Trey Lyles' Strong Statement After Kings Win vs Suns

The Sacramento Kings ended their 2024-25 season with a beam, defeating the Phoenix Suns 109-98 to end the season 40-42, clinching the No. 9 seed and a home Play-In game on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks. 

The Kings were led by their Lithuanian bigs on Sunday. Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valanciunas combined for 42 points, 22 rebounds, and 10 assists, becoming just the fifth duo in NBA history to each record 20 points and 10 rebounds while shooting over 80% from the field. 

Forward Trey Lyles was a key contributor in this win, logging 11 points in 25 minutes. Lyles has been a steadying presence of late, both filling in for Keegan Murray during the few games he missed with injury and as the primary big wing off the bench as Jake LaRavia makes his way back from a thumb injury sustained on March 25.

Lyles provided some insight into the team’s mindset and the state of the Kings heading into the win-or-go-home portion of the season: 

“The resiliency of this group is really showing the last week/week and a half . . . We’re coming together as a group at the right time, and I don’t think our record represents how good we are.” 

Lyles and the team certainly have reason to be optimistic as the regular season comes to a close. Despite finishing under .500, ending a streak of two consecutive winning seasons, Sacramento finished the season winning 4 of their final 6 games, with quality wins over the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers during that stretch.

The two losses to playoff teams in the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both of these losses were competitive, particularly the Clippers game, which was a gut-wrenching one-point loss.