Are the Sacramento Kings a Playoff-Bound Team?
The last time the Sacramento Kings made the playoffs, the Seattle Supersonics were still an NBA team. Phil Jackson just made his return to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Charlotte Hornets were still known as the Charlotte Bobcats, and Chris Paul just won the Rookie of the Year award.
It all happened in 2006 when the Kings made the playoffs only to lose in the first round against the San Antonio Spurs. Since then, the Kings have failed to reach the playoffs every single season.
The drought is bad enough on its own given the fact that over half the teams in the Western Conference make the playoffs every year, but is made even worse still by the Seattle Mariners postseason berth this year. With the M’s officially punching their ticket to the postseason, the Kings now hold the dubious distinction of the longest active playoff drought in North American sports.
However, thanks in large part to a six game winning streak, after their first 15 games the Kings currently sit in 5th place in the Western Conference with a 9-6 record. After a rocky start, Sacramento is 8-2 in their last 10 games, which has some Kings fans thinking this could be the year their streak of futility comes to an end.
What Changed?
The most obvious change for Sacramento this season has been the hiring of Mike Brown as head coach. Before coming to Sacramento, Brown had a 347-216 record and won Coach of the Year in 2009. He also won two championships as part of Steve Kerr’s coaching staff at Golden State.
Coincidentally, Mike Brown was already coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006 when the Kings last reached the postseason. It’s safe to say: the Kings are right in citing Brown’s “extensive experience” as part of why they hired him.
Another interesting change we can see in Sacramento is their offense. They’re no longer a one-man show. They’re the highest-scoring squad in the NBA right now (121.4 points per game) and also shooting 49.35% from the field (second-best).
De’Aaron Fox is averaging 25.4 points, 6.4 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 55.8% field goal shooting. Backing up Fox’s numbers is Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis was acquired as part of the six-player deal with the Indiana Pacers last February. This season, Sabonis is averaging 17.5 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and shooting 59% from the field.
Aside from the two stars, four other players are averaging 12+points per game, including the fourth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Keegan Murray. Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, and Harrison Barnes have gotten in on the action as well, with Monk establishing himself as one of the premier “heat check” players off the bench across the NBA this season.
Playoff-Bound?
During their six-game winning streak, the Kings beat the Brooklyn Nets, the Lakers, Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland and Detroit. Over the last 6 games the Kings haven’t scored less than 120pts in any contest, and hung 153 on the Nets as recently as November 15th.
So can the Kings realistically make the playoffs this season?
It will largely come down to health over the course of the season. Their offense is there, but only the Spurs, Warriors, and the lowly Pistons are currently giving up more points per game defensively than the Kings are at the moment. Should the Kings suffer an injury to any of their key players, that offense could take a nosedive, and the club won’t have much in terms of defensive prowess to fall back on.
De’Aaron Fox hasn’t played more than 59 games in a season since his sophomore campaign back in 2018, while Sabonis hasn’t gotten in more than 62 games in a season during that same timeframe himself.
In the past, the Kings looked like a legitimate playoff-bound squad as they started several seasons above .500. However, they stumbled by the middle of the campaign and wound up falling short due to injuries and inconsistent play.
If the Kings are able to remain in the playoff picture heading into the trade deadline, then don’t be surprised if Sacramento makes some major moves in an effort to get over the hump (and subsequently shed the title of most inept sports franchise in North America).
With the West as wide open as it currently is, and several playoff teams from 2021-22 struggling out the gate, the Kings might just have a chance at finally playing some meaningful basketball this spring.
-Iggy Gonzales