Kings fall to 1-8, tie worst 9-game start in franchise history

The Sacramento Kings have officially tied the worst nine-game start in franchise history.

Friday’s 124-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs dropped Sacramento to 1-8 on the season, matching a franchise low through nine games. The Kings are also winless through four games at Golden 1 Center.

Darius Acuff Jr. continued his impressive rookie season, Domantas Sabonis recorded another double-double, and Sacramento showed some fight after halftime.

But the Kings were outscored 75-56 in the first half, couldn’t slow down Victor Wembanyama, and once again struggled to get stops.

The defensive issues have become a season-long problem (a multi-season problem, really), and Friday was another example of just how much work remains.

The Sacramento Kings fall to 1-8, which ties their worst nine-game start in franchise history: https://t.co/XvRm7SeEnS

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) November 7, 2026

A first-half defensive disaster was too much to overcome

The Sacramento Kings actually played better basketball after halftime. Unfortunately, they had already dug themselves a 19-point hole.

San Antonio scored 75 points in the first half, shooting 60% from the field and 10-of-16 (63%) from three-point land. The Spurs entered Friday ranked 25th in the NBA in made three-pointers and 24th in three-point percentage.

Naturally, they found plenty of success against Sacramento’s defense.

The Kings also struggled to stay disciplined. Sacramento committed 13 fouls in the first half, sending San Antonio to the free-throw line 21 times. The Spurs took advantage, building a commanding lead while also holding a 9-2 advantage in second-chance points at the break.

Wembanyama had 20 points by halftime and continued to give Sacramento problems throughout the night. He finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks, knocking down four-of-six (67%) from three-point land.

squad was dialed in from deep down the stretch 🔥👌 https://t.co/fJERcIs45m

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 7, 2026

San Antonio finished the game shooting 15-of-30 (50%) from beyond the arc.

Sacramento did outscore the Spurs 53-49 in the second half, but the first-half performance proved too much to overcome. The Kings have now allowed at least 120 points in seven of their first nine games, losing every one of those contests. They’re currently ranked 29th in the NBA in points allowed per game.

The defensive problems aren’t going away.

Darius Acuff Jr. continues to make rookie history

Even in another disappointing loss, Acuff continues to give Sacramento Kings fans something to be excited about.

The rookie finished Friday with 22 points, eight assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes. He shot nine-of-20 (45%) from the field and three-of-nine (33%) from three-point range, committing just one turnover.

Acuff has now recorded at least five assists in seven consecutive games. He’s also the second Kings rookie in the Sacramento era (1985-present) to record at least 20 points and five assists in five straight games, joining Davion Mitchell, who did so during the 2021-22 season.

Acuff from downtown 🎯 https://t.co/4j3JQmUGrt

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 7, 2026

The playmaking has been particularly encouraging. Acuff continues to generate offense for himself while finding ways to involve his teammates, and he’s doing it while carrying a significant workload early in his NBA career.

There was a brief scare in the fourth quarter when Acuff rolled his ankle after stepping on Wembanyama’s foot while driving to the basket. He appeared to be in some discomfort, but remained in the game and finished the night without any obvious lingering issues.

At 1-8, the Kings don’t have much going their way right now. Acuff’s development is one of the few bright spots.

Darius Acuff Jr. appeared to injure his lower leg on this play, but he stayed in the game https://t.co/UFqEqvaEeh

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 7, 2026

Sabonis needs help on the glass

The Kings had a difficult time keeping San Antonio off the glass, and the difference in second-chance opportunities was another factor in the loss.

The Spurs finished with a 46-36 advantage in total rebounds, including a 13-7 edge on the offensive glass. San Antonio also outscored Sacramento 16-7 in second-chance points.

Sabonis did his part, finishing with 17 points, 12 rebounds and five assists while shooting eight-of-12 (67%) from the field. It was his seventh double-double of the season.

But Sacramento didn’t get enough help on the glass. Sabonis was the only King with more than five rebounds heading into the fourth quarter, and the Spurs repeatedly found ways to create additional possessions.

Domas gets it started 💪 https://t.co/Pj34iF0lyO

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) November 7, 2026

Losing Keegan Murray and Ben Simmons to injuries has hurt this team’s ability to battle for boards, but they’ll have to find ways to make a difference as the season unfolds.

The Kings actually finished with more assists than San Antonio, 33-28, and matched the Spurs with 11 turnovers. They also made 16 three-pointers compared to San Antonio’s 15.

But the rebounding gap, foul trouble, and defensive breakdowns were too much to overcome. Sacramento is 27th in rebounds per game this season, and that’s a concern moving forward.

A strange atmosphere at Golden 1 Center

It’s becoming harder to ignore what’s happening in the stands.

The energy inside Golden 1 Center has been noticeably lacking this season. The building has felt emptier than I’ve seen since it opened a decade ago, and it’s difficult to blame fans for being frustrated with what they’ve watched.

The Kings are now 0-4 at home and 1-8 overall. They’ve tied a franchise record for the worst start through nine games, and the schedule ahead won’t make things any easier. This follows last season, when they went 15-26 at home.

Defensive issues, rebounding problems, and a lack of consistency are piling up, and early-season optimism has quickly faded.

At some point, the Kings have to give fans a reason to believe things will get better. Through nine games, there aren’t many reasons to feel optimistic about paying the price of admission.

In the past, even when things were bad, the Boogie Cousins era, the Tyreke Evans years, even going back to ‘The Scores’ season with a young Fox and Iman Shumpert, Sacramento had competitive showings that even felt fun at times.

Through nine games this season, the Sacramento Kings have been outscored by an average of 14.1 points per contest (second-worst mark in the NBA). Where is the fun there?

Stats & Notes

• Malik Monk finished with 12 points and seven assists in 17 minutes off the bench. It was his second game in the past three with at least seven assists. Monk and Acuff also connected in a third-quarter stretch that helped Sacramento briefly cut the deficit to 12.
• De’Aaron Fox scored nine points in 26 minutes in his return to Sacramento. The former Kings guard also had four assists and two turnovers.
• Leaky Black started in place of De’Andre Hunter, who missed the game with an illness. Black finished with 12 points, five assists, and five fouls in nearly 40 minutes.
• Emanuel Sharp added nine points and five rebounds in 30 minutes.
• The Kings finished with 16-of-35 (46%) shooting from three-point land, compared to 15-of-30 (50%) for San Antonio.
• Sacramento was outscored 33-13 at the free-throw line.

Sacramento Kings Injury Updates

De’Andre Hunter (illness) did not play on Friday and is considered day-to-day.

Keegan Murray (left ankle capsulitis) will be re-evaluated in the next 7-10 days.

Maxime Raynaud (right patellar subluxation) will be re-evaluated next week.

Ben Simmons underwent successful surgery to address a torn right Achilles tendon and will miss the entire 2026-27 season.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Amick: Kings prefer stability around Doug Christie for now
• Is Darius Acuff Jr. the next Allen Iverson?
• Deveney: Sabonis isn’t trying to sabotage Acuff or the Kings
• There is no drama between Darius Acuff Jr. & Domantas Sabonis

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

• Sunday, November 8th vs. Miami Heat (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Tuesday, November 10th vs. Orlando Magic (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Friday, November 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, November 15th vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Wednesday, November 17th vs. Phoenix Suns (7:00 P.M. PT)

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