Number of Kings Back-to-Backs for 2025-26 NBA Season Revealed

The Sacramento Kings will have two fewer back-to-backs than they did last season, but will need to perform better on days with no rest.

Jan 29, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis warms up before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings don’t need any other roadblocks to having a decent season after crawling into 9th in the Western Conference last year. Trades, injuries, and general unrest led the Kings back into mediocrity after two seasons where it looked like they were turning the corner.

This season isn’t looking much better with big questions on how to maximize the talent on the roster while developing the future of the team. Unfortunately, the Kings’ schedule won’t be doing them any favors this season either. 

The Sacramento Kings will have 14 back to backs this season including 5 in the month of January.

— Damien Barling (@damienbarling) August 14, 2025

Sacramento is no stranger to playing on no rest. They were second in back-to-backs last year and the year before, and will likely be near the top of the league again next season with 14. While they have fewer games with no rest compared to the last two seasons, the team’s projected starting lineup looks to be even older this season.

After bringing in DeMar DeRozan last season and before trading for Zach LaVine, the average age of the Kings’ starting lineup was 28 years old. Next season, that number jumps to 30.4 after adding LaVine and Dennis Schroder. 

On top of being an older team, the Kings just weren’t good on no rest last season or the year before. The team finished 5-11 in their 16 back-to-back games last season, often looking like they had just run an ultramarathon the night before.

Basketball is an incredibly demanding sport that requires a tremendous amount of stamina. Understandably, teams struggle without rest, but many other squads find a way to win even when they’re tired. The Denver Nuggets finished 12-4 without rest, the Golden State Warriors were 8-6, and even the Portland Trailblazers managed to stay above .500 at 7-6. 

Kings stats on 2nd Nights of Back-to-Backs
Record: 0-4
Points: 101.8
FG%: 42.4%
3p: 26.9%
Off Rtg: 102.3
Def Rtg: 122.9
Net Rtg: -20.6

They've lost by a total of 82 Points. Do they break out of the SEGABABA slump tonight?

— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) January 3, 2024

The one thing that can help out on the second night of a back-to-back (especially a SEGABABA) is youth. I used the Blazers as an example because they don’t measure up to the Kings in terms of talent, but they found a way to be competitive on limited rest.

If you watched the Blazers at all last season, you likely saw guys like Toumani Camara, Deni Avdija, Scott Henderson, and more hustling night after night on both ends. While the Kings probably don’t look at their youth the same way, given the amount of former All-Stars on the roster, they can still use their youth to their advantage. 

Feb 6, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) dunks the basketball during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Devin Carter, Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud, Isaac Jones, Keon Ellis, and Keegan Murray will all be 25 or younger when the season begins, and the Kings would be smart (in more ways than one) to lean on them when the veterans need rest.

Head Coach Doug Christie was more inclined to play some of the Kings’ youth after Mike Brown was fired; unfortunately, it’s easier said than done. Much has been said about ownership prioritizing aging stars over promising young players, and it doesn’t seem like that changes much next season.

Rotations will be one of the big things to watch as Doug Christie takes on his first full year as an NBA head coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it be the biggest talking point throughout the season (barring a blockbuster trade). 

In a Western Conference that is becoming increasingly competitive, the Kings need as many wins as they can get if they’re going to keep pace. The San Antonio Spurs have a good chance at jumping the Kings in the standings, and the Blazers are not going to make things easy either.

Sacramento needs to find a way to at least be average in back-to-backs next season, and that starts with leadership. Christie has an uphill battle trying to turn a team that looked uninterested last season into a squad that gives 110% every single night. That duty won’t fall solely on Christie either. The Kings' veterans simply need to give a lot more next season to help support Christie and the rest of the squad. 

ZACH LAVINE TAKES OVER FOR THE KINGS IN CLEVELAND 😤💥

37 PTS
15-21 FGM
7 3PM pic.twitter.com/RnvSLVm94V

— NBA (@NBA) April 7, 2025

Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Domantas Sabonis will all be called upon to lead by example next year. Shots may not fall and calls may not go your way, but effort is something that can be controlled. Malik Monk and Keon Ellis are some of the very few who stand out in terms of what they give every single night, and the rest of the team will need to follow suit if they hope to stay competitive.

Knowing who Doug Christie was as a player, it’s hard to believe that effort won’t improve next season, but the coach can only do so much. The team may still struggle without rest (and in general), but as long as they play hard, fans will be proud to cheer them on.