Sacramento Kings Suffer 133-123 Loss to Pelicans, Home Losing Streak Reaches Nine Games
Mar 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (9) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
The Sacramento Kings‘ miserable campaign took another painful turn Thursday night as they dropped a 133-123 decision to the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden 1 Center. The loss extends Sacramento’s home losing streak to nine games, representing the second-longest such streak in franchise history.
Only the 1989-1990 Kings team, which lost 12 consecutive home games, endured a worse stretch at home. With the defeat, Sacramento falls to 14-50 on the season, guaranteeing they will finish with more than 50 losses for the first time since the 2021-2022 campaign.
Tank Battle Intensifies as Draft Lottery Approaches
Both teams entered Thursday’s contest among the NBA‘s worst, with Sacramento holding the league’s poorest record and New Orleans sitting fifth-worst. The Kings maintain a crucial two-game lead over Brooklyn and Indiana for the NBA’s worst record, though all three teams share identical 14% odds for the top pick in May’s Draft Lottery.
The game showcased the struggles of two franchises ready to move on from the 2025-2026 season. Sacramento entered with the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting percentage at 33%, while New Orleans started the night 0-for-10 from beyond the arc, allowing the Kings to build an early nine-point advantage.
Veteran Leadership Emerges Despite Loss
Sacramento’s offense relied heavily on veterans DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook, who combined for 27 first-half points on efficient 11-of-21 shooting. The duo’s production helped keep the Kings competitive early, trailing just 67-63 at halftime.
Precious Achiuwa delivered a standout performance, tying his career high with 29 points, while Westbrook contributed 19 points and 10 assists. However, New Orleans found its rhythm in the third quarter, converting six of nine 3-point attempts to outscore Sacramento 38-28 and build a commanding 14-point lead entering the final period.
Zion Williamson continued his dominance against Sacramento, scoring 12 first-half points. The former top draft pick entered averaging 26 points per game on 68% shooting across 11 career matchups against the Kings.
Coach Doug Christie made the surprising decision to bench rookies Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford in the fourth quarter, despite both playing 30-plus minutes in recent games. « I thought they were a little tired, » Christie explained postgame. « In that moment, watching them, they’re rookies. There’s going to be ebbs and flows. Nothing besides that, they’re going to get all the minutes, but I try to read the game in a lot of ways. »
The Kings will look to end their homestand struggles Sunday night when they host the Chicago Bulls, who defeated Sacramento 126-113 in their previous meeting on October 29th.
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