Achiuwa bags 24 points as Kings fall to Pelicans

D’Tigers forward Precious Achiuwa scored 24 points, but the Sacramento Kings lost 132-120 to the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Centre and remain winless in the 2026/27 NBA season.

The Kings had lost their first four games and travelled to New Orleans in search of their first win. However, the in-form Pelicans proved too strong for them.

Sacramento started well and took the first quarter 30-24.

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The visitors then faded, losing the second quarter 39-31 and the third 39-27 to fall well behind. They won the fourth quarter 32-30, but it was not enough to overturn the 12-point deficit.

Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. led the Kings with a game-high 34 points, 14 assists and six rebounds in 41 minutes. It was the first double-double of his NBA career.

Achiuwa narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds and a team-high four steals in 41 minutes. De’Andre Hunter also scored 24 points, while Zach LaVine added 21. Centre Domantas Sabonis had a game-high 15 rebounds, along with nine points and seven assists.

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