The 1995β96 NBA season was the Kings' 47th season in the
National Basketball Association, and 11th season in
Sacramento.[1] In the
1995 NBA draft, the Kings selected
Corliss Williamson from the
University of Arkansas with the thirteenth overall pick, and selected
Tyus Edney out of
UCLA with the 47th overall pick.[2][3][4][5] During the off-season, the team acquired
Ε arΕ«nas MarΔiulionis from the
Seattle SuperSonics,[6][7][8] and acquired
Tyrone Corbin from the
Atlanta Hawks.[9][10][11] The Kings would play their best basketball winning their first five games of the season. However, things turned ugly as a brawl occurred in a 119β95 road win over the
Indiana Pacers on November 10, 1995, with a total of 16 players, eight from each team suspended.[12][13][14][15][16] The team played above .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 24β20 record at the All-Star break.[17] However, after a 24β17 start, the Kings struggled losing eleven straight games in February, as they traded Corbin and
Walt Williams to the
Miami Heat in exchange for
Billy Owens and
Kevin Gamble.[18][19][20][21] Despite their struggles, the Kings would finally end their nine-year playoff drought by winning 9 of their final 15 games. They would capture the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 39β43 record, which was the same record as the previous season, and fifth in the Pacific Division.[22][23]
Mitch Richmond averaged 23.1 points and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while being selected for the
1996 NBA All-Star Game.[24][25][26][27] In addition, second-year forward
Brian Grant averaged 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while
Olden Polynice provided the team with 12.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and Edney provided with 10.8 points and 6.1 assists per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Off the bench, MarΔiulionis contributed 10.8 points per game, but only played 53 games due to a knee injury,[28][29] and second-year forward
Michael Smith averaged 5.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.[30]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Kings faced off against the top-seeded
Seattle SuperSonics. Despite winning Game 2 on the road, 90β81,[31][32][33] the Kings would lose the series in four games as Richmond sprained his ankle in Game 4, which the Kings lost at home, 101β87 to the Sonics.[34][35][36][37] It was also their only playoff appearance with Richmond on the team. The Sonics would reach the
NBA Finals, but would lose in six games to the
Chicago Bulls.[38][39][40][41][42]
Following the season, MarΔiulionis was traded to the
Denver Nuggets after only playing just one season with the Kings.[43][44][45]
The 1995β96 NBA season was the Kings' 47th season in the
National Basketball Association, and 11th season in
Sacramento.[1] In the
1995 NBA draft, the Kings selected
Corliss Williamson from the
University of Arkansas with the thirteenth overall pick, and selected
Tyus Edney out of
UCLA with the 47th overall pick.[2][3][4][5] During the off-season, the team acquired
Ε arΕ«nas MarΔiulionis from the
Seattle SuperSonics,[6][7][8] and acquired
Tyrone Corbin from the
Atlanta Hawks.[9][10][11] The Kings would play their best basketball winning their first five games of the season. However, things turned ugly as a brawl occurred in a 119β95 road win over the
Indiana Pacers on November 10, 1995, with a total of 16 players, eight from each team suspended.[12][13][14][15][16] The team played above .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 24β20 record at the All-Star break.[17] However, after a 24β17 start, the Kings struggled losing eleven straight games in February, as they traded Corbin and
Walt Williams to the
Miami Heat in exchange for
Billy Owens and
Kevin Gamble.[18][19][20][21] Despite their struggles, the Kings would finally end their nine-year playoff drought by winning 9 of their final 15 games. They would capture the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 39β43 record, which was the same record as the previous season, and fifth in the Pacific Division.[22][23]
Mitch Richmond averaged 23.1 points and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while being selected for the
1996 NBA All-Star Game.[24][25][26][27] In addition, second-year forward
Brian Grant averaged 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while
Olden Polynice provided the team with 12.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and Edney provided with 10.8 points and 6.1 assists per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Off the bench, MarΔiulionis contributed 10.8 points per game, but only played 53 games due to a knee injury,[28][29] and second-year forward
Michael Smith averaged 5.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.[30]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Kings faced off against the top-seeded
Seattle SuperSonics. Despite winning Game 2 on the road, 90β81,[31][32][33] the Kings would lose the series in four games as Richmond sprained his ankle in Game 4, which the Kings lost at home, 101β87 to the Sonics.[34][35][36][37] It was also their only playoff appearance with Richmond on the team. The Sonics would reach the
NBA Finals, but would lose in six games to the
Chicago Bulls.[38][39][40][41][42]
Following the season, MarΔiulionis was traded to the
Denver Nuggets after only playing just one season with the Kings.[43][44][45]