The Kings need to remain consistent in late February and March
The West got really, really good again. If the Kings want to avoid the play-in, they’ll need to keep up the consistency they’ve had on offense and improve vastly on defense. It doesn’t help that they have an extremely difficult schedule the next few months.
According to Tankathon, the Sacramento Kings have the fourth-toughest slate of games remaining in the NBA, with a .520 strength of schedule. They’re also one of just two teams in the league that have 25 games left to play, leaving them with six back-to-backs over the course of the next few months.
Their first game back is on the 23rd of February, as the Kings host the Portland Trailblazers. Shortly after they’ll be on a flight to Los Angeles to see the Clippers in the first back-to-back on this side of the schedule. Needless to say, those are big games for this Kings team looking to build on what was a stellar first half.
Easiest Schedules Remaining:
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) February 13, 2023
1. Pelicans
2. Thunder
3. Cavaliers
4. Mavericks
5. Hornets
Hardest Schedules Remaining:
1. Sixers
2. Clippers
3. Kings
4. Heat
5. Suns
After that, the Kings travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder in back-to-back games, a team they’ve already handled early in the year. Following the business trip to the Midwest they will head home for a four-game home stand to open up the month of March, which will be a key time for playoff seeding.