This is probably the most important stretch of the season for the Sacramento Kings, and their playoff chances hang in the balance. They are currently the ninth seed in the Western Conference, but competition is fierce, their schedule is tough, and they have been getting worked by other teams left and right lately.
With just 10 games to go before the Play-In Tournament starts, the Kings have basically no room for error, and they need all of their players to be performing to the best of their abilities. But they need some good luck too, and they could get it if their upcoming opponents cut them some slack. In the days ahead, the Kings will take on some of the best teams in the league, and certain roster choices could help them in a huge way.
The Cavaliers and Nuggets might rest their starters and save Sacramento
Sacramento has to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 6 and will then go toe-to-toe versus the Denver Nuggets just three days later. That would usually be very bad news for the Kings but it might not be this time.
That's because it is often customary for successful teams to rest at least some of their starters during the final few games of the regular season. This happens so players are healthy and energized when the postseason begins. If a team has already secured its spot in the playoff standings, they don't have any reason to push players hard.
The Cavaliers remain the best team in the Eastern Conference with a 58-14 record. If they are still the top seed when the Kings come to town, stars like Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, or others may spend a lot of time on the bench. That would obviously be a huge benefit for the Kings.
The Nuggets' situation is a bit trickier. They are the third team in the West and are constantly bouncing up and down in the standings, swapping places with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.
Therefore, they may be more hesitant to sit their starters, but no one knows what their position will look like on April 9. If they have pulled ahead of those teams by a comfortable margin, they could rest Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and others in the days leading up to the postseason.
The Kings will also battle the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns right before the postseason, but it seems unlikely that those teams will go easy on their stars, although it may be wise for LA to at least give Kawhi Leonard some time off due to his history of injuries.
Of course, nothing is promised, and there are complications that could throw all of this out the window. For example, the Cavaliers are currently just 4.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics. If the Cavs make a few missteps and the Celtics surge, they will need all hands on deck to avoid falling to the second seed.
The Kings are dangerously close to falling out of Play-In contention altogether, and they might need a mix of their own skills and some lucky breaks in order to have a chance of making an impact in the postseason.