After setting the franchise record for consecutive losses on Thursday, Sacramento Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud vowed to help turn things around on the court.
Raynaud produced a team-high 17 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and one steal in a 131-94 loss to the Orlando Magic at the Golden 1 Center. He went 8-of-13 from the field in 39 minutes of work as the Kings (12-45) dropped their 15th straight game.
The Kings' 15-game losing streak topped their previous mark of 14, set during the 1959-60 and 1971-72 seasons as the Cincinnati Royals. The record for the longest losing streak in history is 28 games, set by Philadelphia (2014-15) and matched by Detroit (2023-24).
"Winning is important, and I feel like you understand that as an organization, whether you're a fan or a player or a coach," Raynaud said. "It is a new page for the Sacramento Kings. We have a whole staff, front office and a bunch of new players coming in as well. We're going to get it fixed. It is not the prettiest right now, but with time and effort, we'll get back on track."
The Kings announced on Wednesday that Zach LaVine (finger) and Domantas Sabonis (knee) underwent season-ending surgery to address their respective injuries. They will also be without undrafted rookie Dylan Cardwell for at least four weeks due to an ankle injury.
With two of their franchise cornerstones out, players like Raynaud will have the opportunity to log extended minutes over their final 25 games. Kings coach Doug Christie highlighted a few areas on the court the team wants him to work on over that stretch.
The biggest area is anchoring the defense. He doesn't do it through physicality; he does it through communication and using your size, angles, learning to go vertical at the rim. The communication piece is probably the biggest piece: 'What are you seeing?' Tell us what you're seeing. Sometimes you'll be wrong, and that is OK, but I want to hear it. Then, just the ability to play through him ... and then becoming a little bit more comfortable in DHOs.
Raynaud is averaging 10 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 55.5% shooting from the field in 49 appearances, including 30 starts. He is second in total rebounding among all first-year players (332) and is second in double-doubles (9).
The 7-footer has given Christie & Co. strong production as a starter, registering each of his double-doubles in that role. He has received the green light to play his brand of basketball and will look to build positive momentum over the rest of the season.
"They've always been behind me," Raynaud said. "Failing is a part of the game. You're going to miss half of your shots. At the end of the day, they just want us to fail right, if it has to happen, with intensity and the right intention. From there, whatever the outcome is, the outcome is. You want to write the story while the shot is in the air, not necessarily after you make it or miss it. They've always been supportive. They're behind us."
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Kings news: Maxime Raynaud gave honest take amid record losing streak