After a horrible opening-night performance against the Clippers, the Sacramento Kings' rookie point guard made a comeback in game two. While Darius Acuff Jr. put up some big numbers, there is still a lot of work to do. That's definitely true on defense, not to mention further development on offense.
The Kings started the 2026-2027 season by getting blown out by the Clippers. Acuff didn't help the situation, finishing the game with 12 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. The worst part was going five for 24 from the field and zero for seven from the three-point line.
Business definitely picked up in game two against the Blazers. Sacramento still lost, but at least it wasn't a blowout. This time, Acuff finished with a team-leading 33 points, which is nothing to joke about. He was quieter on other fronts, only picking up two rebounds and four assists.
While Acuff scored more points, his percentages were still concerning. He went 10 for 26 from the field at 38.5% and two for 11 from three at 18.2%. Acuff's main saving grace was found at the charity stripe, where he shot 11 for 12 at 91.7%. He should shoot better than this if he's focused on offense.
Acuff is still finding his game, but needs to do it quicker
As it stands right now, Acuff is the only dedicated point guard on the Kings' main roster. The franchise recently signed a two-way PG, but he'll be spending a lot of time in the G League. He can help back up Acuff, but he likely won't take significant minutes off the starter's back for now.
And to be fair to Acuff, pulling down 33 points in his second NBA game ever is pretty damn impressive. But he also needs to be more consistent than that. The biggest problem is his three-point shooting. It would be nice to see him make the pass instead of taking the shot from the arc.
To be successful in the NBA, Acuff will have to broaden his game. That means picking up a few more assists and pushing himself harder on defense. No one is saying he needs to change his entire game. It still has to evolve for him to be more competitive at the professional level.
Speaking from a personal point of view, I genuinely believe Acuff can get there. He's got a ton of skill, not to mention the drive and mentality to do what it takes to improve. The only concerns are the Kings not helping him develop properly and not finding him better support on the court.
Add us as a preferred source on Google