The Sacramento Kings closed their regular season home stand on Tuesday night in a 123-109 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. On Fan Appreciation Night, the Kings honored the Sixth Man with festivities, free swag, and a wave goodbye until next fall.

Prior to tip off, head coach Alvin Gentry shared that Davion Mitchell would see less minutes in tonight’s contest. It was a game of development for the young players and new acquisitions.

Neemias Queta checked into the contest early to the excitement of the Kingdom, having been available for the team but not taken to the court in the past five games.

Despite strong defensive runs, Sacramento couldn’t string together a any offensive prowess, falling behind early in the first quarter. New Orleans continued their highly effective play that have carried them through the latter half of the season, avoiding foul trouble (with favorable calls) and keeping the lead throughout the game.

A standout for Sacramento was Damian Jones, who continued to thrive tonight pouring in a team-high 15-points at the half. Jones steered the Kings into the right direction, trailing after two frames of play 60-57.

Jones and Mitchell have proven to be a strong tandem, leading the team in the second half on the offensive end of the floor. Mitchell logged a career-high 17 assists in his outing, accounting for over 50% of the team’s dimes.

Wherever Sacramento goes from here, the emphasis of winning home games needs to be a staple of next season. The Kings lost too, too many contests with home court advantage this season, and will finish with a better road record for the fifth time in six seasons. Protecting the Kingdom should be essential in the regroup.