List of Sacramento Kings seasons

Last updated

Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA) were formerly known as the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, and the Kansas City Kings. While the Kings were created first as a semiprofessional team in 1923 with the Rochester Seagrams, their professional roots began in 1945 with their arrival in the National Basketball League, where it won the title in their first season. They joined the Basketball Association of America in 1948, with the league soon rebranding itself as the NBA. The Royals won the NBA title in 1951. After reaching the postseason ten times in twelve professional seasons, they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957. After fifteen years of mediocrity, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1972, for which they played games in Kansas City and in Omaha, Nebraska. After thirteen years of mediocrity, they moved to Sacramento, California in 1986. An attempt to change ownership by way of selling the team and moving to Seattle failed in 2013. Vivek Ranadivé purchased the team later that year.

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Starting in 2006–07 through the 2021–22 season the Kings set an NBA record in futility with 16 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, breaking old record of 15 playoff-less seasons that was compiled by the Los Angeles Clippers between 1976–77 and 1990–91. Every single one of those seasons saw them finish below .500, which is also a record. Since 1945, the team has reached the postseason just 33 times, with 11 in Sacramento and 10 in Rochester.

They have not reached the NBA Finals in 71 years (a record), have not reached a Conference finals in twenty seasons (tied for 5th for most seasons in history), and have not won a playoff series in eighteen seasons (tied for a record).

As one of the original eight NBA teams, they have the most losses in league history.

Seasons

NBL champions NBA champions Conference championsDivision championsPlayoff berthPlay-in berth
SeasonLeague Conference Finish Division FinishWinsLosses Win% GB Playoffs Awards Head Coach
Rochester Royals
1945–46 NBL Eastern2nd2410.7062Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 3–1
Won NBL Championship (Red Skins) 3–0
Red Holzman (ROY) Lester Harrison
1946–47 NBLEastern1st3113.705Won Opening Round (Nationals) 3–1
Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1
Lost NBL Championship (American Gears) 3–1
Bob Davies (MVP)
1947–48 NBLEastern1st4416.733Won Opening Round (Pistons) 3–1
Won Division semifinals (Packers) 2–1
Lost NBL Championship (Lakers) 3–1
1948–49 BAA Western 1st4515.750Won Division semifinals (Bombers) 2–0
Lost Division finals (Lakers) 2–0
1949–50 NBA Central2nd5117.750Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0
1950–51 NBAWestern2nd4127.6033Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1
Won Division finals (Lakers) 3–1
Won NBA Finals (Knicks) 4–3
1951–52 NBAWestern1st4125.621Won Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0
Lost Division finals (Lakers) 3–1
1952–53 NBAWestern2nd4426.6294Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–1
1953–54 NBAWestern2nd4428.6112Advanced Divisional Semifinals 2–1

