"Just one coach change, and look at them" Seoul Samsung's five-game winning streak to open the season… One more win ties the franchise record for most consecutive opening wins… A new era in sight

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

It was just a change of one coach, yet the team has become entirely different. Seoul Samsung is on a five-game winning streak to open the season and is now aiming for franchise history as well.

Samsung, led by head coach Kim Sang-sik, defeated Wonju DB 95-92 in an away game at the Wonju DB Promia Arena on the 17th in the 2026~2027 season professional basketball league.

With this victory, Samsung has continued its unstoppable five-game winning streak without a single loss since the start of the season.

Franchise history is now within reach. If Samsung wins its next game, it will tie the franchise record for most consecutive opening wins, set at six in the 2003~2004 season. One more win beyond that would establish a new franchise record with seven consecutive opening wins.

Across the entire KBL, the record for the most consecutive opening wins is eight, set by Wonju Dongbu in the 2011~2012 season. While there is still a long way to go, considering Samsung's momentum this season, it does not feel like an impossibly distant record.

Samsung's upward trend was clearly evident even in the game against DB.

The first half was tight. Samsung led by just one point, 46-45, through the second quarter.

However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter. Samsung scored a whopping 37 points in that quarter alone. While DB recorded 23 points, Samsung exploded offensively and widened the gap in an instant.

DB did not back down easily either. In the fourth quarter, they held Samsung to 12 points while pouring in 24 of their own, mounting a fierce comeback attempt. However, Samsung maintained its lead until the end, completing a thrilling three-point victory.

Samsung's foreign player Kerem Kanter led the way to victory on this day. Kanter played 37 minutes and 14 seconds, recording 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. He dominated the paint while also facilitating scoring for his teammates, delivering a near-triple-double performance.

The performance of 'Veteran' Lee Gwan-hee was also notable. After contributing 10 points to help secure a team victory in the previous game against Changwon LG, Lee Gwan-hee soared again in this matchup against DB. He played 34 minutes and 4 seconds, recording 19 points and 7 rebounds.

In particular, he hit four of his nine three-point attempts, rattling DB's perimeter defense. His presence shone even brighter at crucial moments. In the third quarter alone, when Samsung began to pull away decisively, he scored 12 points to lead the offense.

Han Ho-bin also orchestrated the attack with 15 points and 8 assists. He hit four of his five three-point attempts. 'Second-year' player Lee Gyu-tae also contributed by adding 11 points.

However, at the center of Samsung's storm this season is undoubtedly head coach Kim Sang-sik, who has newly taken the helm.

After retiring from active play, Coach Kim built his coaching experience by serving as assistant head coach for Anyang SBS-KT&G, then as assistant head coach and head coach for Daegu Orions, and later as assistant head coach for Seoul Samsung.

He also took the reins of the national team. He led the South Korea men's national basketball team from 2018 to 2021.

He also has experience reaching the pinnacle of the professional stage. In his first season as the 10th head coach of Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation (now Cheongguanjang), which he joined in 2022, Coach Kim achieved a combined championship by winning both the regular season and the championship finals.

Once a proven championship-winning coach took over Samsung's helm, the team changed rapidly.

Samsung has recently emerged from a long tunnel of underperformance. Although it is a traditional powerhouse representing the KBL, the team finished last in the standings for five consecutive seasons. It even suffered the ignominy of recording the first-ever five-year consecutive last-place finish in the history of domestic professional sports.

The situation this summer was not easy either. There were absences of key players due to Lee Won-seok's enlistment in the military and Lee Dae-sung's injury, and the appointment of a head coach was delayed. During the season preparation process, an unexpected variable arose in the form of a foreign player replacement.

Naturally, there were many who predicted Samsung would remain in the lower tier this season as well.

Head coach Kim Sang-sik also looked at reality rather than setting grandiose goals upon his arrival. He stated that "escaping from last place is the top priority," emphasizing team rebuilding as the most urgent task.

However, since the season began, Samsung has been showing more than expected.

Now, Samsung's gaze turns toward new franchise history. Having run unimpeded to a five-game opening winning streak, Samsung will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the franchise record for most consecutive opening wins (six) if it wins its next game. Going further, one more victory would make them the protagonists of a new record—seven consecutive opening wins—that Samsung has never achieved before.

Of course, the upcoming opponents are no pushovers either. Samsung will face 'Defending Champion' Busan KCC on the 21st, followed by 'another title contender' Ulsan Hyundai Mobis on the 24th.

However, Samsung has already consecutively overcome powerhouses like 'Regular Season Champion' LG and 'Top Title Contender' DB. For that reason, anticipation and excitement are growing greater than worry, making the next games something to look forward to.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original