SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings will play their first 2016-17 regular season home game on Thursday, Oct. 27 against the San Antonio Spurs—marking the regular season reveal of Golden 1 Center, the most connected, sustainable and technologically-advanced indoor sports and entertainment venue in the world.
For most Kings home games this season, tip-off has been changed to 7:30 p.m. to allow Kings fans ample time to adjust to a downtown sports and entertainment environment and better serve the downtown corridor. Kings fans now have an extra 30 minutes to navigate to their pre-paid parking spots, ride public transit and utilize the arena’s bike valet station. In the coming weeks, the organization will release gameday transportation and parking information to inform fans on how to arrive at the new downtown arena, as well as a new team and arena app to enhance the game day experience with on-demand information on alternative transportation options, parking and more.
Sacramento begins its season in the Valley of the Sun with a matchup against Pacific Division rival Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Talking Stick Resort Arena (7 p.m. PST) before returning to northern California for the unveiling of Golden 1 Center versus San Antonio on Thursday, Oct. 27 (7:30 p.m. PST). Six of the club’s next nine contests will take place on the road, including an East Coast jaunt featuring a Halloween contest with Atlanta (Oct. 31) followed by tilts versus Miami (Nov. 1), Orlando (Nov. 3), Milwaukee (Nov. 5) and culminating in a visit north of the border for a matchup with 2016 Eastern Conference finalist Toronto Raptors (Nov. 6). The team returns west for home games against New Orleans (Nov. 8) and a nationally televised TNT game against the L.A. Lakers (Nov. 10), before departing on an overnight outing to Portland (Nov. 11) and then digs in for the first of four homestands spanning five or more games on the 2016-17 schedule.
Following a five-game stretch at Golden 1 Center (Nov.16–25) against 2016 playoff teams (San Antonio, L.A. Clippers, Toronto, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets), Sacramento plays 14 of their next 19 games on the road, underscored by a six-game trek east representing the second-longest trip on the slate (Nov. 27 – Dec. 7), punctuated by games versus the Boston Celtics (Dec. 2) and New York Knicks (Dec. 4). The friendly confines of Golden 1 Center greets their return, as the lengthiest homestand on the calendar ushers in 2017. Of the seven contests, all feature opponents that qualified for the 2016 NBA postseason, including marquee matchups against the Clippers (Jan. 6), Nor Cal rival Golden State Warriors (Jan. 8) and NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers (Jan. 13). The stand concludes against the Indiana Pacers (Jan. 18) before Sacramento departs for its longest road trip of the docket (Jan. 20 – 31).
The seven-game sojourn comprises notable stops in Memphis (Jan. 20), Chicago (Jan. 21), Cleveland (Jan. 27) and Charlotte (Jan. 28) before yielding to six consecutive contests at Golden 1 Center to start February, including anticipated matchups with the Warriors (Feb. 4), Bulls (Feb. 6) and Celtics (Feb. 8). A pair of back-to-back road games at the Lakers (Feb. 14) and Warriors (Feb. 15) propel Sacramento into the week-long All-Star break with play resuming when the second-half campaign commences versus the Denver Nuggets (Feb. 23) at Golden 1 Center.
Sacramento winds down the regular season with a balanced slate of home and road contests during the spring months, welcoming to Golden 1 Center 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns and the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves (Feb. 27), Gordon Hayward and the Utah Jazz (Mar. 5 & Mar. 29), the new-look Orlando Magic (Mar. 13), Memphis Grizzlies for the second instance (Mar. 27) and James Harden’s Houston Rockets (April 9) to name a few. Key road affairs include a duo of games in San Antonio (Mar. 8 & Mar. 19), a matchup with Russell Westbrook and the Thunder (Mar. 18), a stop in Twin Cities to face Minnesota (April 1), at the Lakers (April 7) and the season finale at the Staples Center to face Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the L.A. Clippers (April 12).
The Kings will be featured on national television 11 times during the 2016-17 campaign, highlighted by a TNT Sports broadcast at Golden 1 Center as Sacramento plays host to the Los Angeles Lakers (November 10). ESPN will broadcast the November 18th tilt against the Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento plays to a national audience on nine occasions on NBA TV, highlighted by home contests versus Minnesota (Oct. 29), New Orleans (Nov. 8) and Washington (March 10).
- By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: October (2 home, 2 away = 4 total), November (7 home, 8 away = 15 total), December (5 home, 10 away = 15 total), January (7 home, 8 away = 15 total), February (2 home, 9 away = 11 total), March (8 home, 8 away = 16 total), April (3 home, 3 away = 6 total).
- By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Monday (6 home, 4 away = 10 total), Tuesday (5 home, 4 away = 9 total), Wednesday (8 home, 11 away = 19 total), Thursday (3 home, 1 away = 4 total), Friday (8 home, 9 away = 17 total), Saturday (5 home, 6 away = 11 total), Sunday (6 home, 6 away = 12 total)
- The Kings longest homestand is seven games on one occasion (Wednesday, Jan. 4 thru Wednesday, Jan. 18). Sacramento also has a six-game homestand on once (Friday, Feb. 3 thru Sunday, Feb. 12).
- Sacramento embarks on its longest road trip of seven games from Friday, Jan. 20 thru Tuesday, Jan. 31) with stops in Memphis (Jan. 20), Chicago (Jan. 21), Detroit (Jan. 23), Cleveland (Jan. 25), Indiana (Jan. 27), Charlotte (Jan. 28) and Houston (Jan. 31).
- Of the 18 sets of back-to-back games, two is of the home-home variety, eight are away-away, three represent the away-home category and five are home-away.
- Sacramento’s 41-game home schedule features 19 weekend contests at Golden 1 Center (eight games on Fridays, five on Saturdays and six on Sundays).
- The Kings tote a 23-8 mark in home openers during the Sacramento-era (1985-present), including a 15-3 record since 1998-99.
- Sacramento last opened at home against the Spurs on Nov. 6, 1992 when Mitch Richmond tallied 26 points and Lionel Simmons corralled 10 rebounds in route to a 114-106-90 victory.
- In the only other instance when Sacramento opened the season against Phoenix, Richmond scored 20 points to accompany 10 rebounds from Olden Polynice and Brian Grant in a 107-89 victory over the Suns on Nov. 4, 1994.
- The L.A. Clippers nipped the Kings 108-104 on Oct. 25, 1985—the inaugural game in Sac-era history played at Arco Arena I. Seattle defeated the Kings 97-75 in the first game at Arco Arena II / Sleep Train Arena on Nov. 8, 1988.
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