SACRAMENTO, CA —- The Sacramento Kings will host MVP finalist James Harden, nine-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets in their season opener from Golden 1 Center on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m..
For most Kings games this season, tip-off will return to the traditional 7 p.m. start time. Basketball fans have an opportunity to access pre-paid parking spots, ride public transportation and download the dual-mode Kings + Golden 1 Center app to enhance the game-day experience with on-demand information regarding parking and more.
The Kings will be featured on national television 12 times during the 2017-18 campaign, highlighted by a TNT Sports broadcast from Golden 1 Center as Sacramento plays host to DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, Oct. 26. Lonzo Ball and the L.A. Lakers visit on Wednesday, Nov. 22 for the first of three ESPN telecasts originating from Sacramento.
The other pair of ESPN matchups from Golden 1 Center include two-time MVP Stephen Curry and four-time scoring leader Kevin Durant as the 2017 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors make the short trip down I-80 on Friday, Feb. 2, and a Pacific Division clash with the Portland Trail Blazers a week later on Friday, Feb. 9. Sacramento plays to a national audience on eight occasions delivered by NBA TV, showcasing home contests versus reigning MVP Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder (Nov. 7), Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves (Feb. 26) and an April Fools road installment with Ball and longtime rival Lakers (April 1).
Sacramento will play 20 of its first 33 contests on the road before returning to Golden 1 Center following the holidays. Marquee contests during this opening stanza include matchups against the Washington Wizards led by John Wall and Bradley Beal (Oct. 29), All-Stars Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward and the Boston Celtics (Nov. 1), Philadelphia 76ers starring No. 1 draft selections Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons alongside current Rookie of the Year Joel Embiid (Nov. 9), at Golden State Warriors (Nov. 27), a visit to face 4-time NBA MVP and 13-time All-Star LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (Dec. 6), a rematch with Cousins and Davis in the Big Easy (Dec. 8) and perennial title-contending San Antonio Spurs led by 2016 MVP finalist Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and veteran addition Rudy Gay (Dec. 23).
The Kings usher in 2018 with a season-long six games at Golden 1 Center highlighted by dates versus the Cavaliers (Dec. 27), Memphis Grizzlies (Dec. 31), Denver Nuggets (Jan. 6) and Spurs (Jan. 8) before three consecutive games against Los Angeles teams (at Lakers on Jan. 9, home versus the Clippers on Jan. 11 and at the Clippers on Jan. 13) and a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee at Oklahoma City (Jan. 15) caps the first half schedule.
A 12-day, six-game sojourn to the east coast with notable layovers in Memphis (Jan. 19), Miami (Jan. 25) and New Orleans (Jan. 30) yields to a quartet at Golden 1 Center with a home and home back-to-back set with the Warriors (Feb. 2) and Dallas Mavericks (Feb. 3) proceeded by visits from the Chicago Bulls (Feb. 5) and Pacific Division rival Portland Trail Blazers (Feb. 9). The docket goes dark for the annual All-Star break following a quick three-game road trip punctuated by a Texas two-step at Dallas (Feb. 13) and Houston (Feb. 14).
Sacramento winds down the regular season with a home heavy calendar during the spring months, playing 16 of its remaining 25 contests at Golden 1 Center. Westbrook and Paul George tip-off the post break slate in their second visit (Feb. 22), marking the first of eight home games from Feb. 22—Mar.9, interrupted only by a road contest at Portland (Feb. 27).
Keynote matchups include the Lakers (Feb. 24), Pelicans (Mar. 7), at Warriors (Mar. 16), Celtics (Mar. 25) and the regular season’s final meeting versus Golden State (Mar. 31). A four-game trip culminating in San Antonio concludes the road portion of Sacramento’s campaign before returning home, where the regular season ends just as it began with the Kings hosting Houston (April 11).
Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public in September. In the meantime, fans can sign up for access to an exclusive presale and win an opportunity to sit courtside by visiting Kings.com/Presale. Additionally, fans can secure seats now by committing to one of several exciting ticket plans featuring this season’s biggest matchups starting at just 10 games. More information is available at Kings.com/TicketPlans.
With today’s schedule announcement, the Kings also released an all-new ticket option that allows fans a standing room only pass for all 43 games at Golden 1 Center. The Standing Room Season Pass is $15 per game and limited plans are available now at Kings.com/StandingRoomSeasonPass.
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE SACRAMENTO KINGS 2017-18 SCHEDULE
- By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: October (3 home, 4 away = 7 total), November (7 home, 7 away = 14 total), December (6 home, 9 away = 15 total), January (5 home, 9 away = 14 total), February (7 home, 4 away = 11 total), March (12 home, 4 away = 16 total), April (1 home, 4 away = 5 total). As part of league attempts to augment player rest, the Kings engage in two fewer back-to-back sets from a season ago, will not play four games in five nights (seven such scenarios last season) and suit up for five contests in a seven night stretch on only one occasion (reduced from three occurrences in 2016-17).
- By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Monday (5 home, 7 away = 12 total), Tuesday (5 home, 9 away = 14 total), Wednesday (7 home, 5 away = 12 total), Thursday (7 home, 3 away = 10 total), Friday (5 home, 6 away = 11 total), Saturday (7 home, 7 away = 14 total), Sunday (5 home, 4 away = 9 total).
- The Kings longest homestand features six games on two occasions: The first spans Wednesday, Dec. 27 thru Monday, Jan. 9, the latter runs Monday, March 19 thru Saturday, March 31.
- Sacramento embarks on its longest road trip of six games from Friday, Jan. 19 thru Tuesday, Jan. 30 with stops in Memphis (Jan. 19), Charlotte (Jan. 22), Orlando (Jan. 23), Miami (Jan. 25) San Antonio (Jan. 28) and New Orleans (Jan. 30).
- Of the team’s 16 back-to-back sets, two are of the home-home variety, seven are away-away, three represent the away-home category and four are home-away.
- Sacramento’s 41-game home schedule features 17 weekend contests at Golden 1 Center (five games on Fridays, seven on Saturdays and five on Sundays).
- The Kings tote a 23-9 mark in home openers during the Sacramento-era (1985-present), including a 15-4 record since 1998-99.
- Houston outlasted the Kings 96-85 on Nov. 1, 1996—the only other instance during the Sacramento-era when both teams squared off in a season opener. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf paced the home team with 17 points while the Rockets were led by Clyde Drexler’s 25 points to accompany 13 rebounds from Hakeem Olajuwon.
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