The Sacramento Kings find themselves in an uncertain situation. With trade deadline chatter picking up steam, lineup choices and star play are suddenly being scrutinized, particularly when Zach LaVine gets hot but has to watch from the bench.
That’s where Doug Christie stepped into the conversation. The Kings’ head coach did not avoid questions after the loss. Instead, he addressed them directly. In doing so, he may have suggested that Zach LaVine’s quiet second half was less about a lack of trust and more about what lies ahead.
Doug Christie Frames Zach LaVine’s Quiet Finish as a Defensive Call, Not a Loss of Trust
After the loss, it is apparent that Zach LaVine did not finish well. The 30-year-old guard shot the ball well and still did not receive much playing time towards the end. Christie spoke about the problem with the Sacramento team after the game, saying it was not their scoring but their defense.
Christie spoke about lineup rhythm and preventing penetration, saying that the Miami ball-handling breakdowns led to help and open threes. As the Kings’ coach explained, it was not a criticism of LaVine’s offense. It was a defensive risk that didn’t work.
“Obviously he shot the ball well. We’re trying to find a rhythm and find a group that is stopping people at the same time. Zach will come tomorrow and probably have 40. We didn’t have a great problem scoring tonight. We need to stop somebody.”
That quote matters. Christie didn’t just defend his rotation choice. He projected confidence in Zach LaVine. The “probably have 40” line wasn’t throwaway optimism. It was a signal that the former All-Star remains central to Sacramento’s offensive ceiling, even if situational defense dictates short-term sacrifices.
The context makes the explanation sharper. Miami hit 21 of 42 from deep. Six Heat players scored in double figures. Sacramento, already ranked near the bottom of the league defensively, couldn’t stay in front of ball-handlers. Christie later broke that down in detail, telling reporters that a lack of physicality and poor point-of-attack defense forced constant help rotations.
Christie’s comments portrayed LaVine as a valuable matchup piece, rather than as a declining player. The Kings did not need more scoring on Tuesday. They needed defensive stops. Christie picked his spots.
Doug Christie suggested a brighter future for Zach LaVine, not by assuring him more minutes, but by expressing his confidence. In a team looking for its identity, that belief may outweigh one quiet second half.
