Sacramento Kings' interim coach Doug Christie was not surprised by Zach LaVine's season-high points tally in their rout of the Charlotte Hornets. 

LaVine starred for the Kings, scoring 42 points, hitting eight 3-pointers and shooting 16 of 19 overall as the Kings earned their first home win over the Hornets since 2021.

He also scored in double figures in all eight games for Sacramento, while also becoming the first King with a 40-point game on at least an 80 FG% since Wayman Tisdale in 1993.

DeMar DeRozan also had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, while Malik Monk scored 13, Keegan Murray added 10 and Domantas Sabonis finished with seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

But LaVine set the foundations for the win, hitting four 3-pointers and shooting eight for nine in the first half as the Kings built a 20-point lead which proved too big for the Hornets. 

In his eighth game since being acquired from the Chicago Bulls as part of a multi-team trade, LaVine showed his quality, with Christie highlighting the 29-year-old had been focused on trying to blend in with the new system rather than just letting his own flow.

"I've known Zach and the way that he plays and what he's capable of," Christie said. "To his credit, I thought that he's been trying to fit in.

"We need him to be himself so that we can figure out how to best support him.

"That doesn’t mean he's going to come out and get 42 every night. But stay aggressive.

"Once one [shot] went in then another, I was like, 'He's probably going to heat check here.' It was really good to see."

Zach LaBeam went OFF tonight. pic.twitter.com/4CkeSJeZF3

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) February 25, 2025

LaVine echoed the thoughts of Christie when asked about his performance, suggesting he has now found his feet with his new team. 

"For me, everything is just timing, rhythm and comfortability," LaVine said. "Deebo's been telling me to be yourself for the longest.

"Obviously, I'm coming in trying to figure out where I'm at, what to do. But the more I get familiar, I'm starting to get it."

After being teammates for nearly three years with the Bulls, DeRozan has witnessed some of LaVine's best games in the NBA, finally seeing that quality with the Kings. 

"I was just waiting. It took long enough," DeRozan joked as he sat next to LaVine during their postgame press conference. "I kept telling him the whole game, 'Just shoot it.' That's the outcome. Nothing new for me."