Keon Ellis made it look easy in the Big Easy.
That sentiment, more or less, was echoed by several Kings players and interim coach Doug Christie after Ellis powered Sacramento to a 119-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night at Smoothie King Center.
On the first of back-to-back games against the Pelicans, the 25-year-old guard, coming off the bench, demonstrated an electric and aggressive edge to his game.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
From his first bucket, Ellis knew he was destined for a big game.
“Every time you see the first one go, it makes it easier for the night to go in your favor,” Ellis told NBC Sports California’s Morgan Ragan and Deuce Mason on “Kings Postgame Live."
“With the guys that we have, I know my job is just to go out and space the floor and shoot it. We’ve been preaching about getting more threes up, so every time I get it and guys aren’t really closing out, I just shoot it. And it’s going in.”
Ellis finished with a team-high 27 points, shooting 10 of 14 from the field and 7 of 11 from 3-point range for the Kings, who have won three in a row.
NBA
Ellis Island weather alert: Raining 3s ☔️
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) February 13, 2025
Keon is 6 of 9 from deep
pic.twitter.com/8iBBVhzhal
Malik Monk, who has assumed the starting point guard role since Sacramento traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, is not surprised by Ellis’ upside.
“Keon’s been doing this all year,” Monk told reporters. “I think a lot of people are surprised, but I’m not. I’ve been seeing the work he’s been putting in.
“I know what he’s going to do. That’s why [I'm trying] to find him. Keon was amazing. He’s always amazing for us, every time he steps on the court.”
Once a guard known for his own tenacity, Christie admires Ellis’ aggressiveness offensively and as the facilitator of the Kings’ offense.
After all, like getting Zach LaVine and Jonas Valančiūnas fully synced in Christie's scheme, Ellis' reliability off the bench will be imperative for Sacramento's NBA playoff hopes.
“It’s huge because there are a couple of parts of Keon’s game that I like to see him improve,” Christie said. “His ability to run the point guard position because he’s a bigger guy, and that would be huge for him to be able to handle the ball at a very high level.
“He’s turned into a knock-down-shot guy, even the pump fake side step that we’ve been working on in practice. He knocked that one down. But I would say, for someone that has played in similar positions, being aggressive with an aggressive mindset changes the whole game.”
For a new-look team that continues to find its footing, Ellis' performance could be the difference come April.
“In many ways, just set a tone,” Christie concluded. “And saved the game, in many ways.”