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1995/96: The Kings would finally end their 9-year playoff
drought by winning 14 of their last 24 games to rally
and capture the 8th and final playoff spot with a record
of 39-43. In the playoffs the Kings split the first
2 games with Supersonics in Seattle earning their first
postseason win in 15 years. However, when the series
shifted to ARCO Arena the Kings would leave their loyal
fans disappointed dropping both games at home to exit
the playoffs in 4 games.
1996/97: Coming off their first playoff
appearance in 10 years expectation in Sacramento were
high. However injuries, and a tough early-season schedule,
would clobber the Kings as they won just 8 of their first
25 games. The Kings would rebound to get back in playoff
contention with a 28-32 record. However, the wheels would
fall off as Kings went on a 7-game losing streak costing
Coach Gary St. Jean his job. Under his replacement Eddie
Jordan the Kings would finish with a 34-48 record missing
the playoffs by just 2 games.
1997/98: The Kings decided a renewed devotion
to youth with the quartet of talented rookies. Michael
Stewart, Anthony Johnson, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Lawrence
Funderburke, as Mitch Richmond continued to play at an
All-Star level averaging 23.2 ppg. However, the Kings
would still struggle posting a record of 27-55.
1998/99: The NBA seasons would be cut in
half by a 4-month lockout. When the season did start in
February the Kings had undergone a dramatic change as
Mitch Richmond was traded to the Washington Wizards for
Chris Webber. In addition the Kings signed Vlade Divac
and drafted Jason Williams, to have one of the most exciting
teams in the NBA. Williams who earned the nickname "White
Chocolate" would be a regular on Sportscenter with
his fancy play making skill as Chris Webber brought the
loyal fans of Sacramento to their feet with his monster
jams. The Kings would go on to post their first winning
record in 16 years with a record of 27-23, under new Coach
Rick Adelman. In the playoffs teh Kings would throw a
scare into the Utah Jazz sending the decisive 5th game
to overtime where they final fell 99-92.
1999/00: Coming off a winning record in
a strike shortened season much was expected of the Kings,
who would not disappoint continuing to play an exciting
brand of basketball while posting a 44-38 record which
was good enough for the 8th playoff spot. In the playoffs
the Kings would give fans at ARCO Arena something to cheer
about as they rallied from an 0-2 defect to force a 5th
and deciding game with the Los Angels Lakers by winning
both home playoff games. However, the Lakers would easily
win Game 5 at home and go on to win the NBA Championship.
2000/01: After 2 straight playoff season
the Kings would make it into the NBA's elite status by
challenging for the Pacific Division all season, falling
just 1 game short with a solid 55-27 record, along the
way the Kings set an NBA record with 89 wins in overtime.
In the playoffs the Kings would get their first taste
of success as they won their first playoff series in 20
years by beating the Phoenix Suns in 4 games. However,
the Kings were not ready for primetime as they were swept
in 4 straight by the Los Angeles Lakers.
2001/02: Entering the season the Kings would
have a changing of the guard as they traded Jason Williams
to the Memphis Grizzlies for Mike Bibby. Though less flashy
Bibby was a much better pure point guard, as he helped
the Kings finish in the league's top 5 in several categories,
including defensive rebounding (1st), scoring (2nd), rebounding
(2nd), steals (3rd), field goal percentage (2nd), and
assists (4th), as the Kings finished with best record
in the NBA while posting a franchise best 61-21 record.
In the playoffs the Kings would shake off early struggles
to beat the Utah Jazz in 4 games. Moving on to the 2nd
Round the Kings would start to get hot as they easily
beat the Dallas Mavericks in 5 games to set up a much
anticipated match up with Los Angeles Lakers for the Western
Conference Finals.
2001/02: In what was widely considered the
real NBA Finals the Kings and Lakers met in one of the
best playoff series in NBA history. After splitting the
first 2 games at ARCO Arena the Kings seized control of
the series with a 103-90 win in Game 3. With a chance
to go up 3 games to 1 the Kings led the Lakers by 2 points
in thee final seconds of Game 4 as Kobe Bryant missed
a shot with time winding down. However the rebound would
bounce to Robert Horry who nailed a 3-point shot as the
time expired to even the series at 2 for the Lakers. In
Game 5 the Kings would give the Lakers a taste of their
own medicine as Mike Bibby gave the Kings a 92-91 win
with 8.2 seconds left. Looking to close out the Lakers
in Game 6 the Kings would be pushed to a 7th game in controversial
foul filled game in which the Lakers had 40 free throws,
winning 106-102. In Game 7 back in Sacramento the game
would go back and forth much like the series itself with
16 ties and 19 lead changes, going into overtime tied
at 100. However the Kings would run out of gas in overtimes
as the Lakers scored the final 9 points to pull out a
112-106 win.
2002/03: Coming off their loss in Game 7
of the Western Conference Finals most expected the Kings
to be one of the top contenders in the NBA again. Early
in the season the Kings roster depth was put to a test
early as several players were on the injured list including
Mike Bibby. However, in Bibby's absence Bobby Jackson
more then filled the void establishing himself as one
of the best back ups early in the season on the way to
winning the NBA 6th Man Award, as the Kings humped out
to a solid 18-5 season. Through out the entire season
the Kings depth was put to the test as nearly every player
missed several games during the season. However, the Kings
would overcome adversity and would easily win the Pacific
Division with a terrific 59-23 record. In the playoffs
the Kings would cruise in the first round eliminating
the Utah Jazz in 5 games, as the first round became a
best of 7 for the first time ever. In the second round
the Kings got off to a strong start beating the Dallas
Mavericks on the road 124-113 in Game 1. However, in a
132-110 loss in Game 2 the Kings depth would be put to
the test again as Chris Webber suffered a season ending
knee injury. Despite the loss of Webber the Kings were
able to fight their way to a 7th game. However, in the
end the loss of Webber would be too much to overcome as
the Kings lost to the Mavs on the road in Game 7 by a
score of 112-99.
2003/04: Despite Chris Webber being sidelined
after knee surgery most of the season the Kings jumped
out thanks to the MVP type numbers put up by Peja Stojokovic.
In December as the Los Angeles Lakers struggled the Kings
took advantage taking control of the Pacific Division
leading by as many as 7 games. However after the All-Star
Break the Kings began to struggling losing Bobby Jackson
to an injury an abdominal injury. Webber would return
in March but instead of helping the Kings it seemed to
hurt the Kings as it messed up the team's chemistry, as
the Kings played mediocre 12-12 basketball over the final
6 weeks losing the division title to the Lakers on the
final day of the season while posting a record of 55-27.
In the playoffs the struggling Kings faced the Dallas
Mavericks who knocked them out of the playoffs a year
earlier, with the first 2 games at home the Kings jumped
out to a 2-0 series, lead after dropping Game 3 the Kings
rebounded with a thrilling 94-92 win in Game 4 to take
a stranglehold on the series on the way to taking the
series in 5 games. In the 2nd Round the Kings were matched
up against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where they would
draw first blood winning Game 1 on the road 104-98 led
by 33 points from Mike Bibby. After dropping Game 2 the
series shifted back to Sacramento where they would lose
a heartbreaker in overtime 114-113. The teams would alternate
wins over the next 3 games as the series went the full
7 games where the Kings season ended in heartbreak again
with an 83-80 loss as the Kings could not contain Kevin
Garnett who had an MVP performance with 32 points and
21 rebounds.
