Matt George here, the host of the daily Locked On Kings podcast, with your daily Locked On Kings newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Kings and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Kings Dominate Warriors Without Fox: Doug Christie’s Impact Shines
The Sacramento Kings made a statement last night, crushing the Golden State Warriors by 30 points inside the Chase Center. This victory marks their fourth consecutive win, a feat they hadn’t achieved all season until now. What’s even more impressive is that the Kings did it without their star player, De’Aaron Fox.
Doug Christie’s influence on this team is undeniable. Since taking over as interim head coach, he’s revitalized our squad, emphasizing strong starts and setting the tone early. Against the Warriors, Sacramento came out firing, building an 18-point lead in the first quarter. Even when Golden State tried to rally back, they quickly regained control.
The Kings’ offensive performance was stellar, with seven players scoring in double figures. They shot an impressive 51% from the field, 44% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line. Over the last two games, the Kings made a staggering 40 three-pointers, a welcome sight considering the early-season struggles from beyond the arc.
Malik Monk stepped up big time in Fox’s absence, delivering a spectacular performance with 26 points, 12 assists, and 5 three-pointers. His playmaking abilities were on full display, dishing out 10 assists in his first 16 minutes of action. Monk’s energy and production were crucial in filling the void left by Fox.
Domantas Sabonis dominated the Warriors’ frontcourt, posting 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. His strong first quarter set the tone for the entire game, answering Christie’s call for leadership in Fox’s absence.
Rookie Devin Carter continues to impress, contributing 13 points, 7 rebounds, and making his presence felt on the defensive end. His length and fearlessness are already proving valuable assets to his team.
This win vaults the Kings right back into the Western Conference playoff race. Sacramento is now just one game back of the final play-in spot and only three and a half games behind the fifth seed. With 46 games remaining, they’re poised to make a strong push in the second half of the season.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Kings’ resurgence under Doug Christie, tune into the Locked On Kings podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Kings Podcast:
• Keegan Murray’s return from injury and his performance against the Warriors
Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) greets Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) before a game at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter/Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Casting a cursory eye up and down the standings this weekend, I noticed some appearances that made me take a second look. This went for teams for climbing and sliding. So, I’m introducing a potentially recurring feature called “Monday movers”, highlighting teams jostling and jockeying in the standings, likely bound to get more contentious as the season goes on.
San Antonio Spurs
What a thrill it must be for long-suffering Spurs fans to take a glance at the West’s top 10 and see their team there, after so many seasons spent hanging around the bottom of the conference. What a thrill it was for me, too!
It’s not all because of Victor Wembanyama, but the phenom did hit two milestones this weekend: he played his 100th NBA game and he turned 21. His in-game numbers are similarly worth celebrating.
He’s the first player since Shaquille O’Neal to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds before turning 21, and the 7th player in the last 45 years to score over 2,200 points (he’s scored 2,278) through his first 100 games. Other than Bill Walton and Brad Daugherty, Wembanyama’s the only other 7-foot center with 385+ assists before turning 21, though their first 100 games. He’s also put up more threes than Steph Curry did, with 225 to Curry’s 200 through their first 100 games.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Trades The Jimmy Butler vs. Heat saga escalated quickly: Here’s what we know. (ESPN)
Biz Amazon adds Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki to its inaugural studio coverage for the 2025-2026 season. (The Athletic)
Replay Malik Monk and Domantas Sabonis led the Sacramento Kings to a decisive victory over the Golden State Warriors. Relive the dominant performance in this detailed recap. (Kings Herald)
Analysis The Sacramento Kings need a breakout performance from a key player in 2025. Discover who they are counting on in this in-depth analysis. (Bleacher Report)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
A Closer Look at Brice Sensabaugh’s Scoring Surge
Jan 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz guard Brice Sensabaugh (28) is interviewed by Seg Media reporter, Lauren Green following a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford/Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
One of the most intriguing developments on Sunday came from the Utah Jazz, where rookie Brice Sensabaugh has suddenly burst onto the scene with a scoring explosion.
Sensabaugh dropped 27 points against the Orlando Magic, following up a 34-point performance in his previous outing. That’s a staggering 61 points over two games for a player who had been largely off the fantasy radar. His usage rate has skyrocketed to over 30% in these contests, and he’s been scorching hot from beyond the arc, hitting 12 of 17 three-point attempts.
However, before we rush to add Sensabaugh in all leagues, it’s crucial to examine the context of his breakout. The Jazz were missing several key players, including Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson. This opened up a significant opportunity for Sensabaugh to showcase his scoring prowess.
The sustainability of Sensabaugh’s production is questionable. His three-point shooting percentage is bound to regress, and when the Jazz get healthier, his minutes and usage are likely to decrease. That said, he’s shown enough to warrant consideration as a streaming option in deeper leagues, particularly when Utah is shorthanded.
Click the button below for more insights, including another Thunder player to keep an eye on for your fantasy roster.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Kings podcasts.
Making Sense of This Sacramento Kings Season with Morgan Ragan Matt George is joined by Sacramento Kings television host/analyst & co-host of the Deuce & Mo Podcast Morgan Ragan to discuss the ups and downs of this Kings season, the incoming trade deadline, and how postseason expectations have/haven’t changed.
The Sacramento Kings are Exploring Trading De’Aaron Fox Matt George reacts to the breaking news that the Sacramento Kings have had trade conversations involving De’Aaron Fox and that Fox has a preferred destination in mind.
De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis Silence the Critics in Brooklyn Matt George discusses De’Aaron Fox’s bounce-back performance after facing heavy criticism, and another monster triple double for Domantas Sabonis, who continues to be disrespected around the NBA.
