Kings Crush Deandre Ayton, Suns 122-105; Marvin Bagley III Out with Back Injury
The Sacramento Kings handed the Phoenix Suns their sixth straight loss with a 122-105 win Tuesday night.
Sacramento jumped out to a 27-point lead after the first quarter at Talking Stick Resort Arena and held on late for the road victory. Buddy Hield led the way with 20 points in just 18 minutes as the Kings improved to 12-11 on the season.
Marvin Bagley III was out with back spasms, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN, which robbed fans of a potential matchup between the top two picks in the 2018 NBA draft. Deandre Ayton did play and finished with 10 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix.
Deandre Ayton's Promise Overshadowed by Suns' Woeful Defense
Things haven't looked good for the Suns, who fell to 4-20 on the year, but the squad looked even worse with Devin Booker out with a hamstring injury. The team scored just nine points in the first quarter and, even with a strong finish, went just 12-of-43 from three-point range.
While the offense was bad, the defense has been even worse this season, and that was apparent once again Tuesday.
The Kings looked like they were in a layup line at times against the Suns, making 53.6 percent of their shots from the floor.
De'Aaron Fox had a few easy looks at the rim like this one:
This performance wasn't a fluke either. The Suns entered the day ranked 29th in the NBA in defensive rating, per Basketball Reference, giving up 113.7 points per game.
Only twice in 24 games have the Suns held an opponent to under 100 points.
Considering the youth on the roster, the lack of effort on that end of the court could be a concern going forward as the organization tries to evaluate the pieces toward the rebuild.
This also takes away from any positives shown from first overall pick Ayton, who came one rebound shy of his 14th double-double this season in just 21 minutes.
He showed his athleticism from the team's first points of the game:
The numbers have been impressive this season, and his highlight reel shows why he was so highly regarded entering the league. However, it will be difficult for any Suns fan to be excited during blowout losses like this one.
What's Next?
The Kings continue their four-game road trip with a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday. The Suns will go on the road Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Where to Watch: NBA broadcasts are available through fuboTV.
