Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo: Golden Bay Times Graphics Dept.
OCT 28, 2025
The Sacramento Kings began the 2025-26 season with a 1-2 record, and while it’s far too early to make sweeping judgments, three numbers from their first three games are sending serious warning signals. These aren’t random quirks; they hint at underlying issues that could hold this team back if they aren’t fixed soon.
The first glaring stat is 36.7 rebounds per game. That figure ties Sacramento for the worst mark in the league through the early slate of games, down sharply from last season’s average of about 44.2. The drop is significant, and one reason cited is Domantas Sabonis missing the opener with a hamstring issue. Even when healthy, though, the team has been consistently second best on the boards, being out-rebounded 148 to 110 across those first three games.
Rebounding isn’t flashy, but it wins games. Grabbing the glass denies opponents second chances and creates more for yourself. When you lose that battle, every possession starts at a disadvantage. Opponents pile up extra opportunities, and the Kings are constantly playing from behind before they even get a shot off.
The second concerning number centers around Sabonis again, this time in his playmaking role. Last season he averaged around six assists per game; the year before, it was over eight. Through the first three games of this season, that number has dropped to just two assists per game. The idea is to use Sabonis’s vision and passing ability to create offense, positioning him as the hub. On paper, it’s smart. In practice, if his teammates aren’t cutting sharply, moving off the ball, or hitting open looks, then the entire scheme collapses. Sabonis can only create so much without cooperation. When passes don’t lead to baskets, the team’s rhythm disappears and the half-court offense sputters.
The third key number, however, offers a mix of good and bad. The Kings are shooting 41.4 percent from three-point range while holding opponents to 31.0 percent. Those are elite figures that show potential if they last. Early season shooting spikes are notoriously unreliable, and over time averages tend to even out. If Sacramento’s perimeter shooting holds steady, it will open up the floor and give the offense breathing room. But if the accuracy cools off, the Kings will lose the one area where they’ve been outperforming expectations.
Together, these three stats form a troubling triangle. Weak rebounding means fewer second-chance points and fewer fast-break chances. Reduced ball movement stalls the offense. And hot three-point shooting, while welcome, won’t mask fundamental flaws forever. The Kings don’t need perfection; they just need balance. When they protect the boards, keep the ball moving, and continue spacing the floor, they look like a playoff team. When one of those pillars collapses, everything else follows.
To be fair, it’s early. Three games in October don’t define a season. Injuries, lineup adjustments, and simple timing issues can distort early data. Sabonis missing the first game certainly didn’t help. But numbers like these tend to expose patterns, not coincidences. Sacramento’s rebounding struggles, declining assist numbers, and inconsistent rhythm are symptoms of something real, issues of chemistry, effort, and execution that can’t be ignored.
If the Kings want to flip the script, they’ll need to attack the boards with purpose, reestablish the crisp ball movement that made their offense hum in past seasons, and keep defenses honest with disciplined three-point shooting. The pieces are there; they just need to fit again.
The warning lights are flashing, but this isn’t panic time, it’s adjustment time. With Sabonis healthy, a talented rotation, and a coach who knows how to spark urgency, Sacramento can turn this around quickly. But they’ll need to act fast before those three numbers define something much worse than a slow start.
