The eyes of the sports world are watching these final matchups, watching as everyone angles for positioning in the finals standings. The drama is high. The stakes are higher.
But enough about the Masters. Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: 12:30 PM PT, Sunday, April 13th, 2025
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
We thought this game could end up having major implications in the Play-In race, that perhaps the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings might both need this win to make the play-in. Alas, no such drama will exist in this one. The Kings are secured in the play-in, and guaranteed to be either the 9th or 10th seed. The Phoenix Suns are guaranteed to miss the play-in, and will be without Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, or Bradley Beal as the organization shifts its focus to the offseason ahead.
The Kings will still have motivation to win this game, though. A win earns them the 9 seed and keeps them at home for their first Play-In game against the Dallas Mavericks. A Mavericks loss will also have the same effect. The Mavericks play the Memphis Grizzlies today, in a game neither team seems interested in winning. The Grizzlies are are without Jaylen Wells (who luckily seems like he’ll be ok from his nasty fall the other day, but will be out for the remainder of the year), and are listing Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, Zach Edey, Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama, Luke Kennard, and Scotty Pippen Jr ALL as doubtful. The Mavericks are similarly going to be shorthanded, as Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are ruled out.
The Kings showed a lot of fight in that heartbreaking loss against the Clippers. I’m curious to see how they come out for this game. I’m worried, as the Kings tend to overlook “lesser” opponents, and tend to struggle in early starts. Share those smelling salts, Doug!
Prediction
The Kings run away with this one early and easily. The Sunday crowd at Golden 1 Center has a blast. Rory McIlroy finally gets his green jacket.
Kings 133, Suns 108
This game for the Suns has no meaning.
With the Mavs we’ll soon be convening.
If we get this win
We’ll host the play-in.
For us home court’s there for the gleaning!
+1 Let’s focus on the Suns setting!
&ct=g
Let’s flame out Phoenix!
&ct=g
And kick their ashes!
Thanks again for another season of these, Jman.
You consistently deliver at a high level, never take a game off.
You’re the Domas Sabonis of limericks.
Pretty crazy that we could end up with a four-way tie for seeds 4-7 in the West. Denver, Golden State, Minnesota, and Clippers could all end up as low as the 7th seed depending how the games go today.
Memphis is locked in at 7th or 8th. If we beat Dallas in the first playoff game, I’m guessing that Memphis is the team we’d be hoping to play in the second game?
*First play-in game. Typo.
All I ask is that the Ws end up in the 6th seed, that way at least one of the Ws or LA Lebrons will be bounced in the first round.
I can’t stand either team, so i’m a bit torn as to who I’d prefer to win. Is there any way they can both lose?
One for Jman…
Ownership, they just won’t get the boot.
Trades and firings, the change has been moot.
But one thing that remains,
One thing that needs changed,
Is one more game with my TV on mute.
Let’s lament for Marty’s poor ears—
Commentary he so often hears.
With Draper or Jones
Kayte grates on his bones,
And she’ll be here forever he fears!
Suns are resting players, so in theory, this shouldn’t be hard to win as long as the Kings play well.
Though they did just lose to a Wizards team that was resting everyone too. 😉
40 wins three years in a row!
Within all the angst and turmoil in this tumultuous season of firings, trades, and injury, personally I am going to step back and enjoy the return to the salad days of this franchise.
After sixteen years of failing to reach that important benchmark of pure adequacy, the height of mediocrity, the low end of averageness, now we have enjoyed three seasons in a row!
Activity without accomplishment should always be celebrated.
Isn’t 40 wins and (likely) no play-off series the epitome of mediocrity?
We kept deluding ourselves for a decade plus that the Kings were mediovre. They weren’t, they were flat-out horrible.
(Not disagreeing with you, just adding my thoughts)
Seems like he’s being sarcastic? And that mediocrity is not an accomplishment. To which I’d agree.
Impossible but I’d like the Kings to lose. Less fuel for Viveks delusions. That 40 wins means anything.
Stupid playin.
.
What can we say about this season?
The good news:
It isn’t over today. For Sacramento, that bucks history. The most post-season wins since Rick Adelman era? Mime Brown had 3 two seasons ago, and 1 last season. Will there be more this season with Coach Christie?
Jonas Valanciunas has appeared in every Play-In since it’s start. This will be his 6th in a row! He is the Points and Rebounds Play-In leader. His teams have made the playoffs 3 of those previous 5, and not made it out of the 1st round, with a combined 3-12 record in those 3 series.
Should the Kings garner victory today, they will finish with 40 wins, as one of community has pointed out, that would be the 11th best record in the 40 seasons in Cailfornia’s capital.
The not so good news:
below .500 – again.
The 9th seed (if they manage it) will be, at the least, 7 games less than the 8th seed. That’s Play-In math for “participation trophy”
Doug Christie will be >.500 as Head Coach, but barely and was unable to get this squad to have less than 40 losses this season.
Light That Beam! Go Kings!
What an up and down season, ending in mediocrity. Glad Brown is out and DC is in. Love Sabonis daily production and grit, and DeMar ability to get buckets consistently. Loved 7 game win streak after coaching change. Frustrated by inability to continue playing at that level. Still ambivalent about DeAaron DeParture for Flight #8. Very pleased work acquisition of key bench players: LaRavia, Valanciunas, Fultz and rise of Keon Ellis. Pleased with Keegan improvements defensively, rebounding and attacking the rim but disappointed by relatively declining 3 point shot accuracy. Mostly perturbed by continued porous defense and inability to defend the 3 point line while being coached by one of the best defenders the game has seen in the past 20 years. Yes, truly Up and Down, and ending up in the top of the bottom tier of the West with little chance of making it into the playoffs.
Being a Kings fan ain’t easy!!
Bulls just won, which allows the possibility of the Kings keeping their pick. Kings lose, Kings have #12 tied with Bulls and possibly Mavs if they won. Kings win = home court in the first play in match.
Badge Legend