The Sacramento Kings fell short in a 105-98 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament, wrapping up the regular season with 46 wins, the most by a non-playoff NBA team since the Denver Nuggets in 2018.
De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 35 points, while Domantas Sabonis contributed 23 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists. Harrison Barnes chipped in with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Fox acknowledged the need for defensive consistency, emphasizing the importance of maintaining pace and physicality on that end of the floor to establish a more reliable performance level.
Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Kings see potential for improvement and are looking forward to the challenges of the upcoming season in the competitive Western Conference.
The Pelicans outscored the Kings in the second quarter and had six players score 10 or more points, including Larry Nance Jr., Naji Marshall, and Jose Alvarado off the bench.
Sacramento struggled to contain the Pelicans’ reserves, allowing 34 bench points, dropping to 0-6 in their matchups against New Orleans this season.
Head coach Mike Brown highlighted the need for aggressiveness on offense, specifically mentioning the performance of young starters Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis, who combined for a 4-of-17 shooting night.
Murray, who finished with 11 points, emphasized the importance of consistency throughout the season for sustained success in the competitive Western Conference.
Brown sees Friday’s loss as a learning opportunity for Murray and expects the young player to grow and improve from the experience.
New Orleans’ victory extended their undefeated record against the Kings to 6-0 this season, a rare feat in the NBA. The Kings have now ended back-to-back seasons with 40 or more wins.
