The Sacramento Kings found themselves at the center of an unexpected controversy this week, but according to NBC Sports California analyst Kayte Christensen, the criticism surrounding head coach Doug Christie couldn’t be further from the truth.
Following a late-game situation against the Golden State Warriors earlier this week—where Sacramento intentionally fouled late in the fourth quarter while in the bonus—questions arose about whether the Kings were “tanking.”
However, the NBA quickly reviewed the play and found no wrongdoing, with team sources calling it a simple coaching mistake by first-year head coach Doug Christie.
During an interview with Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross, Christensen didn’t hesitate to push back on the narrative.
“What in the world are people talking about?” she said. “There are teams that are openly tanking… so at what point does that make sense?”
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
More on Kings head coach Doug Christie
More importantly, she emphasized that labeling the moment as intentional losing is not only inaccurate but unfair to a first-year head coach navigating a difficult season.
“Anybody who knows Doug knows that that’s so far outside of his DNA,” Christensen said. “To point out a mistake and say it was tanking. It’s almost purposely trying to demean the job that he’s doing.”
Despite injuries and roster limitations, the Sacramento Kings have remained competitive down the stretch—something Christensen believes speaks directly to Doug Christie’s impact.
Sacramento has hovered near .500 over its last stretch of games (7-9 over its past 16 contests), even while relying heavily on younger, less experienced players like rookies Maxime Raynaud, Nique Clifford, and Dylan Cardwell.
“I think it’s a culmination of the work that the coaching staff has put in,” she explained. “But also, if you look at the way that Doug coaches, especially the young players, he’s been doing it that way all season long.”
That consistency has translated into visible growth. According to Christensen, Doug Christie’s influence goes far beyond play-calling.
(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
“It’s beyond X’s and O’s,” she said. “It’s about development, culture, and the investment in these players—and it’s showing on the floor.”
Even in a challenging year, Doug Christie has managed a delicate balance between developing young talent and respecting veteran stars. Players like DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook have seen their roles and minutes adjusted during this final stretch, yet there has been no public friction—a testament to the locker room environment.
“I think that Doug has done a really fantastic job,” Christensen said. “This has not been an easy year because of all the different elements.”
Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.
Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PDT, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
The Sacramento Kings will play their final game of the 2025-26 season on Sunday afternoon when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on the road at the Moda Center.
Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 4:00 PM PT on Game Night before a 5:30 pm PT tip-off from downtown Portland.
More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports
Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season
- Sunday, April 12th @ Portland Trail Blazers – 5:30 PM PT (End of season)
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