Zach LaVine Erupts for Monster Game as Kings Blowout Hornets

Zach LaVine 42 points carries the Sacramento Kings to 130-88 win over Charlotte Hornets

Will Zimmerle | Feb 25, 2025

Feb 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) reacts after scoring against the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

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Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings desperately needed a win, and going against the 14-win Charlotte Hornets, ideally a big one. They did just that tonight, winning 130-88, led by Zach LaVine's 42-point performance.

Everyone knows that LaVine can score with the best of them, and while he's had some nice moments in Sacramento, we hadn't seen a signature LaVine game. That is until tonight.

It wasn't just that LaVine scored 42 points, but how he did it. He made 16 of his 19 field goal attempts, good for an 84.2% clip, and made 8 of his 9 three point looks, 88.9%. Maybe the most impressive part is that he only shot three free throws.

Zach LaVine tonight
42 PTS | 16/19 (84.2%) FG | 8/9 (88.9%) 3P

It's the most points scored with 3 or fewer FTAs in Sacramento Kings history. A historically efficient night for LaVine as the Kings win big. pic.twitter.com/9O4WQZwclC
— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) February 25, 2025

LaVine looked unstoppable throughout the entire game and made it look easy. Doug Christie has been urging the veteran to go out and be aggressive, and just be himself. And LaVine looked like himself tonight.

Whether it was the sharpshooting from deep or using his athleticism to get to the rim, it was about as effortless of a 40+ point performance as one can have.

This is the version of LaVine that can take the Kings into a play-in or playoff run. He was brought here to be the lead scorer and showed why tonight.

The Kings withstood an ugly stretch of basketball in the third quarter and still had 18 turnovers, but the intensity and effort was there from the jump. Tonight was a game where the good heavily outweighed the bad and was a step in the right direction against the struggling Hornets.

On the downside, Keon Ellis sustained an injury and was unable to return to action. As one of the team's most important players, his status going forward will be crucial for the home stretch of the season.

Sacramento is back in action on Wednesday to take on the Utah Jazz in the first game of a four-game road trip.

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