A Royal Pain
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The Sacramento Kings Need To Be Healthier For Legit Playoff Run

By John Kelly

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 8: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings in action during a game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on November 8, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 8: De'Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings in action during a game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on November 8, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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The Sacramento Kings need to be healthy for their playoff hopes to come true.

Marvin Bagley III is expected to return to the roster any day now, as he has been cleared for full-contact activity after suffering a right thumb injury in the season opener. Add the news that De’Aaron Fox is progressing nicely with his ankle recovery is also encouraging news for Sacramento Kings fans.

Going forward, Sacramento cannot suffer any more injuries to key players. Bagley and Fox missing so much time have forced Luke Walton to go deeper into his roster which has resulted in their offense to be less efficient. Every loss diminishes the hopes of ending the longest playoff drought in the NBA currently. If Sacramento fails to make the postseason again, that streak will hit the 14-year mark.

That said, when Bagley does return, the purple and white must start a winning streak. Hopefully, Fox returns to the team sooner than later as the Kings somehow remain in the playoff hunt.

Every Game Matters

At the moment, the Kings sit with a record of 8-13 which has them ranked 13th in the Western Conference standings. The team has 61 games left in the season, and in my opinion, it will take 48 wins for the last seed in the West to make the playoffs. That means a 40-21 record for the rest of the season should be the goal for the team, and Sacramento needs to be at full strength for that to become a reality.

Did The Kings Fail If They Miss The Playoffs

Some might argue that the Kings need to measure success differently. Not in wins and losses but where they rank in the NBA. Before the season started, most Kings fans felt anything less than a playoff berth would be considered a bust for the team this season. I cannot argue with that point but only offer that injuries have killed the Kings so far this season.

It is hard to judge a team when they have been wounded all season long, especially to their catalyst players. So with that said, the Kings need to be healthier for them to have a legit playoff chance and for us fans to gain a better perspective of where this team is in their rebuild.

Next. No, The Kings Should Not Trade For Kevin Love. dark

With Marvin returning soon, we will get better clarity of where they are at. 

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