Schedule Breakdown

Jordan Ramirez

The second half of the season is almost upon us!

The first half of the season is wrapping up, with Sacramento having five more matchups to finish up the opening part of their 2020-21 campaign.

Sactown will host 16 games at Golden 1 Center in the second half, with 20 additional games coming on the road.

Here are some more key facts about the remaining games for the 2020-21 season:

breaking-down-the-2020-21-second-half-schedule

Breaking Down the 2020-21 Second-Half Schedule

Kyle Ramos

In the final weeks ahead of the 2017-18, Kings.com is breaking down each division around the Association, with a closer look at the Southeast Division in the final edition of the series.

The Hawks were recently a strong contender in the Eastern Conference, but with the departures of key players Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, and Kyle Korver over the past few years, Atlanta is looking to start a new chapter behind young up-and-coming guard Dennis Schroder.

Atlanta has added other youth around their floor general, including a pair of rookies packed with potential in John Collins and Tyler Dorsey.

The Kings will see the Hawks twice in 2017-18, with the matchup to watch on both occasions most likely happening in the backcourt. Sacramento’s combination of point guards in George Hill, De’Aaron Fox, and Frank Mason III could all have a role in slowing down Atlanta’s primary scoring option in Schroder.

While retaining several key pieces, the Hornets also brought in a key contributor this offseason with center Dwight Howard now suiting up in Charlotte.

The other most notable additions to the Hornets came through the 2017 NBA Draft, where they picked up a potent scoring threat in Malik Monk as well as a perimeter defensive stopper with Dwayne Bacon.

Once teammates at Kentucky, Sacramento’s Fox and Charlotte’s Monk will go head-to-head on the professional level for the first time in 2017-18, which could be a prime opportunity for the former Wildcats to obtain bragging rights to hold over each other during their rookie campaigns.

Miami stumbled to a slow start in 2016-17 with a record of just 11-30 through the first half of the season, but then caught fire in the second half, ripping off a 13-game winning streak and winning 30 of their final 41 games.

Led by a combination of Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, and Dion Waiters - Miami could continue to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. Incoming rookie Bam Adebayo had a strong showing during the NBA Summer League this past July, adding to the talent pool in South Beach.

The Kings bigs will be key in slowing down Whiteside and the Heat in the interior.

Sacramento is looking to snap a six game skid against Miami and will have two opportunities to do so, with the first matchup taking place in the new year of 2018.

With a roster filled with youth, Orlando added several newcomers to its squad this summer - bringing in rookie Jonathan Isaac and breakout guard Jonathon Simmons.

These two players could be crucial to helping on the defensive side of the ball at the very least for the Magic, as they look to turn a corner in 2017-18 and make a return to the postseason.

A player that could be of note in both of the Kings-Magic encounters is Willie Cauley-Stein, who logged an impressive 18 points and 8 rebounds in his last meeting against Orlando. Trill will be facing off against a stable of Magic bigs highlighted by Bismack Biyombo and Nikola Vucevic as he looks to repeat his performances from the last go-around.

In their biggest move of the summer, Washington re-signed starting small forward Otto Porter this past July after he enjoyed a career year in 2016-17.

Following the move, the Wizards remain as one of the major contenders in the East as guard John Wall continues to establish his dominance as one of the top players in the League. Should his rise in play continue, there’s reason to believe Washington can further progress in the playoffs this season.

Often thought of as the rookie whose game most resembles Wall’s is De’Aaron Fox. Both guards are former Kentucky Wildcats who possess breakneck speed and a combination of playmaking and scoring touch that have made many nod their heads in agreement with the comparison.

This season, we may get a firsthand look at just how these two compare as Fox begins his NBA career in October with a matchup versus Wall and the Wizards.

10/29/17 vs Washington
11/13/17 @ Washington

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Schedule Breakdown: Southeast Division

The 2017-18 season continues to draw closer and with many exciting encounters just on the horizon, Kings.com will be breaking down each division around the Association and take a closer look for what to watch for.

As the career of Mavericks franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki winds down, new potential cornerstones have begun to emerge in Dallas.

In his first season with the Mavs, forward Harrison Barnes enjoyed a breakout season, where he lead his team in scoring (19.2 ppg). He is surrounded by other young talent, including guards Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell, who also turned in career years. Dallas also recently retained big man Nerlens Noel as he continues to develop into a top-notch rim protector and defender.

Sacramento’s Vince Carter joins Nowitzki as the two remaining active players from the 1998 NBA Draft Class and No. 15 will face off with his former teammate as a member of the Kings.

A battle to watch could be former North Carolina Tar Heels (Justin Jackson of Sacramento and Barnes of Dallas) going head-to-head at the small forward position. The scoring ability of Barnes could be an early challenge in Jackson’s debut season as he looks to establish himself as the 3-and-D player he proved himself to be in college.

Sacramento’s first road trip kicks off with a trip to Dallas and will be the first of four meetings between the teams in 2017-18.

2017-18 matchups vs Mavericks
10/20/17 @ Dallas
2/3/18 vs Dallas
2/13/18 @ Dallas
3/27/18 @ Dallas

In one of the major moves of the offseason, the Rockets added Chris Paul to their backcourt to pair with MVP-candidate James Harden.

Adding an additional playmaker of Paul’s caliber creates an even bigger problem for opponents to stop the high-octane Houston offense that posted an average of 115.3 points per contest in 2016-17 - good for second in the League.

Perimeter defense will be crucial for Sacramento when they square off on opening night against the Rockets, who hoisted an NBA-high 40.3 attempts per game from three-point range last season. Garrett Temple and George Hill, two Kings players known for their ability to lock down on the perimeter, will be the players to watch as they look to limit the impact of the star-studded Houston tandem of Paul and Harden.

2017-18 matchups vs Rockets
10/18/17 vs Houston
2/14/18 @ Houston
4/11/18 vs Houston

This offseason, Sacramento acquired a pair of former Memphis Grizzlies in Vince Carter and Zach Randolph, while coincidentally Memphis picked up a couple of former Kings by signing Ben McLemore and Tyreke Evans.

After spending three and eight seasons with the Grizzlies, respectively, Carter and Randolph will be facing their prior squad on three occasions in 2017-18 while also being the first time that McLemore will go against Sacramento since entering the league in 2013.

These teams split their four games last season with two wins a piece, including a thrilling 91-90 Sacramento victory in the most recent meeting.

With new faces in new places, these contests will surely be intriguing to watch in the coming season.

2017-18 matchups vs Grizzlies
12/31/17 vs Memphis
1/19/18 @ Memphis
4/6/18 @ Memphis

The Pelicans will roll out arguably the most talented frontcourt in the Association next season with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

Cousins, who was acquired by New Orleans midway through 2016-17 in a trade with the Kings, will also be reunited with Rajon Rondo in NOLA.

Sactown claimed two out of the three contests against the Pelicans last season and are set for four encounters with New Orleans in 2017-18 - including a matchup on October 26 that will be nationally broadcasted on TNT.

Kings guard Buddy Hield will get another chance to play the team that originally drafted him in 2016 after logging a solid performance in his first game against NOLA - posting 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.

2017-18 matchups vs Pelicans
10/26/17 vs New Orleans
12/8/17 @ New Orleans
1/30/18 @ New Orleans
3/7/18 vs New Orleans

San Antonio’s biggest splash in the offseason was signing former Sacramento forward Rudy Gay - further bolstering the perennial Western Conference contender’s roster.

Adding Gay to a returning core of Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Danny Green and Manu Ginobili should provide an interesting new wrinkle in slowing down a team that made a deep run into the postseason in 2016-17.

Sacramento may call upon seasoned defenders in Garrett Temple and Vince Carter in order to limit San Antonio’s Leonard, who is on the heels of his best season yet as he emerged as one of the premiere two-way players in the Association.

Three out of the four matchups between Sacramento and San Antonio last season were decided by 10 points or less, so there could be more closely contested games in the near future between these teams, as well.

2017-18 matchups vs Spurs
12/23/17 vs Spurs
1/8/18 vs Spurs
1/28/18 @ Spurs
4/9/18 @ Spurs

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Schedule Breakdown: Southwest Division

The 2017-18 season continues to draw closer and with many exciting encounters just on the horizon, Kings.com will be breaking down each division around the Association and take a closer look at what to watch for.

Though Denver narrowly missed the postseason in 2016-17, their playoff potential has expanded with the offseason addition of All-Star forward Paul Millsap.

Pairing Millsap with a rising star such as Nikola Jokić and promising young guards Gary Harris and Jamal Murray could make the Nuggets a sneaky force in the Western Conference.

The Kings and Nuggets split their four games against each other last season and are set to meet four times once again in the 2017-18 campaign. During their encounters, it will be worth watching to see the front court battles between Sacramento’s unit of Skal Labissiere, Zach Randolph, Willie Cauley-Stein and Georgios Papagiannis and Denver’s Millsap and Jokić. Both squads bring a combination of experience and youth to the table, which could produce entertaining contests on each occasion.

2017-18 matchups vs Nuggets
10/21/17 @ Denver
11/21/17 vs Denver
1/6/18 vs Denver
3/11/18 @ Denver

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy roster overhauls this summer happened with Minnesota, as they acquired on of the top two-way players in Jimmy Butler to add to an quickly improving core of Karl Anthony-Towns and Andrew Wiggins.

Not to be forgotten are the additions of Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson, and Jamal Crawford who round out a squad that will likely be in the thick of the playoff picture in 2017-18.

The key for Sacramento in the upcoming four matchups with Minnesota this season will be trying to limit the tandem of Towns and Wiggins, who scored at least 15 points each in all four contests between these teams in 2016-17. With Butler now in the mix, as well, there will be an even larger burden defensively for the purple and black.

The Kings have added potential stoppers on defense, however, in rookies De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson along with George Hill and Randolph which could help offset the offensive firepower of the Timberwolves.

2017-18 matchups vs Timberwolves
12/14/17 @ Minnesota
2/11/18 @ Minnesota
2/26/18 vs Minnesota

With the reigning Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook now playing alongside recently acquired Paul George, the Thunder will be a handful next season.

OKC has supplied Westbrook with an additional star that should help to fill the void left behind by Kevin Durant from the previous summer and give the Thunder a boost in their contention hopes.

Sacramento has been neck-and-neck with Oklahoma City in recent faceoffs, splitting the past six contests. These Western Conference foes are scheduled for four meetings next season.

Heading into 2017-18, the Kings will be looking to grow and develop the plethora of young talent scattered across the roster and OKC could present a valuable opportunity for De’Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson in particular to try their hand at competing with some of the NBA’s best. The Kings will also be wielding a veteran combo of George Hill and Vince Carter to their efforts to contain what has the makings of an incendiary duo.

2017-18 matchups vs Thunder
11/7/17 vs Oklahoma City
1/15/18 @ Oklahoma City
2/22/18 vs Oklahoma City
3/12/18 @ Oklahoma City

The Trail Blazer’s biggest threat lies in the backcourt combination of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum - who combined to average 50 points per contest last season.

Portland added some depth at their power forward and center positions through the draft, bringing in Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan to their stable of big men. Collins, who has shown upside potential as an all-around center at Gonzaga, and Swanigan, a bruising, physical player who enjoyed a strong showing at the NBA Summer League, both have potential to generate fun matchups with Sacramento’s own core of young bigs.

Harry Giles, Labissiere, Papagiannis, and Cauley-Stein will all have chances across four games to make their mark on Portland’s front court in 2017-18.

2017-18 matchups vs Trail Blazers
11/17/17 vs Portland
11/18/17 @ Portland
2/9/18 vs Portland
2/27/18 @ Portland

Faced with the departure of franchise centerpiece Gordon Hayward as well as starting point guard George Hill, Utah is hoping newly added veteran Ricky Rubio and rookie Donovan Mitchell can help soften the blow.

Hill, who spent one season with the Jazz, will now be stepping in to run Sacramento’s offense after a strong showing in Utah where he averaged a career high 16.9 points per game along with 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and an efficient shooting percentage of 40.3 from three-point range.

No. 3 will face his former squad three times in 2017-18 and to help the Kings exact revenge as Utah claimed victory in three out of the four matchups last season.

An underlying storyline for these meetings could also be if Sactown decides to push the pace. Utah’s preference for slower games showed in the numbers from last season, as they ranked last in pace - a statistic that calculates the amount of possessions by a team per 48 minutes played. With that in mind, Sacramento could look to disrupt their usual tempo with help from rookies Fox and Frank Mason III, both of whom have demonstrated their quickness and uptempo abilities in their college days.

2017-18 matchups vs Jazz
1/17/18 vs Jazz
3/3/18 vs Jazz
3/17/18 @ Jazz

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Schedule Breakdown: Northwest Division

Sactown’s Nor Cal neighbor has demonstrated their dominance across the Association in recent seasons, posting three straight trips to the NBA Finals and taking home two championships in the process.

Entering last season, Golden State also possessed a 12-game winning streak against the Kings, until it was snapped with a 109-106 Sacramento victory in overtime this past February.

The 2017-18 season could present more intriguing matchups between these squads with a fresh batch of young talent in Sacramento set to collide with the All-Stars of the Warriors. The River City’s rookies, in particular, will be faced with some of the best in the NBA – assisting in their development.

An individual matchup that could yield some entertaining results is Kings guard Buddy Hield going head-to-head with Golden State’s Klay Thompson. Both players carry an impressive scoring arsenal on offense with a shooting touch that makes them dangerous from all areas on the court. With the bumps that come along with a rookie season behind him, these contests may make for prime opportunities for Hield to establish himself as one of the top outside shooting guards in the Association.

In his lone encounter with the Dubs as a member of the Kings last season, No. 24 posted one of his best games as a rookie, notching 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.

11/27/17 @ Golden State
2/2/18 vs Golden State
3/16/18 @ Golden State
3/31/18 vs Golden State

As is the case with many teams around the NBA, the Clippers roster will be sporting a new look heading into this season.

With the departure of floor general Chris Paul, Los Angeles now rolls out summer acquisitions from Houston in the deal, including key players like Patrick Beverly, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker.

The most memorable matchup between Sacramento and L.A. last season saw a remarkable comeback by the Kings, who erased a 22-point second half deficit en route to a thrilling victory and game-winning put back by Willie Cauley-Stein.

As the rosters for both squads have shifted, there will surely be several matchups to keep an eye on, but one of the more interesting ones may be between Sacramento’s Bogdan Bogdanović and Los Angeles’ Miloš Teodosić. Both players are of Serbian descent and have built their reputations as two of the top players in the EuroLeague - Bogdanovic with Fenerbahce Istanbul and Teodosić with CSKA Moscow. Though these two have played alongside each other as teammates on Serbia’s national team, they will now be facing each other for the first time on NBA hardwood in opposing backcourts.

11/25/17 vs Los Angeles
12/26/17 @ Los Angeles
1/11/18 vs Los Angeles
1/13/18 @ Los Angeles

Much like the Kings, the Lakers have been busy in recent seasons acquiring and grooming talent for the future. Los Angeles will trot out the two most recent No. 2 overall picks Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, along with other crucial components Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Brook Lopez.

The rivalry between these California teams may not be the same as the early 2000s, but with new, young faces with prior history entering the mix, the competition between Sacramento and L.A. could possibly reach new levels of excitement.

With a pair of high-profile matchups on the college level already, Kings rookie De’Aaron Fox and Ball will continue to have all eyes on them as they meet four times during the regular season in 2017-18.

As of late, Sacramento seems to have L.A.’s number as the purple and black have been victorious in 10 of the last 13 games.

11/22/17 vs Los Angeles
1/9/18 @ Los Angeles
2/24/18 vs Los Angeles
4/1/18 @ Los Angeles

Much like the Lakers, Phoenix has collected youthful players full with promise. In the most recent NBA Draft, the Suns selected Josh Jackson from Kansas, a forward who contains the potential to be a franchise cornerstone.

Along with Jackson, Phoenix has sharpshooter Devin Booker and big men Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss to round out their young core. Booker enjoyed a strong showing in 2016-17, including a monster outing, becoming just the seventh player in NBA history to record 70 points in a game.

Phoenix’s Jackson could potentially make for an exciting opponent for Sactown’s fellow rookie wing Justin Jackson, who has already showed off some of his offensive versatility in the NBA Summer League this past July.

Sacramento has bested the Suns in nine of the past 12 contests and will look to continue its winning ways against Phoenix with another four matchups in 2017-18.

Schedule Breakdown

Breaking Down the 2020-21 Second-Half Schedule

Schedule Breakdown: Southeast Division

Schedule Breakdown: Southwest Division

Schedule Breakdown: Northwest Division

Schedule Breakdown: Pacific Division