**SPIKEBALLTOM’S PREDICTIONS FOR THE SACRAMENTO KINGS NBA SEASON ‘RE-START’**
PART 2 OF 4
– GAMES 3 & 4 –
8/4: Dallas Mavericks & 8/6: New Orleans Pelicans
– ALSO IN THIS ARTICLE –
‘FIRST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE IN 13 SEASONS…WITHOUT SAC FANS IN ATTENDANCE?’
&
‘IS 2020 THE KINGS BEST CHANCE TO MAKE PLAYOFFS IN THE NEAR FUTURE?’
Written By: Tom Witt – ‘SpikeballTom’ – Overtime Heroics
SACRAMENTO KINGS GAME PREDICTIONS
– PART 2 OF 4 –
Read ahead for SpikeballTom’s predictions for the first two games of eight in the NBA season restart – against the San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
EIGHT GAMES TO END 13 YEAR PLAYOFF DROUGHT
The Kings will face four ‘current playoff’ teams in their quest to end their 13 year playoff drought when the NBA season resumes on 7/30 (hopefully).
Currently Sacramento sits 3.5 games back of the 8th seed Memphis Grizzlies (whom the Kings finished 3-1 against this season…).
The Kings are amongst a menagerie of teams – including the Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs – vying for the 8th or 9th spot in the west, and a chance at the playoffs!
BIBBY, K-MART, ARTEST … OH MY!
Sacramento currently holds the longest postseason-less drought in the NBA.
13 seasons.
The last time the Kings made the playoffs was 2006.
That was with a team featuring an aging Mike Bibby, a sharp shooting Kevin Martin, and a suspended Metta…. Ron Artest.
VIDEO: 2006 NBA PLAYOFFS 1. SPURS VS 8. KINGS
– KEVIN MARTIN BUZZBEATER!
KINGS TO FACE FOUR ‘PLAYOFF’ TEAMS
Below is the Kings schedule for the remaining eight games:
7/31: San Antonio Spurs
8/2: Orlando Magic
8/4: Dallas Mavericks
8/6: New Orleans Pelicans
8/7: Brooklyn Nets
8/9: Houston Rockets
8/11: New Orleans Pelicans
8/13: Los Angeles Lakers
SACRAMENTO KINGS ODDS
Below are odds, and a breakdown of the Kings playoff chances by Ben Zweiman of Draft Kings Nation –
Championship Odds: +50000
Conference Winner Odds: +25000
8th Seed Odds: +1100
To Make Playoffs: Yes (+1100), No (-10000)
“As we can see, the Kings odds to win it all were steep to begin with. They improved a bit from before the season went on break with the new format giving them a shot at making the playoffs. The Kings have a lot of work to do in eight games and will need help from a few teams, but it’s possible. Sacramento is 3.5 games back of the Grizzlies along with the Blazers and Pelicans. The Kings play the Pels twice, so they can make up a lot of ground there. Issue is they don’t play the Blazers or Grizzlies.”
8/4: Dallas Mavericks
Kings fans have an envious hatred for Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
Until Marvin Bagley III becomes the greatest NBA player of all-time, Kings fans will probably NEVER shut up about GM Vlade Divac selecting Bagley one spot ahead of Doncic in the 2018 NBA draft.
Kings fans want to beat the Mavs – but they also want to take out their decades of frustration on Vlade with a big ‘TOLDJA SO’ in regards to the Bagley/Doncic draft selection.
Mavs Lead Season Series 2-1
SPIKEBALLTOM’S PREDICTIONS!
8/6: New Orleans Pelicans
FIRST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE IN 13 SEASONS…WITHOUT SAC FANS IN ATTENDANCE?
It would be AWESOME if the Kings had an amazing run, and made the playoffs to end their 13 season drought.
A question I have thought about as a Kings fan is :
DO WE REALLY WANT OUR FIRST PLAYOFF TRIP IN 13 SEASONS TO NOT HAVE ANY GAMES IN HELD SACRAMENTO?
IN OUR BRAND-SPANKING NEW DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO GOLDEN1 ARENA, WITH COWBELLS CLANGIN’, THE 6TH MAN GOIN’ WILD!
IT’S GIVING ME CHILLS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!
Just a thought that crossed my mind…
IS 2020 THE KINGS BEST CHANCE TO MAKE PLAYOFFS IN THE NEAR FUTURE?
This is the Kings ‘best chance’ to make the playoffs.
With an injured Warriors squad not making the playoffs this season, there will be one less spot in the already playoff heavy west in the upcoming seasons.
There are also many teams near-ish to the Kings that are only going to improve – Memphis, New Orleans, Portland, even Phoenix with their young core.
This season may be the Kings best chance – without a change to a sixteen team playoff system, regardless of eastern or western conference, etc. – to make the playoffs in the near future.
**CHECK BACK FOR PART 3 OF 4 OF SPIKEBALLTOM’S PREDICTIONS!**
GO KINGS!
-SPIKEBALLTOM
References:
- Breaking down seeding schedule for Sacramento Kings, Benjamin Zweiman, 6/29/20, https://dknation.draftkings.com/2020/6/29/21307290/sacramento-kings-schedule-nba-season-restart-2020-tv-info-dates-times-opponents-playoff-odds
- (Sactown Royalty, https://www.sactownroyalty.com/2020/6/26/21305053/sacramento-kings-nba-orlando-schedule-release-espn-walty-disney-world-spurs-lakers)
- How Kings Went From Playoffs in 2006 to Possible Return in 2019, James Ham, https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/kings/how-kings-went-nba-playoffs-2006-possible-return-2019
