Kings Veterans Show Love to Darius Acuff Jr. After 33-Point Performance

The Sacramento Kings have their franchise point guard. While Darius Acuff Jr. got off to a slow start to his NBA career, struggling for the first six quarters, he finally found his rhythm in the second half of game two.

With a second-half flurry, Acuff Jr. finished Friday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with 33 points and four assists on 10-26 shooting from the field, 2-11 from three-point range, and 11-12 from the free-throw line. Obviously, it was not the most efficient game, but he showed exactly what he is capable of as an offensive star at the NBA level.

Acuff Jr. set the franchise record for most points in a game by a teenager, as the 19-year-old is showing why the Kings have faith in him as their new lead guard. After a rough debut, Acuff Jr. was quick to receive criticism, but his veteran teammates showed him love for his 33-point outing on Friday night.

Domantas Sabonis: "He bounced back"

After Acuff Jr.'s NBA debut, three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis made a comment that seemed like he was taking a jab at the rookie guard. However, after Acuff Jr. bounced back on Friday night, Sabonis was quick to praise him.

"He's a very smart, high-IQ player at the point guard position. Can pass, can shoot, knows how to control the tempo," Sabonis said about Acuff Jr. "My job is to get him open and try to make life easier for him. He’s doing a great job. He came here today, he bounced back. Proud of him. We just needed to get the win."

While Acuff Jr. is still shooting just 15-50 (30%) from the field through two games, Sabonis praises the rookie's high IQ and tempo control. After his rough debut, it was clear that Acuff Jr. was getting to his spots and taking good shots, but they just weren't falling. In the second half of Friday night's game, they were finally falling, and the two-man game between him and Sabonis was on full display.

During the offseason, there was a big question about whether Sabonis would "buy in" to this young Kings team. If he can continue to connect with Acuff Jr., they could legitimately be one of the best offensive duos in the league.

Zach LaVine: "You're gonna see a lot more of it"

While their defense is obviously rocky, fans were excited to see what the Kings' backcourt of Acuff Jr. and Zach LaVine had in store offensively. The duo has already shown promise, and LaVine is loving what he sees from the 19-year-old.

"I told you guys from the get-go that I'm not worried about Darius at all," LaVine said. "You guys can see how talented he is. He has the mentality of—he doesn't let things bug him. A lot of the shots he took in game one, he just didn't make. You see today, he made some of those and he even started off slow and it didn't stop him. He made a lot of plays down the stretch that helped us stick into the game. Obviously, I'm proud of him. You're gonna see a lot more of it."

Obviously, this is just the beginning for the young point guard. 33 points in his second career game is a great sign, showing that his game is already adjusting to the NBA level. Sure, his volume is through the roof, but the Kings trust him to make plays.

Getting the stamp of approval from the star veterans is great for Acuff Jr. and the team as a whole, as the franchise needs these guys to click if they want to see any type of success.

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