Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie expressed frustration following Wednesday’s 133-100 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks at Golden 1 Center. Christie made it clear that competition and effort were unacceptable.
“This ain’t about anything but competition and effort. Period,” Christie said. He criticized the team’s performance on fast breaks, noting, “33 to 8 in fast break points just says you’re not getting back, you’re not communicating, you’re not building walls, you’re not being physical.”
Christie pulled all starters in the third quarter as a message. “Everybody I look in the mirror every morning, I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure we right the ship, but unacceptable. Period,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of pride and representing Sacramento properly.
The Kings have now lost four straight games and struggled against Atlanta’s balanced attack. Christie singled out the bench performance contrast, noting, “When we competing at a high level we play against anybody… but you got to tie your shoes tight and say, ‘I’m about this life.’”
Christie challenged veteran leadership within the locker room. “They need to lead because we got young players in there watching… I will not let you do that because that sh*t ain’t it. It ain’t cool,” he said. Veterans must guide the younger players to improve competitiveness and execution.
The coach also addressed the fan experience. “These people need to be proud when they leave here about the product that they see. Not f*cking embarrassed. Excuse me,” Christie said, underscoring his passion for the city and the team.
Despite the blowout, Christie remained focused on accountability and improvement. “This is only game 12. You’re professionals. You signed up for this… all these teams are really good teams, but ain’t nobody checking for that. You’re going to have to play your way out of it,” he added.
Sacramento now faces the Minnesota Timberwolves in the in-season tournament on Friday, looking to recover from a difficult start to the season. Christie’s emphasis on effort, competition, and leadership will remain central as the Kings try to turn the season around.
