It has been 14 seasons since the Sacramento Kings took part in the NBA’s spring festivities, otherwise known as the playoffs. Is the 2020-21 season finally the time they end the drought?
Yes, head coach Luke Walton’s squad is 11th in the Western Conference at 22-26. Concurrently, they’ve won seven of their last nine games; the Kings are playing some of their best basketball of the season after a dispiriting start.
De’Aaron Fox has grown into a star and one of the best playmakers in the sport. This season the floor general is averaging 24.7 points, 7.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. Rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton has done a little bit of everything, playing stout defense, moving the ball, sticking outside jump shots and taking what the defense gives him.
Center Richaun Holmes has continued to progress as an offensive catalyst, averaging 14.4 points per game this season. Meanwhile, Buddy Hield still poses as a considerable threat from beyond the arc, and veteran Harrison Barnes brings steady, two-way play to the table. While he has been an enigma from an impact standpoint, Marvin Bagley III can do damage in the paint and hit the boards. Though the big man remains sidelined with a fractured hand.
The Kings have been one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season; they're sixth in the NBA in points per game (115.0) and field goal percentage (48.4 percent) and 11th in assists (25.7).
This is an improving team that’s right in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. They’re a game and a half behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the 10th seed, which would warrant, for the moment, a play-in series with the Dallas Mavericks.
The teams in that seven-to-10 range in the West can be had. The Grizzlies haven’t taken a noteworthy step forward after a promising 2019-20, and the Golden State Warriors have been up and down all season.
Sacramento’s recent play has seen them defeat teams they’re chasing for playoff positioning, as well as playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. They beat the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics with conviction, blew out the Warriors and overcame the red-hot Atlanta Hawks.
This team has continuity, and its head coach was brought in to get their roster to make a jump, which, to date, has been a struggle. If they keep winning games at the rate they’ve been doing so across the last few weeks and perhaps win just four of every five games, the Kings should be in a play-in series. If they get past that round, watch out.
Fox has grown into a star, and many individuals in their rotation are capable scorers. The last few weeks have seen the Kings play like the team they appeared to be on the cusp of becoming two seasons ago. Walton has this team playing with cohesion, and the bulk of their roster is holding down their roles well.
Plus, the Kings can only get better from an impact and win-loss standpoint. Had they merely played .500 basketball out of the gate, they’d be slated to host a play-in or playoff series.
Haliburton has the skill set to become more productive with age. Hield is capable of being more than just a primary shooter; he can put the ball on the floor and score. Such development and revival takes some pressure off Fox.
One way or another, the Kings have to keep playing well against those they’re chasing, as well as fend off the talented young teams behind them, specifically the New Orleans Pelicans.
They're playing like the team they were devised to become, and Walton deserves credit in that regard. His arrival was questionable as is after the Kings experienced a 39-win season under Dave Joerger two seasons ago. The Sacramento masthead is seeing the results they envisioned when they made the coaching switch — albeit it's a small sample size.
To punch their ticket to the postseason and/or go deep in such play, the Kings have to buckle down defensively. They're an alarming 29th in the NBA in opponent points per game (118.5) and 30th in opponent field goal percentage (48.8 percent) and opponent three-point shooting percentage (39.1 percent).
Improvements on that end of the floor make their offensive fireworks more impactful. What's the point of a buzzing offense if it can't hold its own on the other end and win games?
At some point, this core has to come through and attend the spring dance. Merely getting to the play-in series and losing would be a disappointment.
The talent is there with the Sacramento Kings. Now the results are slowly coming along. The playoffs are within reach. Whether or not they seize the opportunity at hand could make or break the future of several pivotal members of the organization. Kings fans can only watch with bated breath.
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