Kings prepare for the road life

Sacramento will start six-game road trip tonight against Charlotte

The Kings have enjoyed the comforts of home over the last two weeks. That’s about to change.

A season-long six-game trip tips off Thursday in Charlotte and ends with a third visit to Los Angeles this season, this time taking on the Clippers.

Point guard De’aaron Fox says the trip will give the team a chance to build on the momentum that has the Kings with a winning record.

“I think teams grow a lot closer when you’re on the road, especially for two weeks,” Fox said. “It’s definitely difficult ... but we’re taking it one game at a time and just trying to continue to get better.”

He said he likes road games, but the time changes can take some adjustment.

“It’s definitely difficult being a West Coast team and traveling to the East,” Fox said.

Seven of the team’s last eight games have been at Golden 1 Center. That stretch began and concluded with the same team, but with different results. The Kings (23-21) lost to the Portland Trail Blazers on New Year’s Day and beat them Monday.

“We say, ‘Hey, let’s finish out strong,’” Kings coach Dave Joerger said of the home stand. “We’ve been at home a long time, almost too long, and by the time we’re done with this trip we will have been on the road too long.”

It will be a lengthy gap between games in front of the home fans, 16 days to be exact. The Kings’ next appearance at Golden 1 Center comes Jan. 30, when the Atlanta Hawks visit.

Joerger’s point about being home or away for an extended period will be evident here. The Hawks game will start a seasonlong six-game home stand.

“It’s just how the business goes,” Joerger said.

Five contests on this trip will be against teams the Kings have faced. The Brooklyn Nets are the only new opponent. The first two, the Hornets and Detroit Pistons, left Sacramento with losses within the last week.

Also included is a date with

the NBA’S top team in Toronto on the second night of the Kings’ 10th back-toback, as well as the team’s fourth and final game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Kings head out after winning three consecutive games overall and four in a row at Golden 1 Center. Now, they’ll face solid opposition. Four of the six teams would be in the playoffs if they began today.

“I know we play some really good teams,” Kings forward Justin Jackson said. “It will be a good test for us, being away from this great crowd and having to bring our own energy.”

That energy will be needed against a Hornets team that is 14-8 at home and boasts one of the league’s top guards in Kemba Walker. The two-time All-star scored a game-high 31 points in a 104-97 loss to the Kings on Saturday.

The Kings’ longest trip of 2017-18 was also six games. They went 3-3 between