Coach Doug Christie promises to fans, and haters, that he will 'figure things out' with the Sacramento Kings. By Stats Perform Video via VideoElephant
The Sacramento Kings, momentarily, looked like they were going to snap their six-game losing streak Thursday night in Philadelphia.
They were dominating the 76ers on the glass and had a 24-0 advantage in second-chance points, which nearly allowed them to overcome a 40-point game by Tyrese Maxey and 37 from Joel Embiid. They finished with a 46-24 rebounding advantage. The fans in Philadelphia were booing the 76ers off the floor as the Kings made their run late in the second half.
But Sacramento’s offense stalled out as the Kings surrendered an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, and Maxey hit a running, left-handed layup while getting fouled with 1 second left, and the 76ers won 113-111 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“Looking back at the actual play,” Kings coach Doug Christie said, “we probably should have maybe sent him to the traffic. I was talking to Bobby (Jackson) afterwards about playing off of him and letting him come to (Dennis Schroder), as opposed to being up on him.”
Tyrese Maxey, seen smiling during a game Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, scored the game-winning shot in Thursday’s 113-111 win over the Sacramento Kings with 1 second left in the game. Mitchell Leff Getty Images
Schroder, making his first start since Nov. 12, played up on Maxey into the 76ers’ back court. Then Maxey sprinted toward the basket once Embiid got the ball at the top of the key, essentially making it a footrace between Maxey and Schroder.
Maxey, one of the fastest players in the NBA, won and made the left-handed scoop shot over four Kings defenders to give him 40 points.
“That was a tough play,” Schroder said. “Credit to them, but I would have probably stayed at the 3-point line and then just met him. I went up, he went back door, and he made a hell of a shot too.”
Embiid finished with 37 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Paul George had 15 points. For Sacramento, Precious Achiuwa had 13 rebounds along with 8 points.
Streak continues, record tied for NBA-worst
The seven-game losing streak is the Kings’ second-longest of the season, only behind their eight-game slide from Nov. 7-20. Sacramento hasn’t won a road game since Dec. 6 and dropped 11 straight away from Golden 1 Center.
They have the worst road record in the NBA at 3-21, and at 12-37 overall, they’re tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for the worst record in the league.
On the bright side, the Kings finishing the season with one of the three worst records in the NBA means a 14% chance at the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, after the odds were flattened in 2017.
“We’re definitely not happy about it,” Zach LaVine said. “We got a bunch of All-Stars and Hall of Fame guys on the team, All-NBAs, Olympic Gold medalists, sixth man of the years, incredible role players, but it obviously hasn’t stuck and our record shows it. As a group, we don’t like that at all, and we’re going to continue to go out there and still try to play and do our job.”
The Kings lost while getting 27 points from Schroder, who was back in the starting lineup in place of Russell Westbrook, and 25 points from DeMar DeRozan, after scoring 34 in Tuesday’s loss to the New York Knicks. LaVine scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half after coming off the bench.
The fourth quarter featured three lead changes in the final 3:03. LaVine led the Kings with 6 points in the fourth quarter while DeRozan was held scoreless. The Kings in the final frame had seven turnovers leading to 8 points for the 76ers, and just four assists while scoring 19 points. Philadelphia also made 9 of 10 free throws.
“We had a couple turnovers, we could execute,” DeRozan said. “We put them on the line too many times. We gave them too many opportunities and we still had a chance to win the game. That’s what it all came down to, limiting their opportunities and taking advantage of ours.”
Things don’t get any easier for the Kings. They traveled to Boston late Thursday night for the second night of a back-to-back Friday against the Celtics (29-18), who will be playing the third game of a home stand with a night off after losing to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) drives down court against Miami Heat guard Kasparas Jakucionis (25) in the first half during a game at Golden 1 Center on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 in Sacramento. Schroder led the Kings with 27 points in Thursday’s 113-111 loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com