SACRAMENTO -- The defending NBA champions were in town Monday night, and it was evident from before tip-off to the final second of regulation.
The Boston Celtics extended their win streak to six games with a 113-95 win over the Kings at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento has lost three consecutive games and dropped to 35-36 on the 2024-25 NBA season.
Kings star center Domantas Sabonis made his return to the court after missing the last three games with a moderate ankle sprain. But Sacramento was without Malik Monk (illness), Devin Carter (illness) and Doug McDermott (elbow).
Sabonis was back to his double-double ways, finishing with 16 points and 17 rebounds in 32 minutes. DeMar DeRozan also joined the double-double club Monday, finishing with a team-high 20 points and 10 assists.
DeMar DeMiddy 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FJW1wJLW9w
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
Keon Ellis, starting in place of Monk, added 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting with three rebounds, four assists and two steals in 37 minutes.
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But the reigning champs put on a show -- especially six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, who exited the game early with an ankle injury. Payton Pritchard added five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points off the bench.
The last time these two teams met, the Kings went into a hostile TD Garden and upset the Celtics in their own building amid a seven-game win streak in January. That was not the case Monday.
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Here are the takeaways from the Kings' loss:
Sabonis returns
The Kings got their star big man back Monday night – and everything he brings to the hardwood.
Domas is BACK 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZvGKfZEWDa
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
Sabonis has had a rough patch of injury luck. Earlier this month, Sabonis returned from a hamstring injury that kept him off the court for six games. The Kings went 2-4 over that stretch before Sabonis returned on March 14 against the Phoenix Suns. He played Sacramento’s next game against the Memphis Grizzlies before exiting that game early with an ankle injury.
The Kings went 1-2 in the most recent three-game stretch without Sabonis.
It is evident they’re a better team with their All-Star center. And that continued to be the case in Monday’s game.
Sabonis finished the game with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with 17 rebounds and one assist in 32 minutes.
It wasn't enough to hold off the reigning NBA champions, but the Kings certainly are happy to have their star back.
Late-Night LaVine
Zach LaVine appears to be in a bit of a funk.
After missing last week's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to personal reasons, LaVine's shot has gone cold again.
He was 9 of 27 from the field and 2 of 11 from 3-point range over the last two games entering Monday's game, and he had just four points at the half against the Celtics.
LaVine added two points in the third quarter, but appeared to have caught a quick spark in the fourth and final frame. He scored eight straight points for the Kings that led to a Celtics timeout in the fourth.
Zach LaVine with the step-back triple ☔ pic.twitter.com/H5zsRpK69U
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 25, 2025
But it was too late for Sacramento, as Boston, even without Tatum, got the job done.
LaVine finished with 14 points on 6-of-16 shooting and 1 of 5 from downtown, with five rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes. While the Kings didn't get the win, LaVine's late surge hopes to be a good sign for Sacramento as the team prepares for the second night of a back-to-back against the Western Conference's No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
Champs in town
Golden 1 Center is home to some of the most passionate fans in the entire NBA. Even the greatest opposing players have discussed the challenge of playing in the building.
But it wasn't an issue for the visiting Celtics on Monday, whose fans took over an arena 3,000 miles from Boston.
It looked like Mardi Gras inside the arena as Celtic green meshed with Kings purple by tip-off. "Let's go, Celtics" chants broke out within the first two minutes of the game, and shortly after, "MVP" was belted aloud as Tatum shot free throws.
Jaylen Brown, who attended UC Berkeley about 75 miles away, received a warm welcome to Sacramento and greeted several fans in attendance pregame.
And the Celtics gave the hundreds of Boston fans at G1C something to cheer for.
Tatum, who exited the game early with an ankle injury, finished with 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range, with seven rebounds and eight assists in 26 minutes.
Payton Pritchard was 4 of 9 from downtown and finished with 17 points off the bench.
Brown added nine points, Kristaps Porzingis had 16, Jrue Holiday had five and Derrick White contributed 12.
