Just when you start to believe in the Sacramento Kings, they pull you back into the hole of despair.
After the Sacramento Kings won three consecutive games to playoff-contending teams and became the new #7 seed in the West, it seemed as they were on the come up for a special season.
The Kings were playing good basketball, their key players were getting healthy, and their two games this weekend were against arguably the two worst NBA teams in the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. What could go wrong? Well, the Kings did.
The Kangz Happened
Last night was terrible for the Kings community. Sacramento was hosting New York in which most basketball fans would have bet the Kings to win. But due to spans of the game in which the Kings got caught slipping, they lost to the Knicks and lost ground in the playoff standings.
It was not as if the Kings played terrible overall. There were parts of the game where the purple and white caught fire on offense and even controlled a lead up to 16 points. But as the Kings do in some games, they also got too comfortable which resulted in them getting outmuscled and playing sloppy.
Same Old Kangz
The Kings continue to frustrate (and confuse) their fans. The team has shown this season that they can compete with ANY team on ANY given night. But with that said, this team can also lose to ANY team.
In just this season alone, the Kings have defeated top teams like the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks. But they have also lost games to the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and now the Knicks. Did I also mention that all those losses happened in front of their home crowd?
If the Kings want to be considered a legit postseason contender, they need to learn how to close out games consistently, especially against inferior teams. The team cannot have the mindset anymore where they can lose focus in games just because they are playing teams less talented. They are in no position of that based on their performances in the last 13 years.
The Fans Deserve Better
The Kings are lucky to have a fanbase as loyal and committed as they do. Most communities would have given up on their team if they were currently on a 13-year playoff drought. But not the city of Sacramento.
The Kings need to showcase the same heart and energy that their fans have given them throughout their entire Sacramento tenure. The community has been itching for their team to be back in the postseason once again. Hopefully, the team can dial back in and give that reality to them.