Kings heating up at right time, overtake Pistons behind Zach LaVine’s 43

Zach LaVine delivered a season-high 43 points, propelling the Kings to a 127-117 comeback victory over the Pistons on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena. The win, bolstered by standout performances from LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis, pushed the Kings (39-40) to the brink of securing a Western Conference play-in tournament berth.

Facing an 18-point deficit during the final stop of a demanding six-game road trip, Sacramento showcased its resilience. The triumph came just 24 hours after the Kings upset the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers, marking their second straight road win against playoff-bound teams.

LaVine, fresh off a 37-point effort against Cleveland, sank eight 3-pointers to lead the charge.

“When he gets the heater going, it’s a different type of heater,” coach Doug Christie said postgame of LaVine. “You just want him to touch the ball every time.”

DeRozan added 37 points, while Sabonis notched a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, dominating both ends of the floor. The Kings’ late surge overwhelmed the Pistons, who have already clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

With the victory, Sacramento remains in ninth place in the Western Conference standings. The Kings can lock up a play-in spot with one more win or a single loss by the 11th-place Phoenix Suns (35-43), who trail 10th-place Dallas (38-41) by three games.

With only four games left in the regular season, which concludes Sunday, Sacramento’s postseason hopes hinge on maintaining its slim edge.

Sacramento has added DeRozan and LaVine, former Bulls teammates, since the start of the season.

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