Maxime Raynaud delivers another double-double as Kings slide again, coach praises fight
maxime raynaud put up a double-double Saturday night as the Sacramento Kings fell to the San Antonio Spurs, extending a brutal skid to 16 straight losses. The Kings dug an early 11-0 hole, rallied to keep it close into the final period, then watched the Spurs take full control late. With Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and De’Andre Hunter unavailable, the rookie big’s production became one of the clearest bright spots in a difficult night.
Maxime Raynaud’s numbers stood out in a short-handed loss
The Kings’ margin for error was thin from the opening tip, and the early deficit forced them to chase the game. Even so, the team battled back before the fourth quarter swung away from them.
In that context, maxime raynaud finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in 26 minutes. The performance marked his 10th double-double of the season and tied him with Derik Queen for the rookie lead in that category. Against a Spurs front line led by Victor Wembanyama—who finished with 28 points and 15 rebounds—Raynaud’s ability to stay involved on the glass was a key takeaway for Sacramento.
Raynaud’s rebounding carried extra weight given that it has not always been a consistent strength during the season. The game offered evidence of progress in an area that has been under scrutiny, especially with the Kings missing major frontcourt pieces.
Doug Christie: “I was really proud of Max” after the Wembanyama matchup
After the game, Kings coach Doug Christie singled out Raynaud’s competitiveness in the physical matchup with Wembanyama.
“I was really proud of Max, I thought he did a really good job, I thought he met the physicality, ” Christie said.
Christie also emphasized what the double-double meant given the opponent across from him: “A double-double against a kid like that is big time. ”
At the same time, Christie underscored that the work is ongoing for the rookie big man. “Go back and look at the film, there’s some areas for him to obviously improve, ” Christie said.
Quick context: opportunities rising, development priorities clear
Raynaud and Wembanyama share a France connection and familiarity that extends beyond the court, but their NBA paths have differed sharply: Wembanyama entered the league as the top overall pick, while Raynaud played four years at Stanford before being taken in the second round.
With Sabonis out for the season and Dylan Cardwell out for the foreseeable future, Raynaud is positioned for increased opportunities down the stretch. The Kings’ staff and observers are watching for growth in two areas highlighted in-season: rim protection and outside shooting, with Raynaud’s current season three-point percentage listed at 27% after nearly 35% from deep at Stanford.
What’s next for maxime raynaud and Sacramento
The Kings’ immediate focus remains snapping the 16-game losing streak, but the late-season runway also creates a real-time development test for a rookie big getting extended reps. For maxime raynaud, the next stretch will be judged not only by points and rebounds, but by whether the film shows steps forward in defensive impact and consistency as his role expands.
