Kings Rise In the Power Rankings But Sit Below Western Conference Foes

While the Kings are rising in the power rankings, they still have a long way to climb in both the fictional and real standings.

Feb 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

ESPN has released their latest power rankings, putting the Sacramento Kings at number 16 heading into tonight's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The group of ESPN NBA Insiders moved Sacramento up from 19 last week to 16 this week, but still below Western Conference foes such as the Golden State Warriors (15) and Dallas Mavericks (13), who the Kings just beat.

The ranking matches the feel in Sacramento, as fans are still uneasy about the new line up passing the eye test and truly making this team better than it was before the trade deadline.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN noted the blockbuster trade reshaping the Kings roster and DeMar DeRozan's clutch performance in the one-point win against the Mavericks.

DeRozan had a vintage performance in Monday's overtime win in Dallas, hitting the tying shot in the fourth quarter and the winning bucket.
Dave McMenamin

DEMAR DEROZAN WINS IT IN THE FINAL SECONDS FOR THE KINGS 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Fzw8pXtvtT
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2025

While the Kings got the win over Dallas, it's evident that they are still gelling as a team. DeRozan had a great performance in the overtime win, hitting multiple clutch shots as he's done time and time again in his career, but relying on him to have that type of performance isn't something the Kings should count on every night leading up to the playoffs.

With a current record of 27-26, the Kings desperately need to find their cohesiveness as a team as soon as possible. With back-to-back games against the struggling New Orleans Pelicans before the All-Star break, the Kings have a great chance to do just that and light up another beam or two for the city of Sacramento.

Recommended Articles