Head coach Rick Adelman Record 59–23 (.720) | Arena ARCO Arena | |
Place Division: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 2nd (Western) Playoff finish West Conference Semifinals
(eliminated 3-4) Television Fox Sports Net Bay Area, KMAX | ||
The 2002–03 NBA season was the Kings' 54th season in the NBA and 18th in Sacramento. During the offseason, the Kings signed free agent Keon Clark and later on in December signed Jim Jackson. Throughout the season, none of the Kings' players played a full season via suspension or injury, but they still managed to win 59 games, two games less than their previous output in which they went 61-21, thus repeating as Pacific Division Champions once again. Bobby Jackson was named Sixth Man of The Year.
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After easily dispatching the Utah Jazz in five games in the first round, the team started to look like a title contender, but in Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks in the second round, their title hopes took a serious blow when star forward Chris Webber suffered a knee injury while trying to catch a lob pass from teammate Mike Bibby, ending his season. Webber's knee required microfracture surgery in the following off-season. Without their team captain and MVP, the Kings lost the series in seven games. Following the season, Hedo Turkoglu was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, Scot Pollard was traded to the Indiana Pacers, Clark was dealt to the Utah Jazz, Jackson signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets, and Mateen Cleaves signed with the Boston Celtics.
Webber and Peja Stojaković were voted to play in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. However, this time, Stojakovic was the only team representative as Webber was forced to withdraw due to a sprained ankle in a home loss against the Utah Jazz.
For the season, the team sported new uniforms which would remain until 2008.
Note
Bold = All-Star selection
z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spotWest First Round
(2) Sacramento Kings vs. (7) Utah Jazz Last Playoff Meeting: 2002 Western Conference First Round (Sacramento won 3-1)
West Conference Semifinals
(2) Sacramento Kings vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks Last Playoff Meeting: 2002 Western Conference Semifinals (Sacramento won 4-1)
**Required double-overtime.