Sports are weird. One night you’re the titan of the Eastern Conference, looking down at everyone else, and the next, you’re getting scorched at home by a team fighting for a play-in spot. That’s basically the short version of what happened when the Sacramento Kings walked into Rocket Arena and handed the Cleveland Cavaliers a 120-113 loss.
It wasn't supposed to go like that. Cleveland entered the night with a staggering 62-16 record, essentially the gold standard of the 2024-25 NBA season. Sacramento? They were 37-40, scratching and clawing just to keep their season alive.
But if you watched the game, the records didn't matter. The Kings looked like the team with everything to lose, while Cleveland looked like a group that maybe, just maybe, started reading their own press clippings a bit too much.
The Zach LaVine Show in Cleveland
Let’s be honest: Zach LaVine was the best player on the floor. Period.
He finished with 37 points. That’s a big number, sure, but it was how he got them that really stung if you’re a Cavs fan. He was 15-of-21 from the field. That is 71%. In the NBA. Against a top-tier defense. He also hit seven triples, including a few in the fourth quarter that felt like absolute daggers to the heart of the Cleveland crowd.
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Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan weren't exactly slouching either. Sabonis did his usual "point center" thing, racking up 27 points and 9 rebounds. DeRozan added 28. When your top three scorers combine for 92 points, you’re probably going to win. Honestly, it was a clinic in offensive efficiency.
What Happened to the Cavs?
Cleveland had a three-game winning streak going into this one. They were on the verge of clinching the top seed in the East. But they just couldn't find the bottom of the net from deep.
The Cavs are a great three-point shooting team. Usually. In this Kings vs Cavaliers last game, they shot a dismal 26.3% from beyond the arc. You can’t win in the modern NBA shooting like that, especially when the other team is shooting the lights out.
Donovan Mitchell had a bit of a scare early in the second half. He appeared to tweak his left ankle and headed to the locker room. He came back, but he didn't look like the "Spida" we’re used to seeing. He finished with 19 points on some rough shooting splits. Ty Jerome actually ended up being the high man for Cleveland with 20 points, which tells you a lot about how the night went for their stars.
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The Moment the Game Flipped
It was close for a while. With five minutes left in the fourth, Sacramento was actually trailing 106-105. Most people watching probably thought, "Okay, here comes the Cleveland surge."
Instead, the Kings went on a 13-5 run.
LaVine was at the center of it, but Keon Ellis deserves a shoutout too. He hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to end the first half that seemed to give the Kings a boost of "we can actually do this" energy. That’s the kind of momentum swing that doesn’t show up in a simple box score but completely changes the vibe of the bench.
Key Stats from the Matchup
- Final Score: Kings 120, Cavaliers 113
- Zach LaVine: 37 points, 7/11 from three
- DeMar DeRozan: 28 points (passed Jerry West on the all-time scoring list during the game)
- Cleveland’s 3P%: A cold 26.3%
Why This Game Mattered for the Standings
For Sacramento, this was a "season-saver." It moved them into 9th place in the West. When you're in that play-in bubble, every single win feels like a playoff victory. They needed this to prove they could compete with the elite.
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For Cleveland, it was a reminder that the playoffs are a different beast. You can't just show up and expect teams to fold because you have 60+ wins. They missed a chance to wrap up the #1 seed right then and there.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following these teams as they head into the next stretch, here’s what you should be watching for based on this performance.
Watch the Kings' Perimeter Defense
The Kings have struggled all year with opponent three-point percentages. While they "held" the Cavs to 26%, a lot of those were open looks that Cleveland just missed. If Sacramento wants to make noise in the play-in, they have to tighten up those rotations. Don't just look at the score; look at how many "wide open" designations the shooters are getting.
Cleveland's Health vs. Seeding
Donovan Mitchell’s ankle is the biggest story in Ohio right now. The Cavs have the depth to win without him being 100%, but they don't have the ceiling to win a title without him at full strength. Keep a close eye on the injury reports for the next three games. If they don't clinch the #1 seed soon, the pressure to play him heavy minutes increases, which is exactly what they want to avoid.
The Sabonis Factor
Domantas Sabonis continues to be the engine. In this game, he outplayed Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the paint. When Sabonis is aggressive and looking for his own shot rather than just facilitating, the Kings become infinitely harder to guard.
The Kings vs Cavaliers last game wasn't just a random Sunday night box score. It was a snapshot of two teams at complete opposite ends of the pressure spectrum, proving that in the NBA, "desperation" is often the best stat on the board.