Kings Pull Off Stunning Comeback, Stun Pacers 114-109 Behind Devin Carter’s Career Night
Down 20. Out of answers. On the wrong end of a blowout that looked decided before halftime.
And then Devin Carter decided he wasn’t done.
The Sacramento Kings trailed by as many as 20 points Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center, looking every bit like the team with the second-worst record in the NBA. Then Carter — who barely played in the first half — caught fire in the fourth quarter and did something nobody in the building saw coming. He scored 22 of his career-best 24 points in the final frame, including 13 straight at one point, to lift the Kings to a jaw-dropping 114-109 win over the Indiana Pacers.
This one wasn’t supposed to happen.
Kings Dig Out of a Deep Hole
Indiana came out swinging. The Pacers, without their top scorer Pascal Siakam (right knee sprain) and third-leading scorer Andrew Nembhard (back and neck soreness), still managed to build a commanding lead — taking a 59-42 advantage into halftime. Aaron Nesmith was the one doing the damage, pouring in 24 of his game-high 29 points in the first two quarters. He looked unstoppable. The Kings looked cooked.
The third quarter didn’t offer much hope either. Sacramento clawed back some ground, outscoring Indiana 30-23, but still trailed 82-72 heading into the final period. Everything was pointing toward another gut-wrenching loss.
Devin Carter Takes Over the Kings’ Fourth Quarter
What happened next was one of the most electric individual performances of the Kings’ season.
Carter, playing just 16 total minutes on the night, was flawless when it mattered most. He was 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc by game’s end. But the numbers don’t tell the full story. Watch the film. Carter attacked with aggression, hit shots from every angle, and refused to let Sacramento fold.
His stepback three-pointer with 4:16 remaining gave the Kings their first lead since the first quarter. The crowd at Golden 1 Center, already buzzing, erupted. You could feel the shift. Indiana never recovered.
“INSANE finish for Devin Carter in a game where he didn’t play in the 1st half,” wrote analyst Deuce Mason on social media after the game. Hard to argue.
Maxime Raynaud Cements His Rookie Season
While Carter stole the spotlight, Maxime Raynaud was quietly having a monster game in his own right. The 7-foot-1 French rookie finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds — his 15th double-double of the season, which leads all NBA rookies. His and-1 jumper with 16 seconds left sealed the deal, putting an exclamation point on one of Sacramento’s best wins of the year.
Raynaud continues to be a revelation for the Kings. Every game, he looks more comfortable, more polished, more like a cornerstone piece for the future.
Russell Westbrook added 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan and Nique Clifford each chipped in 12 points. It was a collective effort — but Carter and Raynaud were the heartbeat of this one.
Nesmith’s Big Night Wasn’t Enough for the Pacers
Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith deserves credit. His 29-point performance — the kind of game that reminds you why the Pacers believe in his development — was genuinely impressive. Obi Toppin added 17 points in just 14 minutes, and Kam Jones contributed 14 points with nine assists.
Their record sits at 15-50. Without Siakam and Nembhard, there’s simply not enough firepower to close out games — and Sacramento proved exactly that.
Kings Keep Their Winning Streak Alive
The Kings improve to 16-50 on the year, but they’ve now won two straight. That might not sound like much on paper, but the way they’re winning — with young players stepping up in big moments — matters.
Sacramento snapped a three-game losing streak against Indiana in the process, having suffered a 116-105 defeat against the Pacers back on December 8.
Up next, the Kings host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. Indiana returns home to face the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
