Kings, Christie show ‘who they are' in sweep of East-leading Cavs
The Sacramento Kings and interim coach Doug Christie proved 'who they are" in the season sweep of the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Kings, Christie show ‘who they are' in sweep of East-leading Cavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings’ season has been littered with too many ups and downs to count, but there’s at least one constant to note.
Powered by a hard-fought team performance, Sacramento’s 120-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena completed a two-game regular-season sweep of the Eastern Conference leaders.
Yes, with the Cavaliers looking to seal the East’s No. 1 after what has been a stellar campaign, the Kings, in the midst of a subpar six-game road trip, spoiled the party.
That’s partly thanks to notable production from its star power.
“Those are our guys, big-time players, and they step up in the big moments,” Christie told reporters after the Kings’ 38th win of the season.
All-Stars Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine – for a second straight game – carried Sacramento’s offensive workload, combining for a total of 92 points. LaVine scored a game-high 37 points on 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
The 30-year-old’s productivity was pivotal as Sacramento’s looked to decelerate Cleveland’s fourth-quarter resurgence.
Zach with a LETHAL step-back bucket in the clutch ???? pic.twitter.com/VPpVd8CAXZ
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 7, 2025
DeRozan, on the other hand, contributed 28 points, passing Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West for 26th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
DeMar DeRozan passes Jerry West on the NBA's all-time scoring list ???? pic.twitter.com/3zw1TFTbhY
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 6, 2025
While Sabonis posted his league-leading 58th double-double of the season with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
With the Kings’ final road trip coming to an end in Detroit on Monday, Christie acknowledges his team’s mentality is where it needs to be ahead of a crucial juncture.
“It’s about the mentality of owning who you are,” Christie added. “That is who we are. Now. we’ve played some games and we didn’t play to who we are.
“We let the refs, we let the opponents, we complained to each other, we did the things that we can’t do.”
On Sunday, Sacramento, industriously, did what they had to do, earning a much-needed win and adding a hint of consistency to a season riddled with unpredictability.
