After starting the 2026-27 season with six consecutive losses and a 0-11 record in October, including preseason games, the Sacramento Kings went into November with some extra fuel. On Monday night, the Kings picked up their first win of the season , taking down the Dallas Mavericks on the road.
The 115-100 win for the Kings was desperately needed, as they seemed to be on the brink of blowing everything up after their winless start . It was also necessary for rookie star Darius Acuff Jr., as he was off to a historic start to his NBA career , but he has now finally earned his first win.
After his first win of his young NBA career, Acuff Jr. talked about what the Kings did to walk out of Dallas on top.
"I think we just put four quarters together," the rookie said. "I think that's the first time in the third quarter where we didn't come out slow. We came out with some passion. We came out ready to play. And we got the job done."
Acuff Jr. is spot on, as this felt like the first game of the season in which the Kings didn't completely collapse in the second half. They outscored the Mavericks by six points in the third quarter and eight in the fourth, doing everything they needed to win their first game.
Acuff Jr. was especially impressive in the game-defining second half. In 18 second-half minutes, the 19-year-old rookie had 19 points on 7-11 shooting from the field and 2-4 from beyond the arc. He finished the game with 25 points and six assists, putting together another strong performance to start his career.
When asked what he had to do to adjust to NBA competition, Acuff Jr. admitted he had slowed down to improve his game.
"Just slowing down a little bit. I think from game one to game seven, I think I've slowed down every game. Just trying to get better. Knowing when to pass, knowing when to shoot, and just finding chemistry with my teammates and getting better every game and every practice," he said.
Acuff Jr. has already caught some flak this season for taking control of the Kings' offense and taking a historic amount of shots this early in his career, but he continues to prove why he is leading the charge in Sacramento.
In his last three games, he is averaging 32.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game, while shooting 48.6% from the field, 42.4% from beyond the arc, and 92.9% from the free-throw line. The 19-year-old could not be playing any better recently, and it feels like it is only a matter of time until he strings together some more wins for this franchise.
The Kings have a star on their hands, and now that he has finally won his first game, there should be even more hope for his future.
Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/kings/onsi as Darius Acuff Jr. Says How Kings Earned First Win of the Season vs. Mavericks .
