Rather than taking in 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 started its season 3-7 and was fresh off allowing 144 points to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
He echoed a similar sentiment to the one he shared after the loss. “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, even, 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.
Despite a promising first half from Sacramento, they weren’t able to get the job done.
Six Kings players tallied double-digit points in their efforts, shooting 48.2 percent from the field as a group. Conceding 15 offensive rebounds, leading to 23 second chance points, while failing to limit Jokic (and hardly double-teaming him).
Kings vs. Nuggets Game Notes
Opening up their first 8 p.m. tipoff of the 2025-26 NBA season, and their first that aired on NBC, the Kings got off to a slow start.
As is well known, slowing down three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is a grueling task. Denver got their offensive hub back, and he was looking to score early. That’s not Jokic’s typical course of action; he is usually focused on setting up his teammates early on. But Sacramento, being one, if not the only, team that doesn’t double-team him, may play into that.
But, just like he did a week or so ago in Denver, his mind seemed set on putting the ball in the basket. Sabonis battled, but Sacramento’s help defense and awareness of off-ball cutters weren’t ideal.
Keon Ellis — who hardly saw the floor in recent games, much to the fanbase’s annoyance — subbed in during the first quarter with a unit including Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, Nique Clifford, and Drew Eubanks.
That grouping provided some life and helped them recover their narrow deficit. By the end of one, Jokic managed 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists after playing the entire frame. But Sabonis contributed 11 points of his own as Sacramento held a 34-33 lead after 12 minutes.
Monk’s presence helps bring back a sense of normalcy and familiarity. His ability to space the floor is an added benefit, as Sacramento was letting it fly from deep more than usual.
Headed into the first of two non-Jokic stretches, Sacramento needed to capitalize on those moments. But this year, they’re equipped with Jonas Valanciunas behind him. They can thank the Kings for that, who traded the big man to Denver for Dario Saric, who played zero minutes Tuesday night.
He and Sabonis, teammates during their time with the Lithuanian national team, battled in the paint. Nobody stole the show with Jokic sat. Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray added a few buckets but mainly were quiet in the first half.
Atypically, the Kings attempted significantly more triples than their opposition. Likely result of the Nuggets’ apparent focus on scoring in the paint, where they tallied half (30) of their first-half points.
Trailing by four (60-56) at halftime was an encouraging sign for the Kings, who came in as notable underdogs. Shooting upwards of 50 percent from the field and assisting on 17 of their 23 field goals reflected a cohesive offensive showing.
Maybe it was the late tip, the halfway-empty Golden 1 Center, or just me, but it felt like there was a lack of energy in the first 24 minutes.
Heading into the third quarter, Christie’s squad needed to find ways to slow down Jokic — a problem the entire league struggles to solve.
Sabonis suffered his fourth foul early in the third quarter and headed to the bench not long after in exchange for Eubanks.
Want to guess how Eubanks’ guarding of the former MVP went? As expected, Jokic went to the reserve big and converted with real ease. Chrisite adjusted by having Precious Achiuwa take on the assignment.
The reality is that nobody is going to be able to stop him, and only a few can slow him down. But Sacramento seemed fine living with him doing most of the damage as a scorer, and Denver’s star took advantage.
As they say, it’s a game of runs, and the same grouping that added another spark. Westbrook’s typical infectious energy was on display as he ran actions with Eubanks. Ellis and Monk added proper spacing that’s often lacking, and rookie Clifford helped fill in the gaps.
Despite Jokic’s 15-point quarter, the Nuggets led just 85-82 with 12 minutes to play in Golden 1 Center.
Valanciuas and Murray put together a quick run, extending their marginal advantage. Missed shots and a few turnovers allowed the Nuggets to get out in transition as well.
By the 7:10 mark, the Kings trailed 101-86. A once back-and-forth battle quickly turned into Denver’s game to lose courtesy of a 16-2 run.
But the Kings were not going to go down easy, responding with a 10-2 run of their own. 108-99 Nuggets with 3:48 to play.
Sabonis had his hand caught in the cookie jar, committing his sixth and final foul on a Jokic jump shot right after. Eubanks filled his spot while Westbrook and Monk closed in place of Schroder and Achiuwa.
They didn’t go down without a fight, attempting to claw their way back late without success. Untimely turnovers, missed opportunities, and a lack of consistent defensive stops prevented them from getting the job done.
Denver leaves Golden 1 Center with a 122-108 win over the Sacramento Kings, who fall to 3-8.
Jokic was the best player on the floor, scoring 35 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. Murray added 23 points and eight assists, with a majority coming in the second half.
Six Kings players tallied double-digit points in their efforts, shooting 48.2 percent from the field as a group. Conceding 15 offensive rebounds, leading to 23 second chance points, while failing to limit Jokic (and hardly double-teaming him).
More Sacramento Kings coverage on Sactown Sports
The word “unacceptable” has been commonplace in postgame presser conferences for the 2025-26 Sacramento Kings.
“There’s a standard,” head coach Doug Christie said Friday night. His team had just allowed 144 points in a loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. “And the Sacramento Kings are going to have a damn standard, period.”
“As long as I’m here, there’s going to be a standard. Now, we haven’t reached it yet obviously, because that s**t is unacceptable,” he continued. “There’s no middle ground with this. If we are really trying to be about what we’re about, we going to sacrifice for each other, not care about one end of the floor and dive into the other end of the floor like some damn animals.”
Read More:
Kings lack defensive identity in yet another ‘unacceptable’ performance
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
Wednesday, November 12th – vs. Atlanta Hawks – 7:00 PM PT
Friday, November 14th – @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 1:00 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
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