Kings' Malik Monk Admits Team Struggles in Expected Wins

The Kings have developed a poor trend of struggling against inferior opponents.

Following a disappointing home loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, the Sacramento Kings fanbase has continued complaints about the frequent losses to inferior teams. Losses this season to sub-.500 teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and Portland Trail Blazers, as well as an 0-3 record against the Rockets, continue to send the Sacramento community into a frenzy.

Despite having a strong fanbase, Sacramento's home-court advantage has not stood out this season. The Kings hold the 16th-best home-court record this season at 17-12. Sacramento is in a similar position as their impressive 2022-23 season, where they finished 23-18 at home, good for 14th-best in the league.

Leading NBA Sixth Man of the Year candidate and Sacramento's 3rd leading scorer, Malik Monk, admitted the Kings' weakness in home games and matchups against inferior opponents (via @SeanCunningham | X):

"Against an under .500 team [the Rockets], even though they're in the NBA, we're definitely supposed to beat those teams. That's been our struggle all year. I think our struggle all year has been at home as well. We're not performing how we're supposed to in front of the home crowd. We know that, and that was pissing me off yesterday. ...[Other guys feel the same way], they just don't express it the way I do."

The Kings are visibly frustrated with their level of play, and with 19 games left in the regular season, they know they are running out of time to pull it together. Sacramento sits at 7th in the West with a 36-27 record, amid a tight race with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks for the 6th seed and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

Monk has been spectacular this season, averaging 15.7 points and 5.3 assists per game off the bench, but the entire team tends to come out slow against opponents they have obvious advantages over.

Six of Sacramento's remaining 19 games are against sub-.500 teams, as they will have multiple opportunities to prove they can win the easy games. 

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