Sacramento’s game against the Jazz started off about as well possible, despite the team missing two of its top three players. Chimezie Metu earned his first career start, stepping in at power forward the day that he signed his first full-time NBA (not a two-way) contract. He responded by scoring four points in the first quarter, adding an assist and a rebound, and the Kings were a plus-one in his nine and a half minutes.
Buddy Hield looked capable of handling more offensive responsibility in the absence of De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes, and Terence Davis added an additional punch off the bench.