From Reggie Theus to Rick Adelman, the Kings’ playoff history is a mix of glee and despair

Joe Davidson
Updated ·6 min read
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It’s been a minute since the Kings last did this, since they were last in the NBA playoffs.

A lot of minutes, actually, as in 6,186 days. Or 16 years, 11 months and five days since the Rick Adelman-coached Kings lost 105-83 to the San Antonio Spurs at Arco Arena in six games in an opening-round Western Conference series.

The Kings now face the defending champion Golden State Warriors, with Game 1 set for Saturday night at Golden 1 Center.

The first Kings playoff game was so long ago, in 1986, that not a soul packed inside the first Arco was glued to their cell phone because there was no such thing. In 38 seasons in Sacramento, the Kings have produced just nine winning seasons — eight under Adelman and this one under first-year coach Mike Brown. The franchise has reached the playoffs 11 times — 1986, 1996, 1999-2006 and now.

In between, there was a lot of dreadful basketball, bad draft picks, trades that didn’t work, coaches that didn’t fit, leading to 18 seasons of fewer than 30 victories. And more rotten luck: The Kings lost to the eventual conference champion in 1986, 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Here’s a breakdown of the Kings playoffs teams:

1986: First Time Glee

Record: 37-45

Result: Lost first round to Houston, 3-0

Recap: Seeded seventh, the Kings were no match for the Rockets, who prevailed 107-87, 111-103 and 113-98, the last game at jammed-packed Arco with 10,333 screaming until everything hurt. Fans lined up for two days to snatch up tickets (it’s all on-line purchasing now). It was the first taste of the big time for Sacramento fans, who celebrated their first major sports team with ovations and sellouts. The Kings were led in this series by Reggie Theus and Eddie Johnson and the Rockets by twin towers Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson.

The Sacramento Kings bench watches the team falls to the Houston Rockets during Game 1 of the NBA playoffs in Houston, Texas, in 1986.
The Sacramento Kings bench watches the team falls to the Houston Rockets during Game 1 of the NBA playoffs in Houston, Texas, in 1986.

1996: Rattle Seattle

Record: 39-43

Result: Lost first round to Seattle, 3-1

Recap: The upstart Kings, seeded eighth, were led by guard Mitch Richmond, whose 37 points keyed a 90-81 Sacramento win in Seattle to even the series at a game apiece. Before Game 3 at Arco Arena, fans delivered a five-minute standing ovation, so loud you couldn’t hear your own clapping. Seattle won that game 96-89 behind Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, then closed it out 101-87 in Seattle en route to winning the conference championship.

1999: All That Jazz

Record: 27-23 (strike-shortened season)

Result: Lost first round to Utah, 3-2

Recap: At long last, the Kings fielded a winning team, and the sixth-seeded Kings pushed Utah to five games (before this round became a seven-game series), though the Kings held a 2-1 lead after an 84-81 overtime victory in which Vlade Divac scored 22 points and Jason Williams made six assists. But the Jazz won the final two games behind mainstays Karl Malone and John Stockton, en route to facing the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.

Julian Martinez, holding Kings “goin’ postal” sign, high fives his wife Christine to celebrate the Sacramento Kings’ play against the Utah Jazz in Game 3 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Arco Arena in Sacramento on May 13, 1999.
Julian Martinez, holding Kings “goin’ postal” sign, high fives his wife Christine to celebrate the Sacramento Kings’ play against the Utah Jazz in Game 3 of the first-round NBA playoff series at Arco Arena in Sacramento on May 13, 1999.
The Sacramento Kings’ Vlade Divac claps after a play during Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on May 12, 1999.
The Sacramento Kings’ Vlade Divac claps after a play during Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on May 12, 1999.

2000: Dreaded Lakers

Record: 44-38

Result: Lost first round to Los Angeles, 3-2

Recap: Seeded eighth, the Kings drew the Lakers, who rolled in the first two games to take a 2-0 series lead before the Kings tied the series at 2-2 behind Chris Webber, who led the Kings in those wins in scoring, rebounding and assists. The wheels fell off in LA in the clincher when the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant-led Lakers prevailed 113-86, en route to winning the NBA championship.

Chris Webber exits the Arco Arena floor after leading the Sacramento Kings to a 101-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 to even their conference series 2-2 on May 2, 2000, at Arco Arena.
Chris Webber exits the Arco Arena floor after leading the Sacramento Kings to a 101-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 to even their conference series 2-2 on May 2, 2000, at Arco Arena.
Actor Jack Nicholson cheers during the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 5 victory in the Western Conference first-round series against the Sacramento Kings on May 5, 2000.
Actor Jack Nicholson cheers during the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 5 victory in the Western Conference first-round series against the Sacramento Kings on May 5, 2000.

2001: First Time Fun in the Sun

Record: 55-27

Result: Beat Phoenix 3-1, lost to Lakers 4-0 in semifinals

Recap: Seeded third, the Kings won their first playoff series in their Sacramento era despite losing Game 1 at Arco Arena, 86-83, and closed it out with an 89-82 win in Phoenix as Peja Stojakovic scored 37 points and Scot Pollard grabbed 13 rebounds as the giddy Kings danced afterward. The fun stopped as the Lakers edged the Kings 108-105 in Game 1 and 96-90 in Game 2, rolled in Game 3 at Arco 103-81 as Kobe Bryant went for 36, and won Game 4 at Arco 119-113 as Bryant scorched the Kings for 48 points and 16 rebounds en route to an NBA championship repeat.

