Kings guard Markelle Fultz enters the arena prior to Friday nights action (Photo: Sacramento Kings on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The NBA All-Star weekend and the trade deadline are now behind us, and the final stretch of the NBA season began on Friday night as the Sacramento Kings returned to action. The Kings hosted the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center at 7 PM PST. Coming off a much-needed break to recharge and practice for the first time since incorporating several new pieces into their rotation, the Kings looked to build momentum. Meanwhile, the Warriors entered the game with newfound optimism for the season following the acquisition of Jimmy Butler prior to the trade deadline. Both teams entered the game with a record of 28–27, occupying 9th and 10th places respectively within the Western Conference standings.

In the first quarter, the Kings were outplayed and out-hustled. They allowed the Warriors to secure seven offensive rebounds while committing seven turnovers. Nonetheless, the bright spot for the Kings was DeMar DeRozan, who scored 15 points in the opening frame.

In the second quarter, the Kings experienced a meltdown. They surrendered 37 points to the Warriors, which initiated a downward spiral. Despite DeMar DeRozan contributing 24 points in the first half, the Kings simply couldn’t guard the broad side of a barn, and they went into halftime trailing 68–53.

In the third quarter, the pattern persisted. The Kings mounted an early run to cut the deficit to eight points; however, the Warriors subsequently expanded their lead to 17 by the end of the quarter. By that point, Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 21 points, while DeMar DeRozan continued to lead the Kings with 28 points.

In the final quarter, the Kings collapsed with a faint whimper. They were outscored 32–23 in the final 12 minutes, marking their second consecutive loss. The Kings ultimately fell to the Warriors 132–106 on Friday night. During the break they failed to address any of the issues observed during the game post trade deadline. The team appears to be in freefall; their offense remains choppy and stagnant, lacking any discernible rhythm. It remains unclear how they will move forward, and the outlook for both the team and the franchise appears grim.

Following the game, Doug Christie addressed the media more than an hour later. He was unambiguous in his remarks, stating, “Completely unacceptable.”