As the Sacramento Kings continue to struggle in the new year, it’s important that they stay hungry for the playoffs.
Lets look at how the Kings are still in playoff race
When the season started, the odds that the Sacramento Kings would be in the playoff conversation in January were slim to none. But, the emergence of Buddy Hield along with De’Aaron Fox has made the pace with purpose style the identity of the Kings — something that’s kept them in the playoff hunt halfway through the season.
Sacramento’s roster is built for this type of play, it’s how Vivek Ranadive envisioned the team playing when he bought the team. The addition of Nemanja Bjelica in free agency has proven to be a good one by General Manager Vlade Divac, as Bjelica spreads the opposing defense to make scoring options plentiful for the other players.
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With players like Harry Giles and Marvin Bagley having nights where their contributions help the Sacramento Kings win, the youth is what has kept the Kings in the playoff picture. On any given night a teammate would step up to secure the win, as Iman Shumpert has showcased multiple times this season.
Vivek Ranadive has talked about position-less basketball (like the Golden State Warriors play) back when he was a stakeholder before he bought the Sacramento Kings outright — something the team has tried to do, albeit a bit unsuccessfully.
The Kings need to stay hungry to make the playoffs in the Western Conference
It’s a tough road to make the playoffs in the western conference. The Warriors keep upping the ante while at the top of the NBA, while three other teams have at least 30 wins.
When the season started, the Sacramento Kings were the underdog every night. 50 games into the season, however, the Sacramento Kings are 15th in ESPN’s power rankings this week, with a 25-25 record. Sacramento’s opponents do not take them lightly as they did in the past, as now they know it won’t be an easy win anymore, as the Sacramento Kings have legitimate building blocks now.
The Kings have over come deficits of at least 19 points a few times this season, but that’s not where you want your team to be. While it’s nice to see the “Never give up” attitude, it is a recipe for disaster if the Kings make double-digit comebacks a habit. Turnovers, (like the 25 against the Phoenix Suns) are unacceptable and cost them games. Unfortunately, the Suns game is just one example of relaxing in a contest that cost the Kings a win.
Rebounding wins the game and Kings game plan depends on it
At the beginning of the year Sacramento used the team rebounding concept. Having numerous bodies crashing the boards helped keep the numbers close with the opponent. The Kings win games when they out rebound the opponent.
The Sacramento Kings ability to run the floor after securing a rebound for an easy bucket before the defense sets up is essential and will help the team save their energy for the 4th quarter. In games where Sacramento’s rebounding numbers are better than the competition we come out on top.
Dec. 19 when the Kings lost to OKC Thunder. The Thunder out-rebounded the Kings 75-51, with a final score of 132-113 — making it easy to see why Sacramento lost. Dec. 21 the Kings get a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies 102-99 but more important was the 59-48 rebounding advantage over the Grizzlies. This is just one example, but the lesson is that the Kings need to rebound and push the pace to win games
The Kings running other teams out of the gym all season long is no easy task
Playing defensive along with a fast pace offense is hard to keep up for 48 minutes. Right now the Kings are the team getting tired in the games. Coach Joerger’s strategy has the Kings playing fast enough to where the Kings should run the opponent out of the gym, leaving the other team tired in the 4th quarter.
Should Joerger put in bench guys sooner? Is the answer play more guys in the games? Young teams must learn how to endure the 82 game season, then worry about playoff games. The Warriors, Trailblazers, Rockets and other playoff teams are used to playing well into the post-season, but the Kings have to get there first.
Lets look at the next step for the Kings to make a run at playoffs
This is when teams step it up for the playoff run or fall off. The L.A. Clippers are 4-6 in the last 10 games but the Clippers are still sitting pretty to make the postseason. The Lakers are 4-6 as well with LeBron injured, but they should also make the playoffs. The teams faltering in the west now are the Pelicans, Mavericks, Grizzlies.
The Kings did have a rough outing after 3 days rest in the Grizzlies game last week, but managed to squeak out a victory. It was a must win game for the Kings, but they lost to the Clippers right after. A solid effort to end the longest road trip of the season would have been great sign of how ready the Kings our for the postseason, but we didn’t get that either. Heading into a six-game home-stand, the Sacramento Kings team must gain momentum going to make the final playoff push.
This is the do-or-die, 12 day-stretch of the season for the purple and white. The difference will be can Shumpert, Bjelica, Bogdan and the rest of the guys play hungry like the start of this year’s campaign? Team defense was the focal point and made the fast pace offense work by running the floor off every rebound. This is their identity along with the formula to win, as well the only way to get them in the postseason.
A tight race for the 8th seed in the Western Conference
With six teams separated by just two and half games in the west, the Kings are currently 10th in the standings, one game back of the Lakers. With everyone so tightly packed together, one win could be the one that seals the path to the playoffs or the loss that puts you out till next year.
Kings Nation deserves a taste of the postseason with all they have been through and how loyal they are. This will show us that the never-ending rebuild wasn’t for nothing, but they still need help. Will Vlade make a deal to acquirer another talented player for postseason race?
Regardless, if they play like the team at the start of the year proving all the predictions of another losing season wrong, then it won’t matter if you add another player before the trade deadline.