The Kings’ updated schedule after missing the NBA Cup quarterfinals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Despite their 120-111 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, the Kings will not advance to the quarterfinals of the 2024 NBA Cup next week.

Instead, Sacramento will play two regular season contests against two other non-qualifiers after going 1-3 in the NBA Cup group stage. The Kings will face the Pelicans in New Orleans on Thursday, December 12th and then play the Denver Nuggets on Monday, December 16th at the Golden 1 Center.

The added regular season games will mark the first time the Kings will play the Pelicans and Nuggets in the 2024-25 NBA season. Sacramento lost all five meetings with New Orleans last season and fell 3-1 to Denver in 2023-24.

In last season’s NBA Cup, then known as the in-season tournament, the Kings were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Pelicans – and then they ended Sacramento’s season in the NBA play-in tournament.

Before Sacramento meets New Orleans again next Thursday, the team has three games – Dec. 5 at the Memphis Grizzlies, Dec. 6 at the San Antonio Spurs and Dec. 8 at home against the Utah Jazz. After picking up a much-needed win against Houston on Tuesday, the Kings will certainly look to keep the ball rolling even if they fall short in the NBA Cup.

The NBA Cup quarterfinals begin next Tuesday, the semifinals are scheduled for next Saturday and the championship game is scheduled for December 17th.

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