Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford looks to pass around Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

By Barbara Mason

Sunday evening the Sacramento Kings (22-60) finished off their 2025-26 season losing to the Portland Trail Blazers (42-40) 122-110. The Kings had the high score for the game. Precious Achiuwa had a double double with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Despite the loss, Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford had double digits, Clifford with 24 points. Next big date for the Kings will be the NBA draft later this year.

Game recap: After the first 12 minutes of play this game was tied at 33. The Kings were hanging in this game until the second quarter when Portland really turned the game around outscoring the Kings 44-24. At the half the Trail Blazers had a 77-57 lead and it sure looked like Portland was in total control of the game.

One thing that we have learned in the later games of this season is that there is no “quit” on this team, they battle until the very end. These young players play hard and they never give up. By the end of the third quarter the Kings had cut the Trail Blazers lead nearly in half.

Going into the final quarter Portland had a 96-84 lead. Clifford and Achiuwa were shooting lights out. Clifford with 20 and Achiuwa with 22 points. Raynaud also had double digits shooting for 15 points.

If nothing else these guys will bring incredible energy, skill, and scoring ability to next year’s roster. The rally the Kings mounted at the end of the third quarter fell apart as the final quarter wore on.

Just when it looked as if all was lost, the Kings fought back pulling to within 11 points 103-92. With eight minutes left in the game the Kings pulled to within nine points 104-95 but that would be as close as they would get and that was the finish of the 2025-26 season for the Sacramento Kings.

The Kings Precious Achiuwa finished with the game high, a double double, 27 points and 11 rebounds. Nique Clifford had 24 points and Maxime Raynaud with 21 points.

Game notes: A season like no other has finally come to an end for the Sacramento Kings. Everything that could go wrong did and the Kings went into probably every game this season short-handed. If not every game pretty darn close to every game.

Since the start of 2026 a lot of the younger players got a rare opportunity to start games and they reaped the benefits. While Maxime Raynaud has been starting for awhile now, Nique Clifford, Devin Carter and Daeqwon Plowden have gotten a lot of minutes and the improvement they have shown has been impressive.

The Kings now look ahead to the upcoming 2026-27 season but before that the draft lottery at the end of May will be of great interest to the future of the team. Of course no team wants to finish with one of the three worst records of the season but those teams have the best chance at a first round draft pick.

Sacramento will not be in that group but they do have a 22-59 record and after Sunday night’s game as they finished the season 22-60. They took on the Trail Blazers in their final game of the season ending with a loss. The Trail Blazers are tied for eighth place with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors Sunday night 115-110 and the Clippers came away with a big win.

Stay connected for upcoming Kings news and an important one to keep all eyes on will be the upcoming NBA draft. On May 10 the NBA draft lottery will take place. The date for the NBA draft will be announced at a later date most likely sometime in June.