Sacramento Kings End October Without a Win as Losing Streak Continues

Former U.S. President Joe Biden is facing a worsening health situation after his son Hunter Biden said the cancer has spread to his bones and described the disease as "very painful" and "very debilitating."

R

By Ronald Jake

November 1, 2026 at 4:27 PM

R

By Ronald Jake

November 1, 2026 at 4:27 PM

The Sacramento Kings finished October without a victory after a 136–105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, 31 October, which left them 0–6 to begin the regular season. Memphis improved to 6–0, matching the 2014–15 team for the best start in franchise history and remaining the NBA’s only unbeaten team. The Grizzlies had also beaten Sacramento 123–112 earlier in the month, and this second meeting was far more one-sided.

Sacramento Kings player on the court during their sixth consecutive defeat of the early NBA season.

A Bright Spot in a Difficult Start

Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr., the No. 7 pick in the 2026 draft, again stood out. He scored 38 points on 12-of-25 shooting and made nine of 14 three-pointers, a new Kings rookie record. Two days earlier he had scored 34 against the New Orleans Pelicans, and he now leads all NBA rookies with 26.3 points per game. Kings coach Doug Christie has called him “special” and said his teammates must help him.

So why did a 38-point night still end in a 31-point loss? Because almost nothing else worked. Acuff’s teammates went 2-of-24 from three-point range, and Sacramento shot 40.7% overall while Memphis shot 55.3%. Domantas Sabonis had 11 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and De’Andre Hunter added 19, but the Grizzlies outscored the Kings 42–25 in the third quarter and led by as many as 34. Rookie Cameron Boozer led Memphis with a career-high 27 points and nine rebounds, and Isaiah Stewart scored 24.

Injuries Add to Sacramento’s Problems

The Kings entered the season with limited expectations after a 22–60 campaign, and their plans were hit hard when guard Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon in practice three days before the opener. He is expected to miss the whole season. Keegan Murray, Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell were also out against Memphis, and Raynaud and Cardwell were expected to miss the first five or six games.

Sacramento now has to rebuild its confidence while developing its young players. The team is scheduled to face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, 2 November, with another chance to search for its first win of the season.