Despite persistent trade rumors, Zach LaVine lit up the Miami skyline with his jump shot and helped the Sacramento Kings bury the Heat Saturday night. He might have been auditioning for another team.
Sacramento Kings star forward Zach LaVine went to the bench— to get a touch of blood near his right elbow clean up by a staffer. Sacramento was ahead 29-24 over the Miami Heat at the 3:29 mark of the first period, Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
A little blood did nothing to stop LaVine. The embattled 12-year NBA sharpshooter is reportedly already being discussed by the front office as part of a blockbuster trade. It could take place in the coming weeks or as late as the NBA trade deadline.
He lit up the Heat with a breathtaking shooting display, resulting in a season-high 42 points for the up and down star.
LaVine was the main cog in the 127-111 win for the Kings over the Heat, in which LaVine, who entered Saturday’s game averaging 19.8 points per game (in 20 starts) despite scoring just two points vs. the Houston Rockets four days ago, finished 12-of-24 from the floor, including 8-of-13 from three-point land.
He was getting to the rim effortlessly while slicing through a Heat team playing on the back-end of a back-to-back, also easily buried 10 of 11 free throws to help eclipse his previous season-high points total of 34 vs. Utah.
LaVine, showing off his shooting touch from all over the floor, not to mention deadly range, was on target from the opening quarter when he scored 18 points, featuring 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and several spot-up jumpers from mid-range.
He was just getting started as the Kings built an early lead that they would never relinquish.
Dec 6, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) defends Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn ImagesLaVine rose up over a Heat defender and nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key to give the Kings a 60-50 lead with 5:14 remaining in the second period. He easily sliced to the rim for two more points with under a minute left to extend Sacramento’s lead to 17, and push his first-half point total to 29 on 9-of-14 from the floor, including making 6-of-7 three-pointers.
LaVine, who eclipsed Karl-Anthony Towns 39-point effort vs. the Heat earlier this season as the most points Miami has given up to a single player this season, came two points short of equaling the Knicks’ center 31 first-half points against Miami.
The Kings, 2-12 in their last 14 games before taking on the Heat.
It was undoubtedly LaVine, who put the finishing touches on Miami, including hitting two free throws after a 7-0 Heat run that gave the Kings a 120-103 lead with 2:49 remaining. LaVine made a free throw with 5:07 left in regulation to reach the 40-point mark.
However, he made sure the Kings, who prior to their win Saturday had scored all their victories by five points or less, would not have to sweat out anything in the second half, adding eight points, including a pair of net-only threes and another silky jumper, midway through the third period to push Sacramento’s lead to 88-67.
LaVine, shooting 49.1 percent before the start of the Kings current road trip, scored 37 of his points in the first 28 minutes of the game on 12-of-17 shooting.
The Kings return to action Monday night against the Indiana Pacers. Tipoff is at 7:00 p.m. from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.