Sacramento Kings: Top 10 moments from 2017-18 NBA season

2. Kings overcome nine-point first quarter to beat the Bulls

The Kings’ second-biggest moment of the season was a team effort as they bounced back from a rough start to defeat the Chicago Bulls 104-98 on Feb. 5. It showed the team’s resiliency even in a season where they lost way more than they won.

Sacramento entered the game 3-3 in its last six games, but losers of the last two. The Kings immediately got off on the wrong foot, falling behind 28-9 after one quarter. They went 4-for-20 from the field in the first and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. It was the fewest points Sacramento scored in a quarter, and tied for eighth-fewest scored by any team all season.

Sacramento could have thrown up its hands and let the Bulls run away with a game on the road. An earlier version of the Kings probably did so once or seven times. However, the 2018 edition slowly chipped away at the deficit, tying the game at 63 with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

The Kings took the lead for good at 89-87 with 5:46 left in the fourth quarter. Chicago pushed the game to the wire, but Sacramento ultimately prevailed, securing its fourth victory in seven games. The 19-point opening quarter deficit tied for the third-largest this season for a team that eventually won the game. Sacramento’s nine points were the second-fewest in a first quarter this season for a team that went on to win.

Comebacks like these speak to the new culture that the Kings are looking to develop. Fighting back in the face of adversity is a good example to set for the young players on the roster. When things get rugged at the beginning of a game, they will have the confidence to endure and keep pursuing victory.