Malik Monk, Maxime Raynaud fuel 15th win – NBC Sports Bay Area & California
SACRAMENTO — Wins have not come straightforward for the Kings this season, and regardless of being up by as many as 17 factors and within the lead for a lot of the recreation, Sunday was no completely different.
A giant evening from Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud and Malik Monk helped salvage simply the 15th win of the 2025-26 NBA season for Sacramento, a 126-110 victory over the depleted Chicago Bulls at Golden 1 Center.
Monk led all scorers with 30 factors in 31 minutes off the bench. Raynaud had 26 factors and 11 rebounds.
Undrafted guard Daeqwon Plowden additionally placed on a present, contributing 16 factors on 6-of-13 taking pictures in 35 minutes.
Bulls guard Collin Sexton was the one participant to essentially give the Kings points all through the competition. He saved Chicago within the recreation when it felt like the remainder of his teammates had been 10 steps behind. Sexton led the Bulls with 28 factors in 22 minutes off the bench.
Kings star level guard Russell Westbrook, one recreation faraway from his viral rant towards the Sacramento media, completed with a 23-point, 11-rebound, 12-assist triple-double.
Here are the takeaways from Sunday’s win/loss:
Malik magic
There hasn’t been an entire lot of steadiness for the Kings this season, however Malik Monk is an exception.
The always-ready reserve got here off the bench for Sacramento on Sunday and, per common, immediately offered the Kings with a jolt of power.
He entered the sport halfway by means of the primary quarter, and in slightly below six minutes, knocked down a 23-foot 3-pointer, threw down two vicious dunks, dished out one help and blocked one shot.
The second dunk was an alley oop as Killian Hayes discovered a flying Monk hovering to the rim and posterizing Rob Dillingham after which barking at him on his means again to the opposite finish of the court docket.
Monk completed with 30 factors on 11-of-24 taking pictures, with 4 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench.
Quite a bit has modified in Sacramento since Monk first joined the Kings in 2022, however his impression hasn’t wavered.
Madd Max
Much of this season has been targeted on creating the Kings’ youth.
That consists of giving rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford actual NBA minutes in opposition to first-string NBA gamers, versus being tossed in throughout rubbish time.
With numerous loss hardened by Sacramento this 12 months, the rise of its youth has been an simple win.
Raynaud, the No. 42 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft, has proven his two-way versatility as a 7-foot huge man.
And his potential was on show in Sunday’s win, too.
Raynaud completed with 26 factors on 10-of-20 taking pictures with 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks.
Vintage Russ
Russell Westbrook has been trending for the previous 72 hours, and never for his basketball contributions.
Following Thursday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Westbrook known as out Sacramento media members after expressing his displeasure with how sure individuals have lined the group.
But on Sunday, Westbrook displayed a classic efficiency, ending with 23 factors on 7-of-17 taking pictures from the sector and three of 5 from 3-point vary, with 11 rebounds and 12 assists in 35 minutes.
Westbrook’s management — proven Thursday by what he described as defending his youthful teammates — was additionally backed on the court docket Sunday together with his elite playmaking skill.
