Domantas Sabonis had a season-high 20 rebounds on Saturday against the Raptors.
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1. Sacramento looks to bounce back on the road: The Kings traveled to Toronto on Saturday where former Raptors star Vince Carter was honored as the first player to have his No. 15 jersey retired in franchise history. The Kings entered the matchup on a three-game winning streak after dropping their first two games of the season, but fell short in an overtime loss to the short-handed Raptors. A trip to South Beach presents an opportunity to get back on the right track.
2. DeMar DeRozan getting buckets: Entering his 16th season in the NBA, DeRozan has been everything the Kings expected him to be when they acquired him in a sign-and-trade deal over the summer. Through six games in 2024-25, he’s averaging 25.3 points on 52.5 % shooting from the field, and he’s scored at least 20 points in every game. In his return to Toronto over the weekend, DeRozan dropped 33 points against his former team in the loss. The Kings will continue to build chemistry between their new big three — DeRozan, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
3. The Bam Adebayo breakout: The Miami Heat enter Monday’s contest 3-2 after a 20-point blowout of the Washington Wizards in the NBA’s Mexico City Game on Saturday night. Adebayo played a huge part in securing the victory for the Heat, scoring 32 points (3-for-5 from 3-point range) and grabbing 14 rebounds in the breakout performance. In his first four games, Adebayo scored 44 points combined and shot 0-for-8 from three-point range.
4. Jimmy Butler looks to get in gear: Butler has been one of the great Heat players in recent years, and he is working towards tapping back into that vintage form. He’s averaging 20.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over his last four after a tough season-opener. Even with Adebayo’s continued improvements, Butler is a key to this team’s success and that will be a storyline in Monday’s tilt.
5. The Greatness of Domantas Sabonis: Sabonis has led the NBA in rebounding the past two seasons, yet it still feels like he doesn’t get enough attention. Despite averaging 19.4 points, 13.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game last season, the Lithuanian star was not selected for an All-Star bid in 2023-24. In six games in 2024-25, Sabonis is averaging 21.5 points, 13 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting 62.2% from the field. As one of the incredibly talented bigs in today’s NBA, Sabonis looks to power the Kings back into the playoffs.
