Doug Christie breaks down how Kings let Heat run wild from 3-point range

Jan 21, 2026 - 07:00
Doug Christie breaks down how Kings let Heat run wild from 3-point range

Ever since the NBA underwent the Stephen Curry-fueled three-point revolution in the mid-2010s, basketball became more of a mathematical battle than ever before. And with the game to game variance in three-point shooting, teams can indeed live and die by the three. On Tuesday night, the Sacramento Kings were on the receiving end of a hot shooting night from the Miami Heat, with the latter making 21 of their 42 three-point attempts on the night en route to a 130-117 win over the former.

Six different Heat players scored in double figures, and the Kings struggled to keep up with the opposition. This was nothing new for them anyway considering that they own the fourth-worst defense in the association.

One would think that Kings head coach Doug Christie, who made a living as a defensive pest and one of the early 3-and-D players when he was still playing in the NBA, would be more tactically sound on that end of the floor. At the very least, he understands how things went wrong for Sacramento on Tuesday night.

“It looked like the inability to keep people in front caused help, kick outs… guys were breaking us down off the dribble, getting inside,” Christie said after the game, per Brenden Nunes of Sactown Sports 1140. “We need to contest at a higher level… we just weren’t as physical.”

Time is ticking on this Kings roster with a few weeks left before trade deadline

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) talks with forward Domantas Sabonis (left) and guard Zach LaVine (8) during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden 1 Center.
© Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This Kings roster does not make sense and should have been blown apart months ago. This team is going nowhere fast with pieces that don’t fit alongside each other, and Sacramento has to hold a fire sale sooner or later, with their 12-32 record being telling of the quality of their roster.

Sacramento has scored a few big wins in recent days, but that should not be nearly enough for them to change course.

The post Doug Christie breaks down how Kings let Heat run wild from 3-point range appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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