DeRozan Can't Carry Kings Past Knicks, But Impresses Before Trade Deadline

The Sacramento Kings fell big to the New York Knicks, but DeMar DeRozan put on a showcase ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Jan 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings may have won the battle between Doug Christie and Mike Brown in Sacramento, but tonight was a different story in New York, as the Knicks routed the Kings 103-87.

The game was closer than the final score shows, but all night, it felt like the Knicks had the game in the bag. They never had a huge lead, with the largest being 18, but they kept the Kings at bay and held control for most of the night. And then all of a sudden at the end of the fourth, they took off and didn't look back.

The only reason the Kings were remotely in the game was DeMar DeRozan, who finished the night with a game-high 34 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. He led the Kings by far, as nearly everyone struggled tonight. Russell Westbrook finished with 14 points, but took 19 shots to get there. He shot 6-of-19 from the field and 2-of-9 from three.

And it wasn't just Westbrook that struggled from the field. As a team, the Kings shot 40.2% from the field and 16.7% from three. And yes, that is correct and not a typo. They only made five threes on 30 attempts, compared to the Knicks making 13-of-32 (40.6%) from deep.

Thankfully though, as he's done so often in his career, DeRozan went to work over and over. He took a season-high 26 field goals not only because he had the hot hand, but also because it was the only thing the Kings could get going on offense.

They had 16 turnovers to 18 assists, which is...not ideal. The Knicks have length and athleticism everywhere though, and made life miserable in the passing lanes and inside the paint for the Kings.

DeRozan Showcase?

Jan 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Kings aren't necessarily showcasing players, but if front offices around the NBA were paying attention to what was going on tonight, they got a glimpse at what DeRozan can still provide to a team. DeRozan isn't being shy about his desire to play for a contender, and tonight should only help him with the trade deadline next Thursday.

Nique Continuing to Impress

The other positive takeaway for the Kings is the second straight strong game for rookie Nique Clifford. He finished the night with seven points, three rebounds, one assist, and three steals. Those numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, but he's looking more confident than any other point this season so far (outside of maybe some garbage time minutes early in the season).

Most importantly, he played just under 30 minutes and got the start with Zach LaVine missing a second straight game. It's hard to remember as both Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell bursting onto the scene and stealing all the headlines, but Clifford came into the season with the most potential and moss buzz out of all three rookies.

He's had the hardest path to rotational minutes out of all three rookies, but that could be something that changes soon. If DeRozan is moved at the deadline, they'll have a huge hole to fill in shots and ball handling. It would be ideal for Clifford to step into more of that role as his rookie season continues on.

But for now, we got a reminder of just how important DeMar DeRozan is to the Sacramento Kings, and a glimpse at how important he could be for any given contender come next week.