Two Western Conference teams that made impressive strides in the right direction last season will begin the 2023-24 campaign against each other on Wednesday night when the Utah Jazz host the Sacramento Kings in Salt Lake City.
Along with being a pivotal season for the teams as they work their way up the NBA ladder, the 2023-24 campaign is historic for both franchises.
The Kings are celebrating their 100th anniversary, dating beyond their Kansas City and Cincinnati days to when they began in upstate New York as the Rochester Seagrams in 1923. The Jazz are commemorating their 50th season as an NBA franchise, having originated as an expansion team in New Orleans in 1974.
Utah comes into the season with hopes of improving on its better-than-expected 37-45 record from a season ago — after trading away cornerstones Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in a reboot.
The Jazz will rely on familiar faces in All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen, 2023 rookie standout Walker Kessler, sharpshooter Jordan Clarkson and guard Collin Sexton. They’re also hoping recently acquired veteran John Collins can bolster their roster after ending his tenure with Atlanta in frustration.
Utah started on fire last fall to the surprise of many, going 10-3 before securing a spot in the draft lottery by losing nine of its final 11 games. The Jazz were 3-2 this preseason, including a 116-113 loss to Sacramento last Thursday.
Sacramento will boost its chances of repeating as Pacific Division champion and being a playoff contender if it can stay as healthy as it did last season. Kings players missed the fewest games due to injury in the league en route to a 48-34 record.
The stakes are higher in Sacramento now that their 16-season playoff drought has been snapped. The Kings are aiming to extend their run far past the first round, where they pushed Golden State to seven games before falling 4-3.
The Kings return all five starters and 10 players from their successful squad, including De’Aaron Fox and Harrison Barnes.
