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De’Aaron Fox has 7 40-point games this season, the most by a Kings player since Nate Archibald in 1972-73

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Updated13 hours ago on April 27, 2024

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De'Aaron Fox has 7 40-point games this season, the most by a Sacramento Kings player since Nate Archibald in 1972-73

De’Aaron Fox recorded his seventh 40-point game of the season, the most by a Sacramento Kings player since Nate Archibald registered 18 such games in the 1972-73 season, in Wednesday night’s 130-120 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 2023 All-Star guard notched a career-high-tying 44 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 39 minutes of action while shooting 19-of-32 (59.4%) from the floor, 2-of-6 (33.3%) from 3-point range, and 4-of-5 (80%) at the foul line.

Per a few NBA betting sites, the Kings hold 16th-ranked odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans.


“He was amazing. I hate using that word because to me that’s who he is,” Kings coach Mike Brown said of Fox. “It’s hard to score 44 points every single night, especially on the percentage that he did it at, but he is more than capable with his ability. It was a big game for him in a big-game environment.”

Fox, 26, has the fourth most 40-point games in the NBA this season, trailing Luka Doncic (12), Joel Embiid (9), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (8). It was also his 21st game of the season with 30 or more points.

Sacramento Kings’ De’Aaron Fox is averaging career highs of 27.1 points, 1.9 steals per game this season

Sacramento led 72-57 at halftime. The Kings’ largest lead was 22 points late in the third quarter before the Lakers closed the period on a 15-5 run. Sacramento scored 76 points in the paint and finished 54-of-97 (55.7%) shooting from the field.

“We were getting deflections and getting out in transition, which was huge for us in the second quarter,” Fox said. “We scored 44 points, but I think a lot of that was because of the way that we were playing defensively.”

Through 53 games (all starts) this season, Fox is averaging career highs of 27.1 points, 1.9 steals, and 35.8 minutes per game while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 36.7% from deep.


Sacramento remains in seventh place in the Western Conference standings with a 35-26 record. The Kings are a half-game behind the Phoenix Suns for sixth and are on pace to avoid the play-in tournament.

“Right now where the standings are, if we lose this game, we’re half a game in front of them rather than 2 1/2 like it is now,” Fox added. “So right now especially to play teams that are around us in the standings, those games mean a little more.”

Sacramento hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.