Will Sacramento Kings start 2025 with a win? Here’s how season compares to previous years
It’s been a rough season so far for the Sacramento Kings.
Since the start of the NBA season in October, the professional basketball team has battled early-season injuries, losing streaks and the abrupt firing of head coach Mike Brown.
The Kings even attempted to introduce a new mascot, Roy Al, before fans and star player De’Aaron Fox expressed their disapproval.
On Monday, the Kings closed out 2024 with a much-needed win against the Dallas Mavericks, snapping a six-game losing streak and marking the first win for Sacramento’s interim head coach, Doug Christie.
“Everyone showed up,” Kings power forward Domantas Sabonis told announcer Scott Moaks in front of more than 16,000 fans at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. “We fought. It was ugly, but we got the win.”
Fans are hoping that the game symbolizes a turning point in the rest of season.
After 33 games, the Kings enter 2025 ranked 12th in the NBA’s Western Conference with a 14-19 record.
That puts the team 1.5 games behind 10th place, which would be the final spot in the 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.
How does the Kings’ record at this point compare to previous seasons?
How does Sacramento Kings season compare so far?
Prior to the beginning of the 2024-25 season, ESPN experts predicted that the Kings would win 47 games and finish sixth in the West before making a playoff push.
After starting the season 8-6, the Sacramento Kings lost 13 of 19 games.
So far, the Kings’ performance this season closely resembles the team’s track record during the Luke Walton era prior to the 2022-23 season, according to game schedules and end-of-season results from Basketball Reference.
After 33 games in the 2019-20 season, the Kings were 12-21. The team finished 31-41 after a shortened 72-game season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and missed the postseason.
At the same point in the 2020-21 season, which was also shortened by the pandemic, the Kings were 13-20. The team finished 31-41.
After 33 games in the 2021-22 season, the Kings were 13-20. Sacramento finished the season 30-52, missing the postseason for a 16th straight season.
Brown joined the Kings as head coach at the start of the 2022-23 season.
By the 33-game mark that season, Sacramento was 18-15. The Kings ended up finishing 48-34, the third best record in the Western Conference that season.
However, the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game showdown in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
Brown became the first unanimous winner of the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2023.
After 33 games in the 2023-24 season, the Kings were 20-13.
Sacramento ended up finishing 46-36, the ninth best record in the Western Conference, and barely missed playing in the postseason after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in a NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game.
What happened to Sacramento Kings in 2024?
Here’s a timeline of key moments for the Sacramento Kings in the year 2024:
January and February 2024: The Sacramento Kings were in peak mid-season form and looking to make another playoff push.
March: Despite losing key players Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter to injury, the Kings managed to sneak into play-in contention
April: The Kings defeated the Warriors in game 1 of the NBA Play-In Tournament to advance to play for the eighth seed. Sacramento lost a deciding game to advance to the playoffs.
May: Then-Kings head coach Mike Brown signed a contract extension.
June: The Kings drafted point guard Devin Carter, later announcing that he wouldn’t be playing to start the 2024-25 season due to a shoulder injury.
July: The Kings signed small forward DeMar DeRozan.
August: Experts predicted that the Kings would be playoff contenders.
October: Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox declined to sign a contract extension. The 2024-25 regular season began as Sacramento got off to a 8-6 start.
November: The Kings went 7-9 in 16 games, including a four-game losing streak.
December: The Kings lost seven of the next 11 games to start the month. Mike Brown was fired and former player, broadcaster and assistant coach Doug Christie was hired as interim head coach. Sacramento lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in Christie’s head coaching debut and defeated the Mavericks in the final game of 2024.
What’s in store for NBA team in 2025?
With 49 games still to be played in 2025, the Sacramento Kings have time to make a season turnaround.
Six of the next 10 games for the Kings will be played at Golden 1 Center, including a New Year’s Day matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, Jan. 1.
Here’s the game schedule for the month of January:
Jan.1 : Sacramento Kings versus Philadelphia 76ers
Jan. 3: Kings versus Memphis Grizzlies
Jan. 5: Kings at Golden State Warriors
Jan. 6: Kings versus Miami Heat
Jan. 10: Kings at Boston Celtics
Jan. 12: Kings at Chicago Bulls
Jan. 14: Kings at Milwaukee Bucks
Jan. 16: Kings versus Houston Rockets
Jan. 19: Kings versus Washington Wizards
Jan. 22: Kings versus Warriors
Jan. 23: Kings at Denver Nuggets
Jan. 25: Kings at New York Knicks
Jan. 27: Kings at Brooklyn Nets
Jan. 29: Kings at 76ers
This story was originally published January 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM.