Kings ‘Were a Little Passive Offensively’ in Play-In Loss to Pelicans

The Sacramento Kings’ 2023-24 season came to an unceremonious end on Friday, and according to their head coach, one of their greatest strengths let them down when they needed it most.

Following their 105-98 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Play-In Tournament on Friday, Kings’ bench boss Mike Brown expressed his disappointment in his team’s offensive execution.

“I thought we were a little passive offensively. Not all of us were aggressive with our play tonight. If you’ve got a head full of steam and you’re headed to the rim, you’ve got to be able to finish, you’ve got to be able to get to the free-throw line and convert.”

The Pelicans outscored the Kings 58-44 in the paint on the night, while also out-shooting them from the field, from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line.

De’Aaron Fox did his best to keep the Kings in the game down the stretch, ending the night with a game-high 35 points on 12-of-29 shooting. Domantas Sabonis pitched in 23 points of his own, while also grabbing 14 rebounds, but the rest of the squad did little to support their All-Star teammates on the scoresheet.

Offense Has Not Been An Issue For Kings

One of the best scoring teams in the NBA under Brown

Few would’ve expected the Kings’ high-powered offense to go quiet in a must-win game, especially after Brown’s unit became notorious for its high-flying, hyper-efficient and even record-breaking offense in his tenure as head coach.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall, however, considering Sacramento’s significant drop-off in certain offensive categories since last season.

Sacramento Kings – Offensive Stats Comparison
Category	2022-23	2023-24
PPG	120.7 (1st)	116.6 (9th)
FG%	49.4 (2nd)	47.7 (14th)
3PT%	36.9 (9th)	36.6 (16th)
ORTG	118.6 (1st)	116.2 (13th)

The Kings set an NBA record for the highest offensive rating last season (118.6). The record did not last long, however, as two teams — the Indiana Pacers (120.5) and Boston Celtics (122.2) — already eclipsed the mark this season.

Following a first round defeat to the Golden State Warriors last year, and a failure to punch their ticket to the postseason this spring, heads may roll as patience begins to wear thin in Sacramento.