The Sacramento Kings Are 0-5, And The Worst Start In NBA History Is Suddenly On The Table

Kings vs. Pelicans during tonight's game.© X/@Sacramentokings

The Kings are 0-5, and the worry is no longer just about a slow start. NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor pointed out on X that the league's worst opening record is 0-18, set by the 2009 Nets and the 2015 Sixers. Sacramento is still winless, gets blown out most nights, and has a hard schedule ahead. Then came Thursday in New Orleans, where the Kings lost again to a Pelicans team that had also started 0-4.

Could the Kings really go 0-19?

O'Connor laid out the math. The Kings will not be favored in any of their next 14 games, and only four of those come against teams playing the second night of a back-to-back. That makes 0-19 a real possibility, one game worse than the record. He had said before the season that Sacramento would post the worst record in franchise history, 16 wins or fewer, and now thinks that may have undersold how ugly it could get. Their early schedule was fairly light, and they still own the league's worst net rating.

The numbers back him up. Sports Illustrated notes the Kings are the only team with both a bottom-three offensive and defensive rating. They finished 22-60 last season and missed the playoffs for a third straight year. They also lost Ben Simmons to a torn Achilles in practice before the season, and Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell and Keegan Murray have all dealt with injuries.

There is one bright spot. Domantas Sabonis is averaging about 19 points and 16.5 rebounds, and he leads the league in rebounding. But reports say he could be traded by February if Sacramento keeps losing.

Thursday's loss to the Pelicans

The Kings led 30-24 after the first quarter, then watched the game get away. New Orleans scored back-to-back 39-point quarters and won 132-120, its first win of the year. The Pelicans shot about 60 percent and scored 80 points in the paint, and they led for good after a 21-4 run early in the third quarter.

Turnovers did the most damage. Sacramento gave it away 25 times, and New Orleans turned those into 40 points. The Pelicans' bench outscored the Kings' reserves 41-8.

Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. had a career night with 34 points, 14 assists and six rebounds, but he also turned it over six times. De'Andre Hunter and Precious Achiuwa each scored 24, and Zach LaVine had 21, but he finished a minus-25. Sabonis grabbed 15 rebounds with nine points and seven assists, though he lost the ball seven times.

Jeremiah Fears had 22 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for New Orleans, and Zion Williamson added 22. The Kings visit Memphis on Saturday.