, and it wasn’t even close. Daeqwon Plowden was second with nine points.
The Kings carried their momentum into the third quarter, as they went on a 9-3 run in just the first minute and 43 seconds. The Pelicans just as quickly regained the momentum, and opened their lead back to 81-71 with 6:54 to go. The Kings were able to tread along for the rest of the quarter, and trailed 92-85 at the end.
Nique Clifford and Precious Achiuwa came alive in the third quarter, scoring nine and eight points respectively in the quarter. Bey scored eight in the third quarter, doubling his overall point total for the night to 16.
DeRozan scored six points in the third quarter to get his total for the night to ten, and he opened the fourth quarter with a pair of jumpers to close it to just a three-point game at 92-89. Devon Carter, who had only scored three points on the night, then hit a three to tie the game at 92-92, and the 15,422 here at Golden 1 Center went berzerk.
The Pelicans immediately retook the lead on a dunk by Murphy. Fears then hit a layup after being fouled, and hit his shot from the line to open New Orelans’ lead back to seven at 105-98 with 6:10 to go.
Plowden hit a three to send a message that the Kings were still coming. Bey was fouled, and hit both from the line. Raynaud then hit a jumper and a layup, and it was back to a two-point game at 107-105 with 4:25 to go.
In what had seemed to be a lopsided affair between two teams completely out of contention, a real thriller was arising, as this one was going to go all the way down to the bitter end. Raynaud re-tied it with a jumper, and after Fears put the Pelicans back ahead with a jumper, Clifford hit one of his own.
It was now 109-109 with 3:23 left. Plowden took a flagrant foul from Derik Queen, and hit all three from the line. The Kings were now ahead for just the second time Friday night, and were two minutes and 37 seconds away from an improbable win.
The game stayed tight, but the Kings held their lead for the remainder of the game, and won it 117-113.
Maxime Raynaud has had an incredible couple of days. Thursday, he was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March. Friday night, he scored 28 points in an incredible come-from-behind win for the Kings. He also had nine rebounds, and four assists.
Raynaud was on hand courtside to light the beam, and most of the 15,422 here at Golden 1 Center Friday night went home happy.
Four games left for the Kings now, and they will welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to Sacramento for an evening game on Sunday. The Clippers are currently the ninth seed in the Western Conference, and are right now playing to determine which games they will play in in the play-in tournament.
Tipoff will be at 6 p.m.
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