Kings Hedo Turkoglu, Scot Pollard, Bobby Jackson, Nick Anderson and Peja Stojakovic bask in the glory after winning their first playoff series of the Sacramento era against Phoenix on May 2, 2001.
Kings Hedo Turkoglu, Scot Pollard, Bobby Jackson, Nick Anderson and Peja Stojakovic bask in the glory after winning their first playoff series of the Sacramento era against Phoenix on May 2, 2001.

2002: Heartbreak and Misery

Record: 61-21

Result: Beat Utah 3-1, beat Dallas 4-1, lost to Lakers 4-3

Recap: The Kings fielded their best team and greatest heartache with a grueling seven-game conference finals setback to the Lakers. That conference finals series remains one of the greatest in NBA history, and also every bit as controversial as Kings fans will swear to their last breath that the NBA rigged it so the Lakers would reach the NBA Finals. The series included Robert Horry’s dramatic Game 4 game winner, dousing Sacramento’s 24-point first-half lead, and it featured Mike Bibby’s dramatic Game 5 winner for a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 was the controversial game as the Lakers shot 27 of their 40 free throws in the fourth quarter for a 106-102 victory, leading to Game 7 at Arco Arena. After 16 ties and 19 lead changes, the Lakers won in overtime, 112-106, as O’Neal scored 35 points and led the Lakers to a championship three-peat.

With less than one second remaining on the clock, Robert Horry shoots a three-point shot over the reach of Chris Webber In Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on May 26, 2002.
With less than one second remaining on the clock, Robert Horry shoots a three-point shot over the reach of Chris Webber In Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on May 26, 2002.

2003: Webber Down and Out

Record: 59-23

Result: Beat Utah 4-1, lost to Dallas, 4-3

Recap: Seeded second, Chris Webber powered the Kings past Utah , and Kings fans gave retiring Jazz guard great John Stockton a standing ovation of appreciation. When Webber went down with a blown knee against Dallas, it marked a seismic crack in the foundation of the franchise for this playoff era. Dallas won the clincher at home, 112-99, as Dirk Nowitzki scored 30 points and had 19 rebounds and Steve Nash dished out 13 assists.

The Sacramento Kings’ Chris Webber lies on the floor in the third quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 8, 2003.
The Sacramento Kings’ Chris Webber lies on the floor in the third quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on May 8, 2003.

2004: Minnesota Moment

Record: 55-27

Result: Beat Dallas, 4-1, lost to Minnesota, 4-3

Recap: Seeded fourth, the Kings finished off the Mavericks in Game 5, 119-118, as Mike Bibby scored 37 points, but Minnesota won the grueling, defensive-minded semifinals with an 83-80 clincher at home as league MVP Kevin Garnett scored 32 and Webber missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie.

Gavin Maloof, left, and his brother Joe watch the action courtside in Game 2 of the second-round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs between the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., Saturday, May 8, 2004.
Gavin Maloof, left, and his brother Joe watch the action courtside in Game 2 of the second-round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs between the Sacramento Kings and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., Saturday, May 8, 2004.

2005: Seattle Boom Time

Record: 50-32

Result: Lost first round to Seattle, 4-1

Recap: Seeded sixth, the new-look Kings were without the traded Webber and trailed Seattle 2-0. They won Game 3 at Arco Arena 116-104 as Mike Bibby scored 31, and lost the final two games, 115-102 and 122-118, with Ray Allen going for 45 and 30, respectively.

Sacramento Kings fan Jason Garland holds a sign referencing the absence of Chris Weber as his team plays the Seattle SuperSonics during Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs on Saturday, April 23, 2005, at Key Arena in Seattle, Wash.
Sacramento Kings fan Jason Garland holds a sign referencing the absence of Chris Weber as his team plays the Seattle SuperSonics during Game 1 of the Western Conference playoffs on Saturday, April 23, 2005, at Key Arena in Seattle, Wash.

2006: The Last Dance

Record: 44-38

Result: Lost first round to San Antonio, 4-2

Recap: Seeded eighth, the Kings were without the traded Peja Stojakovic (dealt for Ron Artest) and trailed 2-0 before beating the Spurs 94-93 at Arco Arena on a last-play bucket by rookie Kevin Martin. The Kings tied the series with a 102-84 home rout as Bonzi Wells scored 25 points and had 17 rebounds before the Spurs closed it out with wins of 109-98 and 105-83 at home behind Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

Kenny Thomas, Bonzi Wells, Ron Artest and Kevin Martin sit on the bench in the closing minutes of Game 6 of the first round of Western Conference playoff series between the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs at Arco Arena on May 5, 2006 – the team’s most recent playoff game.
Kenny Thomas, Bonzi Wells, Ron Artest and Kevin Martin sit on the bench in the closing minutes of Game 6 of the first round of Western Conference playoff series between the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs at Arco Arena on May 5, 2006 – the team’s most recent playoff game.