"Ladies and gentlemen! Merry Christmas!"
Christmas 2015 arrived right on schedule, and tickets for this season's Christmas Showdown sold out in just 20 minutes, setting a new franchise record.
In the original timeline, the Kings hadn't qualified for a Christmas Day game. But this year, they were simply too hot to ignore—earning them the honor of being part of the Christmas lineup.
And their opponent tonight was just as headline-worthy.
The visiting Washington Wizards!
Tonight also marked DeMarcus Cousins' first return to Sacramento since the trade.
Since Cousins and the Kings had parted on good terms, the atmosphere wasn't nearly as hostile as many expected. In fact, there was even a touch of warmth.
Plenty of fans dug out their old Cousins jerseys to pay tribute to the former pride of Sacramento.
Chen Yilun had even instructed his staff to prepare a tribute video, which played on loop during warm-ups on the big screen.
Standing courtside, Cousins watched the video the Kings had put together for him. His thoughts were all over the place, and his eyes glistened with tears.
"No wonder you were always bragging about how great your old team was."
At some point, Wall had walked over to his side, sharing in the moment with a sigh.
You had to admit—the Kings really knew how to show heart.
"Of course! I never lied to you, did I?" Cousins lifted his chin proudly. "The Kings will always be the team I can call home."
On the sideline, Rudy Gay was lazily going through his warmup when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cousins being interviewed. A mischievous idea suddenly popped into his head.
Grinning, Gay crept up behind him. Cousins, still focused on the interview, had no idea what was coming.
Looking at Cousins' familiar yet distant figure, Gay struggled to hold back his laughter. Then he swung his arm wide and smacked Cousins hard on the back of the head.
Cousins, mid-sentence, suddenly felt a sharp sting at the back of his skull.
"Smack!"
He'd taken a full-on hit!
Who the hell just hit me?! Cousins' temper flared instantly. He whipped around, ready to confront the culprit.
Only to find Rudy Gay standing there draped in a towel, staring him down with a look that practically said, "Yeah, I hit you. Got a problem?"
The second Cousins saw who it was, his anger vanished. He awkwardly rubbed his nose, chuckled, and turned back to continue his interview.
Gay leaned in, tilting his head with a smug grin as he stared at Cousins.
That did it—Cousins couldn't hold it in anymore. Forget the interview. He burst out laughing and started playfully wrestling with Gay.
Watching the two pranksters roughhousing on the sideline, Coach Malone couldn't help but cover his face and laugh. Without Cousins, the team's record had improved, sure, but they had definitely lost a lot of joy in the locker room.
Tonight felt like a reunion of last season's Kings. Even CJ, still recovering, showed up in a suit to greet Cousins on the court. The whole scene was full of warmth and camaraderie.
But after the pleasantries, it was back to business.
The Kings rolled out their strongest lineup: Booker, Butler, Gay, Thaddeus Young, and Jokić.
The Wizards didn't hold back either, starting with Wall, Beal, Dudley, Humphries, and Cousins.
"This one's going to be a real showdown!!"
Back in the broadcast booth, the commentators were buzzing with excitement.
"Tonight marks Cousins' first return to Sacramento since leaving, and Butler's debut with the Kings after the trade. The drama is off the charts!"
"Exactly! I'm sure a lot of Kings fans have been waiting for this game. Oh! Here comes the tip-off!"
On the court, Cousins won the tip and sent the ball to Wall to initiate the offense.
Wall dribbled past half court, reading the defense. A 3-2 zone? He instantly recognized the Kings' setup.
Butler stood right in front of him, eyes locked and sharp.
This was his first game since the trade, and on Christmas Day no less. Butler was determined to prove himself.
"Spread out! Spread out!"
Wall barked at Dudley, who was about to set a screen.
The first possession had to be his. He wanted to show Cousins that the Wizards were the real powerhouse.
What he didn't know was that this was exactly what Butler wanted. You think you're the team leader? Not tonight. I'm locking you down.
And so began a clash of wills: Wall dead set on attacking, Butler dead set on stopping him.
Wall pounded the ball with a series of between-the-legs dribbles, trying to squeeze Butler's space. But Butler didn't bite, his footwork fluid as he kept the perfect defensive distance.
Seeing no progress, Wall switched gears—he'd use his speed.
From the top of the arc, Wall suddenly exploded, pulling off a huge crossover and driving hard.
But Butler was ready. He slid back a step, sticking tight to Wall's body and mirroring him stride for stride.
"What a defensive stand!"
From his seat, Chen Yilun couldn't help but exclaim. Just that one defensive play from Butler was worth a first-round pick.
Butler's suffocating defense completely shut down Wall's dribble space. Wall had no choice but to protect the ball. Finally, under relentless pressure, he was forced into a high-difficulty fadeaway jumper.
The ball clanged off the rim.
Jokić, standing under the basket, was ready to grab the rebound when a shadow soared above him!
Cousins had already leapt, using his incredible athleticism to snatch the offensive rebound over Jokić's head.
Before Jokić could react, Cousins dropped in a smooth hook.
"Box out! What's the point of being that tall if you can't even grab a basic rebound?"
Butler caught the inbound pass, pushing the ball up the court while chirping nonstop.
Jokić hadn't expected Butler to be so blunt in their very first game as teammates. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
"I got it! DeMarcus won't get another chance!"
Jokić bellowed in his thickly accented English, frustration clear in his voice.
Trailing behind, Rudy Gay lazily opened his sleepy eyes, giving Jokić a curious glance before shifting a knowing look toward Butler.
I think I finally understand why Yilun insisted on bringing Butler here.
Gay thought silently to himself.