A Royal Pain
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Sacramento Kings: Bold predictions for season’s homestretch

By Jonathan Roberts

SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 26: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings shoots over Jeff Green #32 of the Washington Wizards during an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on October 26, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 26: Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings shoots over Jeff Green #32 of the Washington Wizards during an NBA basketball game at Golden 1 Center on October 26, 2018 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SACRAMENTO, CA – JANUARY 12: Buddy Hield #24 and De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings talk during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 12, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – JANUARY 12: Buddy Hield #24 and De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings talk during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 12, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Let’s start out swinging for the fences here with the Sacramento Kings making the playoffs. Of course, they’d assuredly be the eight seed and lose in short order to the Golden State Warriors, but that’s not important. What’s important is that they make the playoffs, not that they advance.

As you may recall from before the season, the Sacramento Kings (32-31) were expected to finish the season worse than the Phoenix Suns (14-51), New York Knicks (13-51), Cleveland Cavaliers (16-48) and the Ch-you get the point. The Sacramento Kings weren’t supposed to be in the playoff race. They weren’t supposed to be an exciting team and if you base it off preseason projections, they weren’t supposed to be a team with any semblance of a bright future.

Of course, they say hindsight is 20/20 and that’s certainly something the Kings have proven this season. Even all of the contributors, including myself, here at A Royal Pain pegged the Kings as a sub-30 to 30-win team. That’s not a great take in hindsight, but at least we weren’t the only ones.

Anyway, back to the playoff push. Long story short — the Kings have a very difficult road ahead of them to make the playoffs, hence the bold prediction. After losing to the Los Angeles Clippers in heartbreaking fashion last Friday, the Kings essentially have just one path to the playoffs and it runs through San Antonio. That won’t be easy easy with the Kings now three full games back in the standings, but a March 31 date in San Antonio gives them a shot. That game is obviously a must-win, but the Kings haven’t lost to the Spurs this season and they *should* have Bagley back by then — putting the Kings at full strength against a floundering Spurs squad.

If you wanted to get really bold you could circle the Utah Jazz, who are four games ahead of the Kings, as a team they could beat, but that would be an incredibly tall task. The Kings do play the Jazz once more this season in Utah on April 5, so should the Jazz sputter to the finish line, however unlikely, that game could have massive playoff implications.

Must Read. Breaking down the Kings playoff fight. light

Regardless of how bold you want to be (this isn’t a Doritos commercial we can tone it down), besting the Spurs is undoubtedly the Kings’ best hope for a playoff berth, and I’m predicting they get it done. Also, just for kicks, the Kings will take the Warriors to six games. You heard it here first.

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