Kings Begin Their Push Following Coaching Change

Although the playoffs are still over three months away, it's worth analyzing the recent developments with the Sacramento Kings. Doug Christie’s promotion to interim head coach has sparked a noticeable improvement in the team's performance, propelling them back into the (still early) playoff picture with another win on Sunday.

That road victory over the Golden State Warriors stands out as the most impressive of their current four-game winning streak, which also marks the club’s longest winning streak of the season. Sacramento went to Chase Center and delivered a dominant 129-99 victory, even without De’Aaron Fox due to a glute injury.

Malik Monk led the charge with 26 points and 12 assists, one of seven Kings players to score in double figures. Domantas Sabonis contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan added 12 points, and rookie Devin Carter chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds.

Sacramento’s four-game win streak also includes impressive victories over the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Mavericks. These wins are notable given the 76ers' recent strong play and the Warriors' continued excellence when firing on all cylinders. Both the Mavericks and Grizzlies are playoff-caliber teams in the competitive Western Conference, making these wins even more significant for the Kings. Sacramento will next face the Miami Heat on Monday (10 ET, NBA TV), before embarking on a three-game road trip to face the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks.

With Sunday’s victory, the Kings have climbed to within one game of a Play-In spot and now sit in 11th place. Since Doug Christie took over, he hasn't made drastic changes to the rotation, but the team has noticeably transformed, especially in terms of energy and defensive intensity.

DeMar DeRozan summed up the shift in the team's mindset best when asked about their recent success. “I would say it’s just playing freely with joy and for one another,” DeRozan explained, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

“Whenever you’re going through any type of ups and downs, when the downs come, everything just feels extremely bad,” he continued. “Everything is just heightened to another level. With so much going on, it could’ve been easy to sit there and dwell on our struggles, especially with a coaching change in the middle of the season. But I think we just pulled together and worked our way out of that.”

Whether it was minor adjustments or Christie's leadership that unlocked the team's potential, Sacramento now looks refreshed and poised to make a run in the Play-In race. With the trade deadline just a month away on February 6, the Kings are gaining momentum and could be a real threat in the coming weeks as they continue to push up the standings.