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By Bryan Colbert Jr.
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Zach LaVine led the Sacramento Kings in scoring Tuesday night, then explained why he wants their offense to increasingly revolve around someone else.
The veteran guard said he is willing to adjust his game to support rookie Darius Acuff Jr., including playing more without the ball and taking catch-and-shoot opportunities. His comments came after Sacramento’s 107-100 loss to Orlando dropped the Kings to 1-10, leaving the team searching for wins while its rookie continues to produce.
“This isn’t for me anymore,” LaVine said during his postgame news conference.
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LaVine pointed to playing off the ball and finding catch-and-shoot chances as ways he could help. He also made clear that he remains capable of creating his own offense when needed.
“But I’m trying to be in the best support role I can for him, you know, because he’s gonna be real special,” LaVine said.
Tuesday’s game showed how productive the pairing can be, even as Sacramento struggles to turn those performances into victories.
LaVine scored 31 points, making 10 of 16 shots and six of nine attempts from 3-point range. Acuff added 29 points, four rebounds and six assists, shooting 10-for-21 from the field. Together, they accounted for 60 of Sacramento’s 100 points.
The Kings still lost their fourth consecutive game. Orlando scored 33 points off Sacramento turnovers, repeatedly turning mistakes into offense. Franz Wagner finished with 33 points, while Domantas Sabonis went scoreless for the Kings.
LaVine’s willingness to adapt also comes with an understanding of what Acuff is experiencing. He described having been a young franchise centerpiece on a losing team himself and said he wants to use the lessons from his own mistakes to help the rookie navigate that responsibility.
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Acuff has not hidden his frustration with the results. Speaking after the Orlando loss, he acknowledged that Sacramento must improve its late-game execution and make simpler decisions with the ball.
“A lot. I’m not a loser. So, it’s not fun,” Acuff said when asked how the losses were affecting him.
That leaves the Kings with two challenges: developing Acuff as their lead creator and finding a way to make his production matter in the standings.
LaVine’s comments suggest he is willing to change how he gets his shots to help address both. He demonstrated Tuesday that a supporting role can still include leading the team in scoring.
Sacramento’s next step is getting enough around that backcourt production to make 60 combined points part of a winning night.
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