Sacramento Kings 2015-16 schedule announced

Sacramento Kings fans are chomping at the bit to see their new roster in action.  The wait is still seven weeks away, but it feels a little closer today as the NBA released its schedule for the 2015-16 NBA season.  The Kings will open up at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on October 28 in the first game of a very balanced home/road schedule.

Notable tidbits on the Sacramento Kings’ 2015-16 schedule

• The Sacramento Kings start the season at home and play nine of their first 11 at the friendly confines of Sleep Train Arena.  Their first eight games are against Western Conference foes, including six games (Clippers twice) against playoff teams.

• After 28 years in operation, the Kings will play their final game at Sleep Train Arena/Power Balance Pavilion/Arco Arena April 9 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento is scheduled to open next October in time for the 2016-17 NBA season.  Arco II opened for business November 8, 1988 when the Kings welcomed the Seattle Supersonics into their new home.

• They get their first crack at Jason Thompson and the defending champion Golden State Warriors in a November 7 contest at Sleep Train Arena.  Thompson is the Kings’ all-time leader in games played during the Sacramento era with 541, but he was dealt to Philadelphia and then back to Northern California this offseason.

• Former head coach Michael Malone makes his return to the capital city when the Sacramento Kings host the Denver Nuggets on February 19.  The Kings fly to Denver to take on Malone and the Nuggets four days later.

• Sacramento appears on national television 13 times, including two games on TNT – December 10 against the Knicks and January 7 agains the Lakers.  They appear on ESPN twice and show up on NBATV nine times over the course of the 82-game schedule.

• The Kings travel to Mexico City on December 3 to take on the Boston Celtics as a part of the 2015 NBA Global Games.

• The longest homestand of the year for the Sacramento Kings is six games, and runs from November 6-15.  During that stretch, the Kings take on the Rockets, Warriors, Spurs, Pistons, Nets and Raptors.  Outside of that stretch, the Kings have six sets of three-game home stands, but nothing longer.

• The Kings’ longest road trip of the season begins directly after their longest home stand.  They make a five-game trek starting November 19 in Atlanta and conclude November 25 at Milwaukee.

• The Sacramento Kings face 19 back-to-back sets this upcoming season, two more than a season ago.  Seven of their back-to-backs are away-away, three are of the away-home variety, eight are home-away and one is a home-home set.

• The Kings close the season on the road with a battle against James Harden, Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets on April 13.

• Sacramento will get eight days off in between games during the NBA’s extended All-Star Break.  Their last game before All-Star Weekend is February 10 at the Philadelphia 76ers, and the first game back from the break will be at home on February 19 vs. the Denver Nuggets.

• Here is a month-to-month breakdown of games played, including home and road splits: October (2 home, 1 away = 3 total), November (9 home, 7 away = 16 total), December (6 home, 7 away = 13 total), January (7 home, 8 away = 15 total), February (6 home, 5 away = 11 total), March (7 home, 10 away = 17 total), April (4 home, 3 away = 7 total)

You can take a look at the Sacramento Kings’ complete schedule here.