The Kings said goodbye to their home for the last time this season and have set off on their last road trip of the year, get-right fodder for two teams bound for the post-season. The Clippers have kept themselves afloat at the .500 mark while missing stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for most of the season, the later of which just came back just in time to fight for a four game series against the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers are plucky and looking to make a splash with PG-13 back in the picture, the Kings are just… looking for downtown bars to enjoy after the game! Let’s see how this goes!
When: Friday, April 9th, 6:30 PM PT
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: NBCSCA – Kyle Draper (play-by-play)
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
Lue-king for an Upset: I don’t have it in my heart to root for many teams in LA and with the Clippers ownership so closely tied to the relocation saga, I really don’t need to start with this, or any, Clippers squad. BUT, if I were to bend those rules… If I were to look the other way on ownership and origin of a team, I think I could find myself rooting pretty hard for this Clippers squad. For one, I’m a sucker for teams that just find a way to get it done. MVP caliber player is out? Okay. His All-NBA quality running mate goes down? Totally fine. The talent drops and the tryhards and workhorses come out of the woodwork and unify to stay in the playoff hunt. Jerry Reynolds likes to say that sometimes the best ability is availability and I feel like the non-stars on this Clippers squad prove that mantra. Guys just, stepped up. Reggie “Big Gov’t” Jackson bailed them out in key moments all season and should get his flowers for it, but outside of him they’ve also got nine players that scored between 8 and 17 points per game with a minimum of 50 games played for LA… a very strange butt-pulled stat, I admit, but a testament to how deep and wide this team is. Everyone contributes SOMETHING when they play. With a healthy Kawhi and Paul George they’re an easy Western Conference Finals darkhorse for the next few years, but until that comes to fruition… they’re underdogs. Scrappy, wonky, beatable… but absolute dogs nonetheless. They’re nearly likable. Nearly.
The Kings on the other hand?
*Points sternly at a collage of everything stupid thing that’s involved the Kings this season*
Operation: M.C.N.A.I.R Update
So I dropped this little nugget on Twitter the other day but I want to get it here as well, because I know many of the people that have emailed me proof of donations since starting thing don’t really see Twitter related stuff.
As of this being posted this morning, we have raised a total of $11,027.11 for local causes in just 20 games this season. Not losses. 20 total games since this was started.
I’ll say it once again, I’ll say it with my last breath: I cannot believe the response you all have given this and I will be forever grateful for everyone who has involved themselves, even if it was just discussing it in the comments. From the every-loss donors, to the once-in-awhiles, the one-time-onlys, the Twitter promoters, the behind-the-scenes encouragers… every single one of you has made Sacramento a better, more vibrant place to live… and better yet, proven that Kings fans aren’t gone, they’re just waiting for something to believe in.
We have two games left. It would be insane to think we could get to $12k in two games, but it was insane to see hundreds of dollars roll in the first game after starting this whole mess. If we wind up with just what we have now when the season ends on Sunday, it will still be 50x what I’d originally envisioned when I grumpily typed out my little manifesto.
I know there are people who have hoped for it, but I’ll say now, we’ll probably never get an official response from the Kings… and we don’t need one. I’ve read the emails from charities shocked by the amounts they’ve woke up to in their coffers the night after we came through for them, I’ve spoken over DM’s to family members of those we’ve helped, people we’ve inspired to do more and a bunch of everyday people touched by the generosity and heart of this group of fans. I promise you, we were heard by the people really listening for a reason to hope… maybe not for greatness on the court, but for goodness in the world.
We did that. With two games left, we’ll continue to do that.
Prediction
De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are gonna suit up, just to really dare the basketball gods into giving us that top pick, to rub it in the faces of dummies like me who believe in math and odds. Also, maybe Neemias Queta gets run. MAYBE.
Kings: 119, Clippers: 113
What a remarkable success Operation M.c.N.a.i.r. has been Will. Well done.
One silver lining that came out of this season.
Best money I’ve spent because of the team…ever.
Just for those unaware, if the Kings win a game this weekend (seems likely) they will end up in the 7th lottery slot. They are all but ensured the 7th spot since PDX is likely to lose both games this weekend.
This has been your pointless lottery odds update.
I thought they already have 7? Cause Lakers won? 3 games up.
They can’t go lower than 7. Unless PDX wins both games (ha!) and the Kings lose both, the Kings will end up in the 7th slot in the lottery.
Put another way, the Kings are in the 7th spot. It’s just not been made official yet.
This is wrong. The Kings are locked into the 7th slot and cannot catch PDX or drop to the Lakers either. For some reason I thought PDX played today.
Doesn’t matter anyway. PDX is like 2-17 since the ASB. That’s like next generation tanking right there.
One . . .
Two . . .
Three.
Betelgeuse GIFs are auto rec’s.
THANK YOU!
You came up with the plan and started this, and it was just an awesome way to turn the negative of the constant losing into something positive. Brilliant!
I tip my hat to you.
All but over yet there are still games;
Games that matter the media claims.
Something called playoffs—
For us far away off—
With our historic record that shames!
Wonderful!! I wish I could give more than one thumbs up! THANK YOU for a season of entertaining limericks!!! May have been the best part of this season.
FTFY.
With all due respect to Jmann’s limericks, you forgot Courtside Puke Fan.
No, I didn’t. I realize it was an apt metaphor for many, but to me it was just gross and I feel sorry for the person tasked with cleaning that up. I guess I just don’t see the amusement in that in the same way I don’t prefer to see the franchise as a clown show as a coping mechanism.
You’re the Dr. Seuss of Basketball hell,
It’s an odd compliment but do not dwell,
Your rhymes sound as sweet as Gary Gerould,
Thank you, from everyone at the King’s Herald.
Are we still going for the play in?
Forever. One day, the Kings will get there and Vivek can throw himself a parade of one.
I thought listening and reading James Ham the last couple days was interesting. Basically James just pointed out the obvious: Stop your nonsense and let your basketball people run things.
The Vivek get out of the way stuff wasn’t a big deal ( and has been said before), but there were other things (like Vivek made Monte sign Hassan Whiteside, the DDV resign discussion among others) that made the pod interesting.
But it comes back to this for me: Why hire basketball people if you won’t let them make decisions?
Why hire basketball people if you won’t let them make decisions?
So Vivek has someone to blame for his stupid decisions, you silly goose!!
This is quite the delusion if true.
You saying Vivek is involved in trying to resign Donte? DDV
Vivek is a fuckhead. The only hope is if he backs the F off and let’s McNair run the show.
Even that moron Dolan has allowed his basketball people run the show now.
Yes, absolutely going for (next year’s) play-in!
Been watching footage of BHE’s draft crush Jovic, and I’m starting to agree, he’s a player. He and Dyson Daniels are guys who will mostly likely be available in the 7/8 range. Like them both, so not really worried about the ping pong balls.
The Kings organization should do more than recognize operation MCNAIR, they should match every single donation!
I realize this is not likely
Badge Legend