The Kings changed coaches, changed fortunes, and more importantly, united the team to achieve their longest winning streak of 7 games this season. Relying on this wave of winning streak, the Kings surpassed the Spurs, Warriors, and Suns, and ranked ninth in the Western Conference with a record of 20 wins and 19 losses.
In addition to changing coaches in the past two weeks, the Kings must have done something right!
On December 28, 2024, the Kings were reversed by the Pistons at home 113:114, losing five games in a row. The Kings were 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 13 wins and 18 losses, and were 5 games short of the 50% winning rate. The performance was frustrating, and the coaches and players were at odds. , the locker room gradually got out of control.
The Kings led the Pistons by up to 19 points but were reversed, forcing the Kings to make the ultimate decision: fire coach Brown and assistant coach Chris took over.
Christie took over the Kings and won 7 consecutive games after losing 1. His offensive efficiency rose to eighth in the league, and his defensive efficiency climbed from 24th to 14th. The Kings made the right choice, and Christie must have done something right!
Brown led the Kings to a 48-34 record in the 2022-23 season, finishing third in the Western Conference. He was also elected NBA Coach of the Year, and his coaching reputation is at its peak. The perfect combination of the Kings’ twin stars Fox and Shabonis is full of fantasy. Fox is close to playing the league’s key player efficiency. The Kings’ four core role players Huerter, Barnes, Murray, and Monk all average more than 12.2 points per game. The offensive efficiency ranks first in the league, and the style of play is smooth and entertaining. The whole world is looking forward to the Kings.
Unexpectedly, with the same core lineup, the Kings hit a wall last season. The Kings were unable to play a perfect offensive system and efficiency, and their offensive-defensive strategy led to a decline in record. In the 2023-24 season, they won 46 games and lost 36 games, ending in the playoffs and finishing ninth in the Western Conference.
In the summer of 2024, the Kings management made bold adjustments. In a three-party deal, they signed and then released forward Barnes, and grabbed forward DeRozhan (three years, $76 million) who has more star value and scoring ability.
In the 2024-25 season, the Kings have rising star guard Fox, who is becoming more and more sharp and stable on key goals. The league’s rebounding leader and powerful center Shabonis, coupled with the league’s mid-range king, last season with the Bulls, he averaged 24 points per game as a scoring forward. With Rhodes, coupled with young and powerful core role players such as Murray, Monk, Huerter, Ellis, etc., the Kings should break through the ceiling and become the biggest dark horse in the Western Conference.
The results were not as expected. The Kings’ winning rate at the start of the season was less than 40%, and they were ranked outside the 10th place in the Western Conference. Although Brown’s coaching style puts the players’ will first, he requires defense, high-intensity training, high training frequency, tactical details and execution. The team is very picky. When there are more losses than wins, blaming and blaming each other can easily become a breach in the team.
