SACRAMENTO KINGS

Sam Amick on how the Kings can get to the “next tier” in the Western Conference

Jan 23, 2025, 10:57 AM

Sam Amick, NBA reporter for The Athletic, joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Thursday morning to discuss the Sacramento Kings (23-20) being 11-2 under interim head coach Doug Christie, where they stack up in the Western Conferecnce, and how they may approach the weeks leading up to the Feb. 6th trade deadline.

The multiple late-game comebacks and 6-0 clutch record under Christie may be the most impressive aspect of their recent success, something Sam highlights early in the conversation. But, reasonable questions still exist about their potential ceiling.

“They’re not a contender,” he said. “They are a potential playoff team, and if they push it hard enough, then they could get into that next tier. So, we’ll see.”

The upcoming trade deadline is where they could make that push, with Sam mentioning some of the commonly heard names, including Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson, Utah’s John Collins, and Washington’s Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valancuinas.

All that and PLENTY of other great conversations can be heard using the link above or on the Sactown Sports YouTube page.

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Click here for full episodes of The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross.

More Kings coverage on Sactown Sports

The Sacramento Kings hosted the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night in the team’s second matchup this season, with both sides playing on the first night of a back-to-back.

DeMar DeRozan (32/5/2/2/2) and Domantas Sabonis (26/18/3) put their best feet forward, making up for De’Aaron Fox’s slow night (14/5/5). They overcame Golden State’s ridiculous three-point efficiency thanks to their increased defensive aggressiveness in the second half, turning defense into an offense like they’ve done so well under Doug Christie.

A 37-20 third-quarter advantage allowed them to come back from an 18-point deficit and end the night with a 123-117 victory as the Sacramento sky lit purple.

Read more:

Kings turn up the pressure in Q3, defeating Warriors 123-117

When’s the next Sacramento Kings game?

The same night Sacramento defeated Golden State, they hopped on a plane for Denver, Colorado, to take on the Nuggets the following night. It’s the beginning of a seven-game road trip for the Kings, including a trip to the Northeast coast.

DeRozan said going into Denver is the hardest back-to-back in the NBA. “I feel like it’s a setup in some typa way,” he joked after Wednesday’s win.

It’ll be a tough challenge for the Kings, who may need to use their newly healthy roster to weather the complications that come on the second night of a back-to-back, especially in Denver.

Upcoming schedule for the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings

  • Wednesday, January 22nd – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PT
  • Thursday, January 23rd – @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PT
  • Saturday, January 25th – @ New York Knicks – 4:30 PM PT
  • Sunday, January 27th – @ Brooklyn Nets – 4:30 PM PT
  • Wednesday, January 29th – @ Philadelphia 76ers –4:30 PM PT

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Sam Amick on how the Kings can get to the “next tier” in the Western Conference