The Kings–Lakers rivalry is an NBA rivalry between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers, intensified after the Kings relocated to Sacramento in 1985. Early NBA series and bitterly contested playoff series in the early 2000s fueled the rivalry. Sharing the state of California contributed to the intensity.
1948: Teams Join BAA
In 1948, both the Kings (then the Royals) and the Lakers joined the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which later became the NBA.
1951: Royals Win NBA Championship
In 1951, the Royals won the 1951 NBA Finals, marking their sole NBA Championship.
1954: Lakers Finish Season with Road Winning Record Against Kings
In 1954, the Lakers finished the season with a road winning record against the Kings.
1957: Royals Relocation to Cincinnati
In 1957, the Royals relocated to Cincinnati.
1960: Lakers Relocation to Los Angeles
In 1960, the Lakers relocated to Los Angeles.
1962: Royals Playoff Appearances
From 1962 to 1967, the Royals, led by MVP Oscar Robertson, made multiple playoff appearances.
1962: Lakers Lose 1962 NBA Finals
In 1962, the Lakers lose 1962 NBA Finals.
1967: Royals Playoff Appearances
From 1962 to 1967, the Royals, led by MVP Oscar Robertson, made multiple playoff appearances.
January 5, 1971: Royals Beat Lakers with Largest Point Differential
On January 5, 1971, the Royals beat the Lakers 146–112, marking their largest victory against the Lakers with a 34–point differential and their most points scored in a game against the Lakers.
1972: Royals Relocation to Kansas City
In 1972, the Royals relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, and also played part-time in Omaha, Nebraska.
1975: Royals Part-time Residency Ends in Omaha
In 1975, the Royals ended their part-time residency in Omaha, Nebraska.
1984: Lakers Sweep Kings in Playoffs
In 1984, the Lakers swept the Kings 3–0 in their playoff series while the Kings were still in Kansas City.
1985: Kings Relocation to Sacramento
In 1985, the Kings relocated to Sacramento, California, where they remain today.
1988: Last Season Kings and Lakers Played in Same Division
1988 marked the final season until the 1988 season the Kings and Lakers played in the same division.
1988: Lakers Championship Era
Between 1972 and 1988, the Lakers won six more championships, largely with the Showtime team led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1996: Lakers Sign O'Neal and Draft Bryant
In 1996, the Los Angeles Lakers signed Shaquille O'Neal and traded for Kobe Bryant.
1998: Kings Qualify for Playoffs
In 1998, the Sacramento Kings qualified for the playoffs and became known as The Greatest Show On Court.
January 2000: Referee Reprimanded for Ejecting Star Player
In January 2000, the document claimed that a referee was privately reprimanded by the league for ejecting a star player in the first quarter of a game.
2000: Lakers Hire Phil Jackson
In 2000, the Lakers hired Phil Jackson as head coach. Also in the year 2000, the Lakers defeated the Kings in 5 games in the Western Conference First Round.
2001: Kings Trade for Mike Bibby
During the 2001 offseason, the Kings traded Jason Williams to the Memphis Grizzlies for Mike Bibby. The Kings finished with the best record in the NBA at 61–21, while the Lakers finished 58-24.
2001: Lakers Sweep Kings in Semifinals
In 2001, the Lakers swept the Kings in the Semifinals en route to back-to-back championships.
2002: Last Postseason Meeting to Date
As of 2023, the Kings and Lakers have not met in the postseason since the 2002 Western Conference Finals, with bitterness remaining between the teams.
2002: Lakers defeat Kings in Playoffs
In 2002, the Lakers and Kings face each other in consecutive playoff series between 2000 and 2002.
2002: Lakers Win 2002 NBA Finals
In 2002, the Lakers won the NBA Finals, sweeping the New Jersey Nets and completing their three-peat.
2002: Controversy Surrounds 2002 Western Conference Finals
In 2002, the Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Lakers was marred by controversy and allegations of corruption, especially surrounding Game 6.
2003: Kings Lose Semifinals After Webber Injury
In 2003, the Kings lost the Western Conference Semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks after Chris Webber tore his ACL. The Lakers also lost in the Semifinals to the San Antonio Spurs.
2004: Kings Lose Semifinals to Timberwolves
In 2004, the Kings lost in the Semifinals to the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games, while the Lakers lost the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons.
2005: Kings Playoff Appearance
In 2005, the Kings made a playoff appearance.
2006: Kings Playoff Appearance
In 2006, the Kings made a playoff appearance.
2006: Kings End Perennial Playoff Run
In 2006, the Kings' perennial playoff run, which began in 1998, came to an end.
2006: Teams Qualify for Same Postseason
In 2023, the Kings and Lakers qualified for the same postseason for the first time since 2006.
June 10, 2008: Donaghy Alleges Game 6 Was Fixed
On June 10, 2008, convicted NBA referee Tim Donaghy's attorney alleged in a court document that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals was fixed by two referees to extend the series to seven games.
2009: Lakers Win Championship
In 2009, the Lakers won another championship.
2010: Lakers Win Championship
In 2010, the Lakers won another championship.
2013: Kings Relocation Threat Ends
Between 2006 and 2013, the Kings were threatened with relocation before building the Golden 1 Center.
2016: Kings Move to Golden 1 Center
In 2016, the Kings moved to the Golden 1 Center.
2020: Lakers Win Championship
In 2020, the Lakers won another championship, bringing their total to 17.
2023: NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals
During the 2023-2024 season, both the Kings and Lakers advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament. The Kings lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, preventing a semifinal matchup against the Lakers.
2023: Teams Qualify for Same Postseason
In 2023, the Kings and Lakers qualified for the same postseason for the first time since 2006. The Kings lost to the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, preventing a series between the two.
2023: Kings Qualify for Playoffs After Long Drought
In 2023, the Kings qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
2024: NBA Play-In Tournament
In 2024, both teams were in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Lakers and Kings finished the regular season as the 8th and 9th seed, respectively. The Lakers defeated the Pelicans, who then defeated the Kings, preventing a postseason matchup.
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