The Kings have 28 games remaining in the 2025-26 NBA season, and this is certainly one of them.
Who: Sacramento Kings (12-42) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (14-40)
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
When: 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
Watch: NBCSCA / League Pass
Under regular circumstances we could be looking at an all-time tank-off tonight in New Orleans. Both teams are dreadful and desperately in need of top-flight draft talent, however the Pelicans might be one of the few teams in a worse position than the Kings. They do not own their 2026 first round pick, meaning they have every reason to not tank. And yet, all they seem to do is lose.
The Kings are once again without a large portion of their veterans – De’Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine, Doug McDermott, Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis have all be ruled out. No complaints here.
I think this is the first time I’ve ever said this, but it’s true: Devin Carter is the player I’m most looking forward to watching right now. Carter is finally getting consistent playing time, and has scored in double figures (10, 14, 18) in each of the last three games. This is the first time Carter has reached three-straight games of double-digit scoring in his NBA career.
I don’t want to oversell it, but Carter looks… alright? Better late than never, but it’s a minor crime that it has taken the Kings this long to give him an extended look. Let’s hope the momentum continues tonight, but not enough to secure the win.
Prediction: Kings 119, Pelicans 109.