During Tuesday’s pregame media availability, Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie walked into the press conference room with a message.
“Change is hard, ya’ll. It’s hard,” he started. “But understand, and we understand, that we’re not there yet. But we’re about to work at it like crazy.”
Sacramento had started its season 3-7 and was fresh off allowing 144 points to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a similar message to what he’d shared after recent losses. “We’re gonna play to a standard.”
“So, when I see the hate, the haters, the fakers, all you guys, you keep that energy,” he continued. “And while you’re doing that, eventually, we’re gonna be coming. The King Show.”
Well, the visiting Denver Nuggets had the best seat to Wednesday night’s show in Golden 1 Center as they faced off against the Kings.
You could say they stole the show, leaving California’s capital with a 122-108 win. Nikola Jokic had his typical MVP-caliber performance with 35 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists.
But there’s only so much you can do there. It was a respectable effort from Christie’s squad, but they were set to face the Atlanta Hawks the following night.
It turns out that the worst was yet to come. The Kings allowed the visiting Hawks (without Trae Young) to tally 133 points in regulation and lead by as much as 44 points on Wednesday night.
They looked uninspired and lackadaisical in their hustle, to the point where Christie made a full five-man hockey substitution after a poor third quarter from his starters.
“Unacceptable, period,” Coach Christie said after the loss. “And if they being real, they going to tell you the same thing.”
YouTube video
“You’re professionals. You signed up for this, and this league is hard,” he said. “And with that being said, this is only game 12. I mean, it’s a lot of basketball to be played. You’ve demonstrated that you can do this.”
He pointed to wins in Milwaukee and a hard-fought battle against the defending champions on the road as prime examples. There’s also the reality of a grueling early schedule that the Kings were up against but all that matter is their 3-9 record.
Christie’s frustration has been apparent for the last few games. Understandably, as they’ve been outscored by a combined 104 points throughout the four-game skid.
“I wish I could have put on a jersey,” he said Wednesday night. “At 55, I would have shown you better than that. At least, I’m gonna use all six fouls.”
With notable veteran talent and assumed leaders on the roster, it’ll be interesting to track the morale of the struggling Sacramento Kings.
But Doug Christie might lose his mind if they ever have a repeat of Wednesday night.
More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports
Former Sacramento Kings general manager, head coach, and broadcaster Jerry Reynolds joined The Drive Guys on Thursday afternoon to discuss their disappointing start to the 2025-26 NBA season.
Outlining where their current shortcomings fall, mainly centered around roster construction rather than placing blame on head coach Doug Christie.
“He’s got a roster that’s kind of, honestly, unbalanced,” Reynolds said. “You could motivate five guards sky high, and they’re still gonna get their butts beat.”
Read More:
Jerry Reynolds: How long would it take the Kings to rebuild?
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
Thank you for readingSactownSports.com. Follow us onTwitterandGoogle News, and subscribe to ourYouTubechannel.