Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie described Wednesday’s 112-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns as “about as disappointing as it gets,” citing the team’s poor first-quarter performance.
“I probably should have called a timeout within the first six seconds with the very first turnover,” he admitted, pointing to early miscues that allowed Phoenix to jump to a 41-16 lead.
Christie emphasized that attention to detail and matching the physicality of opponents remain central to the Kings’ identity. “Defend, rebound, and share the basketball. On the defensive end, we want to be physical, make them feel us. On the offensive end, we want to play with pace, space, and share the basketball,” he said.
The bench provided a spark in the third quarter, helping Sacramento cut the deficit to 83-73, but Christie noted the challenge of regaining energy after a slow start. “We’re a team. The bench comes in and, if it’s behind, they bring you up. But you have to support each other at a really, really high level,” he said.
On handling opposing bigs, Christie stressed the importance of impacting the ball first. “People used to say MIG, like most important guy is the guy on the rim, and I’d be like, no, the most important guy is the guy on the damn ball,” he said, referencing Phoenix’s Mark Williams, who finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Christie added, “Be early. Be aggressive… somebody has to stand him up. Somebody has to hit him.”
Christie also addressed struggles from Zach LaVine, who had two early turnovers and finished with six. “One of the things I know is like you don’t worry about any aspect of the game. He’s a scorer. He knows how to score the basketball. You rely on fundamentals. Catch the ball with two hands. Use your pivot. Get the defender in a bad position,” Christie said, highlighting the need for disciplined execution under pressure.
Despite the loss, Christie acknowledged the efforts of his starters and younger players. “You start to see Keegan take a huge giant step. He knocks down free throws, threes, puts the ball on the deck, rebounds. It’s a lot to ask to guard the best player and go down to the other end and be that guy that goes for 30. It’s a difficult ask, but he does every single thing you ask of him,” Christie said.
Russell Westbrook and Keegan Murray each scored 19 points, while Malik Monk added 15 off the bench, helping the Kings mount a partial comeback in the third quarter. Christie emphasized that consistent defense, communication, and sharing the basketball are necessary for the team to reach its potential.
Sacramento remains 0-3 in NBA Cup play and 7-12 overall, while Phoenix improves to 12-7 and 3-0 in the Cup. The Kings will look to bounce back at Utah, and the Suns face Oklahoma City in their next matchup on Friday.
