The end of the decade is upon us, and the Sacramento Kings are closing out the ’10s the same way they lived them: disappointingly.
The Sacramento Kings have lost seven games in a row and 8 of their last 9, and are in a free fall in the Western Conference standings.
After a promising month of November and a good second week of December, things have completely fallen apart. Team cohesion is absent, injuries are aplenty, and there are rumblings of a divided locker room. What was supposed to be a promising season is all but over before January 1st.
While the collapse of a promising team like this one would usually bring surprise and disappointment, this particular collapse is perfectly in tune with Sacramento Kings basketball throughout the last decade.
As the 2010’s come to a close, a reflection on the last ten years for the Kings is an ugly one. The decade was a lot like this season; disappointing, embarrassing, and the small glimmers of hope lasted just a couple of games at best. The current signs of unrest within the organization are on par with the ineptitude of the Sacramento front office during the recent past.
Can the Kings recover? Of course they can. They have a hand full of winnable games in early January, but given their recent inability to beat anyone, don’t count on Sacramento climbing back into contention any time soon. The issues that have been plaguing them still have yet to be solved, and injury issues remain.
The Kings should look at the turning of the calendar as a time to reset and regroup. Whether or not the team competes for a playoff spot this season, there is still talent and (some) youth to build on and around. Continuing to build unity down the stretch of this season will be key for the development and progress of the team for next year.
Sacramento will finish the calendar year by hosting the LA Clippers on New Year’s Eve. Would anyone be surprised if the Kings were to beat LA and then lost to the Warriors on January 6th?