Lost Division finals (Lakers) 2–1

1954–55 NBAWestern3rd2943.40314Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 2–1
1955–56 NBAWestern4th3141.4316 Maurice Stokes (ROY) Bobby Wanzer
1956–57 NBAWestern4th3141.4313
Cincinnati Royals
1957–58 NBAWestern3rd3339.4588Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 2–0Bobby Wanzer
1958–59 NBAWestern4th1953.26430Bobby Wanzer
Tom Marshall
1959–60 NBAWestern4th1956.25327Tom Marshall
1960–61 NBAWestern4th3346.41818 Oscar Robertson (ROY, ASG MVP) Charles Wolf
1961–62 NBAWestern2nd4337.53811Lost Division semifinals (Pistons) 3–1
1962–63 NBA Eastern 3rd4238.52516Won Division semifinals (Nationals) 3–2
Lost Division finals (Celtics) 4–3
1963–64 NBAEastern2nd5525.6884Won Division semifinals (76ers) 3–2
Lost Division finals (Celtics) 4–1
Oscar Robertson (MVP, ASG MVP)
Jerry Lucas (ROY)
Jack McMahon
1964–65 NBAEastern2nd4832.60014Lost Division semifinals (76ers) 3–1 Jerry Lucas (ASG MVP)
1965–66 NBAEastern3rd4535.56310Lost Division semifinals (Celtics) 3–2 Adrian Smith (ASG MVP)
1966–67 NBAEastern3rd3942.48129Lost Division semifinals (76ers) 3–1
1967–68 NBAEastern5th3943.47623 Ed Jucker
1968–69 NBAEastern5th4141.50016 Oscar Robertson (ASG MVP)
1969–70 NBAEastern5th3646.43924 Bob Cousy
1970–71 NBA Eastern 6th Central 3rd3349.4029
1971–72 NBAEastern6thCentral3rd3052.3668
Kansas City–Omaha Kings
1972–73 NBA Western 7th Midwest 4th3646.43924 Joe Axelson (EOY)Bob Cousy
1973–74 NBAWestern7thMidwest4th3349.40226Bob Cousy
Draff Young
Phil Johnson
1974–75 NBAWestern3rdMidwest2nd4438.5373Lost conference semifinals (Bulls) 4–2 Phil Johnson (COY)Phil Johnson
Kansas City Kings
1975–76 NBAWestern8thMidwest3rd3151.3787Phil Johnson
1976–77 NBAWestern7thMidwest4th4042.48810
1977–78 NBAWestern11thMidwest5th3151.37817Phil Johnson
Larry Staverman
1978–79 NBAWestern2ndMidwest1st4834.585Lost conference semifinals (Suns) 4–1 Phil Ford (ROY)
Cotton Fitzsimmons (COY)
Cotton Fitzsimmons
1979–80 NBAWestern5thMidwest2nd4735.5732Lost First round (Suns) 2–1
1980–81 NBAWestern5thMidwest2nd4042.48812Won First round (Trail Blazers) 2–1
Won conference semifinals (Suns) 4–3
Lost conference finals (Rockets) 4–1
1981–82 NBAWestern9thMidwest4th3052.36618
1982–83 NBAWestern7thMidwest2nd4537.5498
1983–84 NBAWestern8thMidwest3rd3844.4637Lost First round (Lakers) 3–0
1984–85 NBAWestern11thMidwest6th3151.37821 Jack McKinney
Phil Johnson
Sacramento Kings
1985–86 NBAWestern7thMidwest5th3745.45114Lost First round (Rockets) 3–0Phil Johnson
1986–87 NBAWestern10thMidwest5th2953.35426Phil Johnson
Jerry Reynolds
1987–88 NBAWestern10thMidwest6th2458.29330 Bill Russell
Jerry Reynolds
1988–89 NBAWestern10th Pacific 6th2755.32930Jerry Reynolds
1989–90 NBAWestern12thPacific7th2359.28040Jerry Reynolds
Dick Motta
1990–91 NBAWestern13thPacific7th2557.30538Dick Motta
1991–92 NBAWestern10thPacific7th2953.35428Dick Motta
Rex Hughes
1992–93 NBAWestern11thPacific7th2557.30537 Garry St. Jean
1993–94 NBAWestern10thPacific6th2854.34135
1994–95 NBAWestern9thPacific5th3943.47620 Mitch Richmond (ASG MVP)
1995–96 NBAWestern8thPacific5th3943.47625Lost First round (SuperSonics) 3–1
1996–97 NBAWestern9thPacific6th3448.41523Garry St. Jean
Eddie Jordan
1997–98 NBAWestern9thPacific5th2755.32934Eddie Jordan
1998–99 NBAWestern6thPacific3rd2723.5408Lost First round (Jazz) 3–2 Geoff Petrie (EOY) Rick Adelman
1999–00 NBAWestern8thPacific5th4438.53723Lost First round (Lakers) 3–2 Vlade Divac (JWKC)
2000–01 NBAWestern3rdPacific2nd5527.6721Won First round (Suns) 3–1
Lost conference semifinals (Lakers) 4–0
Geoff Petrie (EOY)
2001–02 NBAWestern1stPacific1st6121.744Won First round (Jazz) 3–1
Won conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–1
Lost conference finals (Lakers) 4–3
2002–03 NBAWestern2ndPacific1st5923.720Won First round (Jazz) 4–1
Lost conference semifinals (Mavericks) 4–3
Bobby Jackson (SMOY)
2003–04 NBAWestern4thPacific2nd5527.6721Won First round (Mavericks) 4–1
Lost conference semifinals (Timberwolves) 4–3
2004–05 NBAWestern6thPacific2nd5032.61012Lost First round (SuperSonics) 4–1
2005–06 NBAWestern8thPacific4th4438.53710Lost First round (Spurs) 4–2
2006–07 NBAWestern11thPacific5th3349.40228 Eric Musselman
2007–08 NBAWestern11thPacific4th3844.46319 Reggie Theus
2008–09 NBAWestern15thPacific5th1765.20748Reggie Theus
Kenny Natt
2009–10 NBAWestern14thPacific5th2557.30532 Tyreke Evans (ROY) Paul Westphal
2010–11 NBAWestern14thPacific5th2458.29333
2011–12 NBAWestern14thPacific5th2244.33319Paul Westphal
Keith Smart
2012–13 NBAWestern13thPacific4th2854.34128Keith Smart
2013–14 NBAWestern13thPacific4th2854.34129 Michael Malone
2014–15 NBAWestern13thPacific4th2953.35438Michael Malone
Tyrone Corbin
George Karl
2015–16 NBAWestern10thPacific3rd3349.40240George Karl
2016–17 NBAWestern12thPacific3rd3250.39035 Dave Joerger
2017–18 NBAWestern12thPacific4th2755.32931
2018–19 NBAWestern9thPacific3rd3943.47618
2019–20 NBAWestern12thPacific4th3141.43122 Luke Walton
2020–21 NBAWestern12thPacific5th3141.43121
2021–22 NBAWestern12thPacific5th3052.36634Luke Walton
Alvin Gentry
2022–23 NBAWestern3rdPacific1st4834.585Lost First round (Warriors) 4–3 Mike Brown (COY)
Monte McNair (EOY)
Mike Brown
2023–24 NBAWestern9thPacific4th4636.5615

All-time records

NBA records

StatisticWinsLossesWin%
Regular season record (1948–present)2,7483,257.458
Post-season record (1948–present)83111.428
All-time regular and post-season record2,8313,368.457

[1] [2]

NBL records

StatisticWinsLossesWin%
Regular season record (1945–1948)9939.717
Post-season record (1945–1948)1811.621
All-time regular and post-season record11750.701

[3] [4]

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References