The 2018-19 season was the most successful campaign for the Sacramento Kings in 13 years.
Their record of 39-43 and a ninth-place finish in the standings was the team's best performance since the 2005-06 season when they finished the regular season as the eighth seed with a record of 44-38.
The franchise achieved this despite being the seventh-youngest team at the beginning of the season.
With over a couple of months gone by since the team's season was done and dusted, it's time to look back at the best moments of their great season.
In no particular order...
De'Aaron Fox's first career triple-double
De'Aaron Fox did not win the Most Improved Player Award this season but he was a finalist and finished third on the ballot.
He showed his improved approach to the game early into the season and just a fortnight after the season tipped-off, he recorded his first career triple-double.
He finished the game with totals of 31 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds, all career-highs.
To make the night even sweeter, the Kings scored 146 points and recorded a 31-point win (season-high).
Comeback vs. the Pelicans
Anthony Davis had 26 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and four blocks for the game and he had put the New Orleans Pelicans ahead early.
After the first 10 minutes of the game, the Pelicans were up by 19 (32-13).
The Kings, however, weren't intimated by the big lead. A couple of days earlier, they beat the Memphis Grizzlies despite being down by 19. On Dec. 23, they repeated that performance:
Five players scored in double figures led by Buddy Hield's 28 points (11-18 FG's) while Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 24 off the bench. Willie Cauley-Stein had 22 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.
With this win, the Kings became the first team since the Indiana Pacers in 2010 to win consecutive games after trailing by 19.
Bogdan Bogdanovic's game-winner vs. the Lakers
Game-winners are always on any team's top moments from a season and this compilation is no different.
This game-winner by Bogdan Bogdanovic capped off a 15-point fourth-quarter comeback against the LeBron-less Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 27. The Serbian, off the bench, scored 12 of his team-high 23 points in the final period.
After winning this game, the Kings became the first team since the San Antonio Spurs in 2016-17 to complete a comeback in three consecutive home games when trailing by 15 points or more.
Buddy Hield's game-winner vs. the Pistons
The first buzzer-beating game-winner of Buddy Hield's NBA career.
Just like the previous game-winner, this capped off a comeback as well. Heading into the final period, the Kings were down by eight but they won the game by outscoring the Pistons 29-19 in the fourth.
Hield finished the game with 35 points (2 off season-high), eight rebounds and 3 assists on 13-of-22 shooting (59.1%) from the field and 7-of-9 (77.8%) from beyond the arc.
All contests vs. the Warriors
The young Kings brought out their best against the league's two-time reigning champions.
In the four regular-season matchups against the Golden State Warriors, the Kings lost all four, but those losses only came by a combined margin of 12 points.
In their contest on January 5th, both teams combined for 41 3-pointers, an NBA record that lasted for 11 days.
The 20 made 3's in that game also broke the all-time franchise record for the Kings.
Post-trade deadline comeback vs. the Heat
There were plenty of comebacks in this Kings' season, showcasing the fight and the 'never say die' attitude of this team's young core.
At the trade deadline, the Kings had acquired Harrison Barnes in a multi-player trade.
Three of their four new guys were active for the team's first game after the trade deadline vs. the Miami Heat.
In what would be Dwyane Wade's final game in Sacramento, the Kings were down by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter.
The young squad, including the new guys – Harrison Barnes and Alec Burks – rallied to go on a 9-0 run in the final two minutes to clinch the game.
Marvin Bagley's career night vs. the Suns
As Fox continued his impressive sophomore season, the team's 2018 No. 2 draft pick Marvin Bagley III was taking his time to find his footing in the league.
In early February, after months of toiling and learning, Bagley put his offensive show.
He erupted for 32 points off the bench on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%). Not just that, he did against the No. 1 pick of his draft class - DeAndre Ayton.
VP & GM Vlade Divac gets elected into the Hall of Fame
One of the most accomplished international players (9 medals including six gold while representing Yugoslavia) to play in the NBA, Vlade Divac had a pretty successful and competitive 16 years in the league.
Divac might have seen multiple winning seasons in his time with the Los Angeles Lakers (1989-96) but in his six seasons with the Kings (1998-2004), he played a crucial role during the franchise's most successful five-year run (2000-05).
It was with the Kings in 2001 that Divac received his only career All-Star selection. He has his #21 jersey retired by the Kings, making him one of only four basketball players born and trained in Europe to have had their jersey retired.
And then, earlier this season, prior to the Final Four, it was announced that Divac had been elected to the Hall of Fame as part of a 12-member class. Here's the reaction he received when the news was announced at the arena.
He had already been inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010.
Bollywood Night
As the Kings hosted the Warriors on January 6, they celebrated the sixth annual Bollywood night.
From the national anthem to multiple halftime performances, the cultural night was nothing short of a celebration.
For the full recap of the night, click here.
Team Up For Change initiative with the Milwaukee Bucks
Prior to their clash on February 27, the Kings and the Bucks partnered on the "Team Up for Change" initiative.
As per the official release, the initiative was "a daylong summit convened to address social injustice".
We're teaming 🆙 for change with the @Bucks pic.twitter.com/DgOUOSw8Kr
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) February 20, 2019
"Basketball has the power to bring people together by bridging racial, gender and economic divides. Through the 'Team Up for Change' effort, we are committed to continuing to work with the community to support and encourage collective action for change." said Sacramento Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé.
With the power sports has to bring people and communities together, this was a commendable step by the franchise to bring up about the conversation of social injustice and put a spotlight on it.
For more information on the initiative, click here.
