SACRAMENTO — Wins haven’t come easy for the Kings this season, and despite being up by as many as 17 points and in the lead for most of the game, Sunday was no different.
A big night from Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud and Malik Monk helped salvage just 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 points in 31 minutes off the bench. Raynaud had 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Undrafted guard Daeqwon Plowden also put on a show, contributing 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting in 35 minutes.
Bulls guard Collin Sexton was the only player to really give the Kings issues throughout the contest. He kept Chicago in the game when it felt like the rest of his teammates were 10 steps behind. Sexton led the Bulls with 28 points in 22 minutes off the bench.
Kings star point guard Russell Westbrook, one game removed from his viral rant toward the Sacramento media, finished with a 23-point, 11-rebound, 12-assist triple-double.
Here are the takeaways from Sunday’s win:
Malik magic
There hasn’t been a whole lot of steadiness for the Kings this season, but Malik Monk is an exception.
The always-ready reserve came off the bench for Sacramento on Sunday and, per usual, instantly provided the Kings with a jolt of energy.
He entered the game midway through the first quarter, and in just under six minutes, knocked down a 23-foot 3-pointer, threw down two vicious dunks, dished out one assist and blocked one shot.
The second dunk was an alley oop as Killian Hayes found a flying Monk soaring to the rim and posterizing Rob Dillingham and then barking at him on his way back to the other end of the court.
Monk finished with 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting, with four rebounds and five assists off the bench.
A lot has changed in Sacramento since Monk first joined the Kings in 2022, but his impact hasn’t wavered.
Madd Max
Much of this season has been focused on developing the Kings’ youth.
That includes giving rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford real NBA minutes against first-string NBA players, versus being tossed in during garbage time.
With lots of loss endured by Sacramento this year, the rise of its youth has been an undeniable win.
Raynaud, the No. 42 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has shown his two-way versatility as a 7-foot big man.
And his potential was on display in Sunday’s win, too.
Raynaud finished with 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting with 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks.
Vintage Russ
Russell Westbrook has been trending for the past 72 hours, and not for his basketball contributions.
Following Thursday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, Westbrook called out Sacramento media members after expressing his displeasure with how certain people have covered the team.
But on Sunday, Westbrook displayed a vintage performance, finishing with 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field and 3 of 5 from 3-point range, with 11 rebounds and 12 assists in 35 minutes.
Westbrook’s leadership — shown Thursday by what he described as defending his younger teammates — also was backed on the court Sunday with his elite playmaking ability.
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