The Sacramento Kings entered their Wednesday night clash at ninth place in the Western Conference – desperately trying to climb the standings while also fighting off the teams behind them. Their opponent for this game didn't make things any easier, as the Kings were set to face off against the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
To make matters worse, the Kings had to play this juggernaut without their two best players: Domantas Sabonis (who will be sidelined for at least ten days with a sprained ankle) and Zach LaVine (a late scratch due to personal reasons).
Despite these dire straits, the Kings managed to escape this game with a 123-119 victory. And while basketball is a team game, and many people are responsible for making this upset happen, there was one player who stood out above the rest.
Devin Carter has career night against the Kings
He didn't lead the Kings in points, rebounds, or assists, but rookie guard Devin Carter was awesome in this game for the Kings. In almost 31 minutes of action, Carter tallied 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals on a +7 plus-minus. The minute and point totals were both career highs for Carter. By the way, two of those points came from this monster jam:
THE ANGLES ON THIS DEVIN CARTER POSTER 💥📸 pic.twitter.com/6gzDIFVLp4
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 20, 2025
Tonight was a high point in what has been an up-and-down season for Carter. After having offseason surgery to address an issue with his left shoulder, Carter missed the first months of the 2024-25 NBA season.
Once he returned, Carter was at the back end of the rotation – receiving roughly 13.5 minutes per game. However, after the Kings made three significant trades at the deadline, Carter fell out of favor in the rotation, eventually falling so far out that he was sent back down to the G-League.
The Kings' recent slew of injuries has caused Carter to find his way back into the rotation, and he has made the most of his opportunities so far. Before tonight's game, Carter was averaging 4.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.3 APG on 61.5% shooting from the floor and 50% from three.
But tonight was something different. Tonight was a demonstration of what makes Carter so special. Tonight reminded all fans of the Kings why they were so excited when he was the one the team used their 13th overall pick on in the 2024 NBA Draft. Tonight may have been the night that Carter solidified his spot in the Kings' rotation for good.