A Royal Pain
Fansided

Three Teams That Could Keep Kings Out Of The Playoffs

By Anthony Cardenas

SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 8: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings high fives his teammates during the game against the Miami Heat on February 8, 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 8: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings high fives his teammates during the game against the Miami Heat on February 8, 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovic (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

San Antonio Spurs

The most likely team to be battling with Sacramento will be the San Antonio Spurs. They are loaded with veterans, led by LeMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. Rudy Gay resigned this summer, and both Marco Belinelli and Patti Mills will probably again see significant playing time. Pau Gasol is still on the roster.

There is youth sprinkled in to the mix in Derrick White and Bryn Forbes, but San Antonio’s core consists mostly of players 30 or more years old. Will the Spurs be able to avoid fatigue and potential injury when the playoff races begin to heat up?

In February of last season when Sacramento was still in contention, it was the Spurs who were neck and neck with the Kings before Sacramento’s eventual collapse led to an easy berth for San Antonio. This coming season should provide similar results, as they have ever year since 1997.

In the 22 seasons that Gregg Popovic has been the head coach of the Spurs, the franchise has never missed the playoffs. They haven’t won less than 47 games over that span and have won 55+ fifteen times.

Death, taxes, and the San Antonio Spurs making the playoffs.

The Kings play the Spurs twice over the last nine games of the regular season, a set of games that could and should ultimately decide which team is worthy of a berth.

Home/Kings News