Can the Kings Break Their Playoff Drought Based on the NBA Second Half Schedule Release?
Feb 24, 2021, 1:24 PM | Updated: 1:24 pm
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
For the Sacramento Kings to break the longest active playoff drought in the NBA a lot of things have to start going right very soon.
The Kings currently have lost 8 consecutive games and just 15 days ago they were 12-11 one game above .500.
Things can turn quickly as they have on the Kings. Conversely, they can turn in their favor too just like when they went 7-1 over an 8 game stretch.
Besides the obvious of getting everyone healthier and playing better, can they win more in the second half based on their schedule?
Like every schedule there are more favorable pockets and certainly some land mines ahead in the second half. To me the beginning of the second half will be imperative if the Kings are going to try and make a run at one of the top 10 spots in the West.
The first 10 games out of the break have to be very productive for the Kings.
They open at home vs. Houston, then go on the road for Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and Cleveland. The Kings return home after that with home games against the Hawks, Warriors and Cavaliers.
This 10 game run needs to be several games above .500.
After that you have to look at the matchups against the teams you could be fighting for playoff position in the west. Here is what it looks like in the second half for the Kings against the West:
Team–First Half Record–Second Half Matchups
1st Utah Jazz (0-0) (@ Utah 4/10, vs Utah 4/29, vs Utah 5/16)
2nd LA Clippers (1-2) (Done with the Clippers)
3rd LA Lakers (0-0) (3/3 vs Lakers, 4/30 @ Lakers)
4th Phoenix( 1-1) (4/15 @Phoenix)
5th San Antonio(0-0) (3/29 @ Spurs, 3/31 @ Spurs, 5/7 vs Spurs)
6th Portland (0-2) (3/4 @ Blazers)
7th Denver (3-0) (Done with Denver)
8th Golden State (0-1) (3/25 vs Golden State, 4/25 @ Golden State)
9th Dallas (0-0) (4/18 @ Dallas, 4/26 vs Dallas, 5/2 @ Dallas)
10th Memphis (0-1) (5/13 @ Memphis, 5/14 @ Memphis)
11th New Orleans (1-1) (4/12 @ New Orleans)
12 KINGS
13th Oklahoma City (0-0) (5/4 @ OKC, 5/9 vs OKC, 5/11 vs OKC)
14th Houston(0-2) (3/11 vs Houston)
15th Minnesota(0-0) (4/5 @ Minnesota, 4/20 vs Minnesota, 4/21 vs Minnesota)
To recap this will not be easy but it is possible.
- I like the fact that they already have the tie breaker against 7th seed Denver.
- They can win tie breakers with all the teams between 8 and 15 except for the Houston Rockets.
- The other factors on this will be injuries and certainly the trade deadline.
Can the Kings avoid injuries and will they make a deal that gives them a better chance? Not sure if it will happen but it is possible and at this point the Kings still control their own destiny.
Go get it guys!
