The surging Sacramento Kings take on the floundering (and injured) Golden State Warriors in a game that… might actually be important?
When: Thursday, March 25th, 7:00 PM PST
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBCSCA
Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
You know who the Sacramento Kings are. You know who the Golden State Warriors are. They’re playing tonight. Cool. Let’s talk about the 10-seed instead.
I’m going to try and refrain from bringing up what I think the Kings should do, or why I might suggest locking down good draft position is more important than a play-in game, and just talk about what is happening. Here’s what is happening.
The Kings are playing some good basketball right now. They’re 4-1 since Luke Walton put Tyrese Haliburton into the starting lineup to replace an injured Marvin Bagley. Will they win 4 of every 5 games the rest of the way? No, but I do believe this lineup is legitimately decent, and they will compete whenever they’re on the court.
The Kings are currently the ’12-seed’ in the Western Conference, but three competing 10-seed teams just suffered major injuries / absences.
The Thunder will be without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for an extended period of time due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Stephen Curry is out with inflammation in his tailbone and is expected to miss at least one more week of games. LaMarcus Aldridge’s time with the Spurs is over via either a trade or buyout, and it’s unclear which direction that team wants to go in for the remainder of the season.
The Kings are currently three games behind the current 10-seed Warriors. A win tonight against a Curry-less Dubs would make things even more interesting. But what the Kings have going for them more than anything else is a very light upcoming schedule.
This is how the Kings will finish out the season, via Basketball Reference:
Next five games: Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs, Spurs, and the Lakers without LeBron James or Anthony Davis. If they can win those back-t0-back upcoming games against the Spurs, we’ll have to start taking this thing pretty seriously.
I think it’s a worthwhile conversation to have now in light of what the Kings have already done at the trade deadline. We still have about two hours to go before the actual deadline as of this writing, so everything could change in an instant, but Monte McNair has already made a solid move that will help his team win games this season.
Delon Wright over Cory Joseph is a basketball upgrade to a bench unit that really needed it. The Kings are better today than they were yesterday. They’re playing well. Their schedule is light.
I’m not getting my hopes up, or placing any expectations on how the Kings finish the season. I won’t be disappointed if they fail. I will likely be jealous of teams drafting in the top-5 regardless of where the Kings finish in the standings.
I’m just saying that the 10-seed is back in play, especially if that’s what Monte McNair and Luke Walton are gunning for. I’m sure we’ll know more on that part in a couple of hours.
Oh yeah, this is a game preview. Playoff implications??
Prediction
Kings 115, Warriors 107
“The Play-In is the future of basketball, wouldn’t you say, Luke? We’ve seen that the draft gets you nowhere. You can get the 2nd overall pick and it doesn’t matter. I want you to go out there and beat those Warriors. Let’s show them they are worse off ever since you and I both left them.”
Think of Bird and Magic who saved the NBA, & Jordan who further elevated the game.
Then these 3 misguided leaders who turned a decent franchise as the laughing stock of the league.
Looks like Larry, Moe & Curly. Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk…
I’m enjoying the play, they really went the full forty-eight last night, but we absolutely need help from the draft, so I’m conflicted.
Perhaps other Kings fans can relate?
I’m guessing they need to go 18-10 or so to reach the play in. I enjoy watching them win and think the Tank doesn’t help at this point as there are at best/worst the sixth worst team by record, even if they went full tank. I’m rooting for Ws at this point.
Deadline CoJo and Bjelly news.
Feel OK, but not so enthused.
Tonight facing the Dubs
We should see a few subs.
Steph’s tailbone’s still battered and bruised!
Beat the Warios!
SacRaMentO …
Don’t care about the stupid ass 10th seed. Yay, let’s make the faux playoffs only to get crushed and lose out on a top-5 pick/prospect.
What likely happens. Kings kAnGz. Get within .5-1 game of the play-in and then blow it. Therefore not making the faux playoff and also ruining their draft slot in the process. It’s so f-ing predictable at this point.
From an ownership perspective, I agree with you. We should be focusing on next year and the future. We don’t have the talent to try get us near contention. Vivek should actually be more incentivized to do the reset now since there aren’t fans in the stands. The only thing I’m currently excited about is getting free tickets from a friend that doesn’t want to attend, just to go boo Vivek in person.
Who is the certain star of which you speak !
Giving up on predictions for this game? I suppose we only know now that Fox and Hali will see court time.
I predict that Hield will have more turnovers than Joseph, Bjelica, Parker and Kabengele combined.
@WojCSPN is reporting that there may be a shakeup among the minority members of the House Ways & Means Committee.
In what way and what does it mean?
Who’s feeling foxy today.
What happened to the predictions?
Very Light? Not at all.
Utah 3x
Lakers 2x If Healthy
Spurs 3x
Dallas 3x
Grizz 3x (JJJ should be back)
Suns
Bucks
Dubs again
That’s 17 of 28 teams over .500 and currently in playoff seeding.
I don’t think any of them will be tanking. ESP, the Spurs.
Pop will get his young team in.
The only real ? Is the Dubs.
Will they tank now?
They have a chance to get 2
Top 10
picks this year. With Minny’s pick if it is outside the Top 3.
Badge Legend