Kings Slated for Early Season Road Games

The Sacramento Kings are set to begin their 2024-25 campaign on the road.

Apr 5, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) drives the ball against Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings schedule details continue to trickle out, and it appears that the Kings will face a tough road to begin the season.

The Kings begin their season at home against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in what should be an exciting matchup between two charismatic teams. From there, the Kings will hit the road for the early portion of the season, according to Damien Barling of ESPN1320. 

5 of the Kings first 7 games will be on the road.

— Damien Barling (@damienbarling) August 14, 2024

While details are still unknown, starting on the road puts the Kings in an uphill battle to start the season.

The Kings were 22-19 (.537) on the road last season compared to 24-17 (.585) at home. Not a substantial difference, but the numbers bear out that the Kings were better at home last year.

They had a net rating of 2.3 at home and 1.3 on the road. They shot better at home with a 48.0 percent FG% and 37.7 percent 3P%.

The good news for the Kings is that DeMar DeRozan’s home/road splits are essentially the same, if not slightly better on the road.

Home: 39 games | 23.7 points | 5.3 assists | 4.2 rebounds | 1.2 steals | 47% FG% | 31.3% 3P%

Road: 40 games | 24.3 points | 5.5 assists | 4.4 rebounds | 1.1 steals | 48.9% FG% | 35.5% 3P%

It’s what bringing in a veteran like DeRozan is great for. He’s a pro’s pro who plays every game with purpose, whether it’s on the road or at home.

Beginning on the road also gives the team time to bond during. The turnover for the Kings this season isn’t huge, but they have brought in new players in DeRozan, Jalen McDaniels, Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson, and rookie Devin Carter.

Team chemistry is an often-overlooked value in the NBA, and if the Kings can use the time to grow together and bond, it could be a great way to start the season.

Every team in the NBA is going to have oddities in their schedule. For the Kings, it looks like one of those oddities is early in the season.

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