Coming into his first full season as head coach of the Sacramento Kings, Doug Christie was focused on defense. That may have panned out as the Kings won a close game against the Utah Jazz thanks to an end-of-game defensive stand by Dennis Schroder. It could set the tone for the season.
Fans, pundits, and NBA executives from across the league have been talking about it for years. The Kings' unbalanced roster leans far too heavily on shoot-first guards and offensive strength. Their lack of defensive presence makes it hard for them to be a serious postseason threat.
Starting in training camp, head coach Doug Christie has made it crystal clear to his team that defense is the name of the game for the 2025-2026 season. His essential stance has been that if you don't play defense, you don't play for the Sacramento Kings.
That message can be drilled into the younger players, but the Kings have a lot of older players and league veterans. It's not always easy to teach new tricks to old dogs. At the same time, there actually seems to be movement in that direction among all members of the Kings' roster.
Dennis Schroder makes a stand
The Kings' matchup against the Jazz was their second game of the season and their home opener in Sacramento. After a tough loss to the Suns in Phoenix to open the season, a statement needed to be made with a victory in front of the hometown crowd.
That statement was surprisingly made with defense. Dennis Schroder, one of the few Kings known for his defensive play, held the line and helped get the win. What's interesting is that it wasn't just him. The entire team seems to be working harder at that end of the court this season.
No one is suggesting that the Kings are suddenly a defensive powerhouse. What fans are seeing is a lot more hustle, a lot more work, and a lot more effort. In the long run, that's going to yield results. Even a slightly stronger defense will make a difference in tight games like the win over the Jazz.
It's not likely that anyone on the current Kings' roster is going to be named Defensive Player of the Year this season. But if Christie can get his team on the train enough that they aren't losing games because of a lack of defensive effort, that's a huge victory for Christie and the Kings.