Zach LaVine’s fiery reaction to the bench in the 4th quarter
The The Sacramento Kings continue their free fall into a winless situation with no salvation in sightand Zach LaVine found himself in the spotlight during this turbulent stretch revealed every flaw in the slipping season. With The Royals’ losing streak extends into another bleak chapterfrustration becomes impossible to hide. LaVine admitted he didn’t like being benched in the final two fourth quarters, even as Doug Christie tried different combinations to stop the slide.
“I’ll always be a team guy,” Lavin he said. “(But) I don’t like it personally. I’ve never played in the fourth. But when you’re trying to find a win, you do whatever you can, I guess.”
His frustration did not come with anger. It came with honesty. And with the Kings now looking for stability in a season full of uneven runsthe recognition carried real weight. Lavin knows that expectations follow him everywhere. He is the highest paid player on the roster. He is the centerpiece of the deal that sent De’Aaron Fox, the same Fox who once ruled the league in clutch moments. But this losing streak has led to a rare sight: a proven scorer seeing time for the wing off the Kings bench.
The challenge of the Kings up front and Lavin’s attitude
When asked if Christie’s reasoning made sense, Lavin didn’t shy away from the truth. “Does it make sense?” he repeated, thinking about it. “I think he’s just trying to find anything, anybody to go out there to find a win. I think I’m more than capable of doing that. If I’m 10-for-10, or 0-for-10, I’m a guy who has scored more points in the fourth quarter than a lot of people in this league. So I think I should be on the floor.”
Doug Christie, meanwhile, continues to preach urgency. He’s looking for struggling squads. He is looking for players who can sustain a team that keeps collapsing in the final minutes. And under the lights of the arena, that quest pushed hard choices to the table.
Now comes the real question for Kings fans: When the next tight fourth quarter comes around, will Zach LaVine be the one to shut the door?
2025-11-21 16:51:00
