The 6th Man Report: The Ides of March

It’s spring in Sacramento.

Or so they tell us.

Mired in unseasonably cold temperatures and rain that refuses to go away, Northern California feels more like a rain forest than the Golden State. Things have gotten so dire that my doctor told me I have a Vitamin D deficiency.

Tell me something I don’t know, doc.

The doldrums seemed to have caught up with the Kings a bit as well; the league’s best story and arguably most fun team lost back-to-back games for the first time since February 3rd and 5th, getting crushed by the contending Celtics at home and dropping a disappointing road contest to the Lauri Markkanen-less Jazz.

It appeared that they were going to suffer their first three game losing streak since way back in November with the Suns in town Friday night, as the team fell behind by 11 at the half. What has been a lightning quick offense that often seemed to operate as death by a thousand cuts and a defense that was at least athletic and annoying had become one that settled for a lot of early three point attempts and a parting of the Red Sea around the painted area.

With playoff basketball just around the corner, the team devoid of much playoff experience seemed to have hit a wall.

With their magic number shrinking by the minute making its first playoff appearance in 16 years feel strangely inevitable, the young Kings were playing tight and tired. They admitted as much after the 23-point loss to Boston.

“Definitely, I feel like we all kind of felt it today,” Sabonis said postgame. “But you know, it’s not an excuse. That’s part of the schedule and every team has gone through it. At the end of the day, we just had to fight through it and do a better job in the second half.”

Five games in seven days will do that to a team.

But something happened at halftime Friday night, as Mike Brown did what he’s been doing all season, pushing the exact right buttons to spur his team to an 8-point win, despite the fact the De’Aaron Fox was unavailable for the majority of the game’s final 24 minutes.

Sacramento dropped 45 points in the third quarter — Kevin Huerter had 13 of them — and held Phoenix to just 26, slowing down the Suns after Chris Paul and Devin Booker had picked them apart the first two quarters.

Saturday was more of the same; short-handed Utah came to town and took an 11-point halftime of their own, only to see the Kings absolutely blitz them out of the locker room with a 45 point offensive output and a defensive effort that shut the Jazz down and gave up just 17. Ultimately, the Kings won121-113, despite Fox missing a second consecutive game and Malik Monk getting tossed early in the fourth.

That’s the difference with the 2022-2023 version of the Sacramento Kings; many times over the last decade and a half the talent has been there, but the ability to finish games, the drive, the sustained success simply has not.

Brown, and guys like Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes, and Huerter — the been there, done that, crew have gotten this team to believe. And with a raucous crowd behind them (Golden 1 during that third quarter Friday was on another level), that believe produces serious results.

The Kings don’t fully control their own destiny when it comes to seeding for the postseason, but with just eight games remaining, they have a commanding six game lead over the Suns for the third seed in the West.

The second seed isn’t out of the realm of possibility, as they trail Memphis by just 1.5.

When they tip-off against Minnesota Monday night, the Kings will do so knowing they can clinch a playoff berth.

Win, and they’re in.

It’s going to be electric at Golden 1 as this special season continues – and (hopefully) gets celebrated.

Crown Him:

Though it was very tempting to reward Red Velvet for back-to-back offensive outbursts in return from injury, it’s time to celebrate Davion Mitchell.

With Fox sidelined with a sore hammy, Mitchell went from playing 15-20 minutes a game to nearly 30, doubling his assists per game in the process (six in each of the last two). Though Mitchell has struggled at times offensively, he’s been a steady hand at point guard when Sacramento needed exactly that, running the offense efficiently while continuing to play his brand of aggressive, bothersome defense.

Knowing you have a guy that can step in and step up is huge for the postseason, and Brown is seeing he has exactly that in the second-year guard.

SacTown’s Finest:

As we established earlier, it is technically spring.

Normally, that means patio weather, and often that comes with an enjoyable adult beverage.

A margarita sure can hit the spot when the temperature starts to creep up.

And what goes better with an ice-cold marg than some tacos?

Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Well, if that sounds good to you, you’re in luck, as Golden 1 Center will be hosting the Taco & Margarita Festival this Saturday. VIPs can enter at 11:00, with general admission beginning at noon.

In addition to tasty eats and drinks, you can enjoy live wrestling and music.

And since it’s supposed to rain, again, Saturday, might be a fun indoor option.