The nightmare continues for the Sacramento Kings.
Aside from an offensive burst at the end of the first quarter that trimmed a 15-point deficit to three, Sacramento was pummeled by the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. The Kings trailed by as many as 44 points en route to a 133-100 loss–their fourth-straight, which also concluded a 1-4 homestand.
Sacramento (3-9) kept pace with the 2017-18 Kings team for the worst 12-game start since the 1990-91 season, falling into a tie with Dallas for the 14th spot in the basement of the Western Conference standings.
It’s still early in the regular season–really early–but there aren’t many signs of hope for Sacramento as they continue to aimlessly stumble to one of their worst starts during the franchise’s history in California’s capital city.
Zacch’s gonna have to start paying rent the way he’s living above the rim tonight pic.twitter.com/mvCpmA3Y83
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 13, 2025
Sacramento Kings vs. Atlanta Hawks recap & takeaways
Not even 24 hours removed from what was likely the latest game in Kings history (an 8 pm PT tip-off against Denver on Tuesday), Sacramento fell behind by double digits before fans could fully settle into their seats.
A Kings defense that entered play with the fourth-worst defensive rating in the NBA yielded a 25-10 Hawks run during the first six minutes of action, prompting those in attendance to scatter some boos and groans very early in regulation.
Sacramento appeared to be on the way to getting boat-raced before Dennis Schroder and the bench unit mounted a run of their own to get back in the game.
Schroder, who entered the night having made just two of past past 19 field goal attempts, led all scorers with eight first-quarter points (two-of-two from three-point range) to aid a 24-12 run to end the period that reduced the deficit to three.
While the Kings entered the second period with all of the momentum heading their way, sloppy play opened the door for Atlanta to regain an advantage. Sacramento ended the first half with 12 turnovers (against 11 assists), with eight coming in the second quarter alone.
The Hawks took advantage of the Kings’ miscues by scoring 14 points off turnovers and outscoring Sacramento 18-2 in fast-break points. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Kings faced a 20-point deficit as they closed in on a fourth-straight loss.
While the defense was putrid (allowed Atlanta to shoot 58/46/100 during the first half), the Sacramento offense scored just 12 points on four-of-22 (18%) shooting from the field in the second.
As fun as the short burst of offense was near the end of the first quarter, the second period was a stern reminder that this year’s version of the Beam Team is in the midst of a horrifying stretch of basketball.
DD to JJ 🛠️ pic.twitter.com/Mz9hHrdIzl
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 13, 2025
Once the Kings fell behind by 26 points during the opening minutes of the third quarter, Sacramento head coach Doug Christie pulled his starters and went with a small-ball approach, substituting an all-young lineup that included Devin Carter, Daeqwon Ploweden, Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, and Maxime Raynaud.
While seeing the Kings play their young talent was encouraging at first glance, the results remained the same as the Hawks pushed the lead into the 30s.
Even when Christie called back on his starters to end the period, Atlanta never relented and pushed the lead to 37 points as an already sparse crowd sounded off with boos.
Wednesday’s loss was ugly on both ends of the floor for Sacramento.
Not only did the Kings shoot 39 percent from the field, but they also allowed the Hawks to shoot 57 percent from the field, 42 percent from deep, and lost the battle of the fastbreak 33-8.
“Shameful compete level. That’s it,” Christie said as he opened up his postgame press conference. “We’re going to find people who want to compete, period.”
Christie, who opened up his pregame press conference on Tuesday night before facing Denver with a message stating that his team was going to turn things around, a 33-point drubbing less than 24 hours after another blowout loss pushed the franchise legend into a different tone after Sacramento’s latest defeat.
Doug Christie says he wishes he could have put on a jersey tonight. Said at the very least, he would have used all six fouls.
“At 55, I could have done better than that.”
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) November 13, 2025
“You are not going to represent the Sacramento Kings that way,” an amped up Christie said. “Not while I’m here. Put on a jersey, represent it properly. I’m [explicit] embarrassed. Period.”
When asked about his hockey-style substitution during the third period, Christie alluded to the effort that his younger players bring to the table, adding that he is looking at that level of effort as an example for the rest of his team.
Not only did Christie call out his team in scathing fashion, but he also said he wished he could have suited up for Sacramento tonight:
“At 55, I could have done better than that. I would have at least used all six fouls.”
Christie’s passion is undeniable. There’s no doubt that he wants to win badly, and wants to deliver for a fanbase that has shown him love for over two decades–but this isn’t solely on Christie’s shoulders.
The Kings are poorly constructed. They lack the defensive personnel necessary to compete on a nightly basis, and opposing teams are capitalizing on this weakness night after night.
Hearing Christie hold his players accountable is encouraging, but Sacramento’s issues are deeply rooted in the DNA of this roster. Until that changes, Christie may find himself recycling some of the quotes he used tonight — and it still won’t change the fact that roster turnover is needed to take the next step forward out of this current mess.
Sacramento Kings Injury Report
Zach LaVine (right thigh contusion) missed Wednesday night’s game and is considered day-to-day.
Malik Monk (left ankle soreness)missed Wednesday night’s game and is considered day-to-day.
Keegan Murray (left thumb, UCL injury recovery) is due to be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
On the heels of a brutal five-game homestand, the Sacramento Kings will embark on a five-game road trip that will provide its own set of challenges when they tip things off on Friday night in Minnesota.
The Kings will face the Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets during a grueling 11-day trip before heading home for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Minnesota Timberwolves action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before a 5:00 pm PT tip-off from the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Friday, November 14th – @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 5:00 PM PT
Sunday, November 16th – @ San Antonio Spurs – 1:00 PM PT
Wednesday, November 19th – @ Oklahoma City – 5:00 PM PT
Thursday, November 20th – @ Memphis Grizzlies – 5:00 PM PT
Saturday, November 22nd – @ Denver Nuggets – 7:00 PM PT
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