3 Takeaways From Kings 2022-23 Schedule
Aug 17, 2022, 3:22 PM | Updated: Sep 6, 2022, 11:15 am
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on March 14, 2022 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The wait is over. We now know the Sacramento Kings’ schedule for the 2022-23 season.
So, what did we learn? What are the important dates? Let’s break things down.
First Month
Since the NBA season kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 19, for the sake of keeping things simple, we’ll count the first month as Oct. 19, through Nov. 19. In that same time span last season, the Kings went 6-11. Coach Luke Walton was then fired.Β Twelve of those games were against teams that would eventually land in the playoffs. Not the easiest first month for a team.
This year, the Sacramento Kings play 14 games in that same time span, hosting 8 opponents and traveling for 6 games. Of the team’s first five games, only one is on the road, and it’s 90 miles south on Highway 80. But who are the opponents for these first five games? Well, they’re tough. We know the team is opening the season against Damian Lillard and the Blazers, then Paul George and Kawhi Leonard roll into town. When the Kings come back home after facing Curry, Thompson, Green and the Warriors, they host Ja Morant and the Grizzlies and close out the first five games against Jimmy Butler and the Heat.
The only teams within this first month who the Kings play that didn’t make the playoffs last year are the Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs.
Road Trips and Back-to-Backs
The Kings have two long road trips this season. The longest trip, a 7-game trek, starts in January and ends the following month. During this trip, they’ll play the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets twice, as well as the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, and New Orleans Pelicans.
But, that’s not all. The Kings also have a 6-game trip to kick off December that sees them travel to the East Coast to take on the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons.
The nice thing though is only once per road trip is there a back-to-back on the schedule. During the season, the Kings have a total of 15 back-to-back games; five at home, five away, and five mixed.
National Television
The Sacramento Kings appear on national television five times this season. While four games are on NBA TV, the Kings face off against the Houston Rockets on ESPN Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. The game features a lot of young talent. On the Rockets’ side, Jabari Smith, Jalen Green and Kenyon Martin Jr. look to turn around a storied franchise.
Now, there’s some argument about whether or not NBA TV is a nationally televised game. For the sake of this argument, we’re counting them as such. The Kings face some top talent on the big stage, going head-to-head with the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Boston Celtics on NBA TV.
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