The West is as brutal as it gets. A single game can swing teams from 6th to 8th and back again. Tiebreakers are likely to play a big factor in the final seeding for the playoffs, and determining who avoids the play-in tournament. The Kings hold a 2-1 season lead over the Mavericks. The Kings sit in 8th, 1 game behind the 6th place Mavericks. Every game matters, but this one really matters.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: Friday, March 29th, 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California, NBA TV
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Last Time
The Kings got demolished by the Mavericks on Tuesday in Golden 1 Center. The Kings missed open looks, while the Mavericks couldn’t seem to miss even when well-guarded. Sometimes it’s just not your night, but more alarmingly the Mavs simply looked like the better team. I don’t particularly feel like reliving the whole event again, but you can refer to Mirann’s excellent recap for the gritty details.
Three in the Key
Fresh Legs: Last game, the Kings were playing their 5th game in 7 nights, and they were on a back-to-back. The Mavericks were also on a back to back, having traveled from Utah the night before, so this isn’t me making excuses. But the reality is that the Kings looked like they did not have their legs. Both teams have had the last two days to rest and recover in Sacramento (great job, schedule makers, zero notes), so both teams enter this game fresh. No excuses, time to go run them off the floor.
Stars shine bright it in the heart of Sacramento: De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis both need to be better than they were on Tuesday. Domas finished with 12/11/9, which feels kind of silly to be complaining about, but the Mavs really did a good job of taking him out of his flow. Some of that may have been back to back games where Domas took more headshots than Rocky, but Domas needs to dominate. Fox also needs to be better. 18 points on 18 shots just doesn’t cut it. I want to see Fox fully engaged on both ends of the floor tonight.
Go Out And Take It: The Kings tend to play their best against good teams and in big moments. Well this is it. For all the talk from the Kings coaches and players about how they need to be better, how they need to be consistent, now is the time to do it. Go out there and give the Mavs 48 minutes of hell. The tiebreaker is there. The 6 seed is there. Now is the time.
Prediction
The Kings continue their season-long trend of making us wonder “why can’t they do this all the time?” and absolutely destroy Dallas.
Kings 122, Mavericks 103
Fan Predictions
Link to Leaderboard (Updated 2/21/24)
Tuesday’s game was not a good showing.
At no point was our offense flowing.
The Mavs shut us down,
Playing defense that’s sound.
Still tonight love to see the beam glowing!
+1 Wishing and hoping won’t get it done!
When the going gets tough the tough get going!
…won’t get fooled again.
Key of the game:
Keep aggressive….in every aspects…..
Fight for loose ball, fight for rebound, fight for chance to get into free throw line…
Keys of the game:
Score more.
Give up less.
Key of the game:
Keegan
Keon
Okay, keys to the game.
Not to be overly dramatic, but the Kings having any chance at the 6 seed is entirely dependent on tonight’s result. If they lose, they are going to be in the play-in. The only question is which spot they’ll be in. If they win they’ve got the tie breaker over the Mavs and they’ve still got a shot to avoid the play-in. The Mavs are a better team than the Kings so the Kings will need to come out and play a great game tonight if they want to win.
Agree on all points. . This is playoff or playin game decider . I think Kings lost their chance at a top 6 by adding nothing at the deadline . Kings must have their A+ game to have any chance .3
This is yet another chance to see if Kings O and Sabonis, in particular, can adjust and play playoff winning offense.
If Sabonis doesn’t figure this out-start shooting middy and Kings don’t adjust, it will be a wasted trade almost for Hali
Perhaps that’s a bit dramatic but I need to see Sabs learning to play playoff (and Kings) winning hoops or he and they are just regular season stat stuffers.
Sabonis has played well in playoffs . Very effective with Pacers . Tyrese has yet to be outstanding in playoffs since he has never been . Hoping it changes for him and Domas in Sacto .
Right? To say Sabonis can’t perform in the playoffs basing in off one playoff series that went 7 games agains the defending champs is…disingenuous.
There is no trend in one series.
Have to agree. I don’t like the “must win”-tag, but they simply cannot lose. If they do, it will be an uphill battle to avoid the play-in, IMO.
I agree. If we can play a relatively good game on offense then IMO when it counts it will be Fox, Ellis and Murray on defense that will swing the game. PS Monk needs to be consistant and not turn the ball over so much. GO KINGS!
We’re going to the game tonight from Grass Valley. If you’re going we could caravan. ????
Agreed on everything. Today is an absolute must win for the team. If they win, they hold the tie breaker against Dallas and, and Dallas will have the same amount of losses as the Kings and Phoenix, so it still gives you breathing room to possibly nab the 6th seed.
They have had two days off, so no excuse to play an A+ game.
I kind of wish this was an away game.
I wish we were a little bit taller…
I wish we were ballers…
I wish we all had 6 – 4 Impalas
I wonder how soon Trey Lyles will be able to come back.
This has become a bit of a lost season for poor Trey.
Just keeping it fresh for the playoffs.
Would love to see Vez back. Certainly taking king enough.
Question; if we lose, the season series against the Mavs is 2-2. What is the next tiebreaker?
I think it’s your standing in your division? (but I don’t know if this applies since Dallas and Sac are in different divisions)
So either it’s number 2 or number 4?
Thanks!
The way it’s written it seems that if the Kings are 2nd in their division and the Mavs 3rd in theirs, the Kings have the tiebreaker, no?
That’s what I’m reading from it now that I look closely. Dallas is currently 2nd in theirs, and the Rockets are behind them and probably not catching them. Phoenix is 2nd in the Pacific division currently with Sac right behind them at 3rd.
That’s not good; the Mavs have the 2nd place tied up in their division, and may even overtake the Pelicans. We are third in our division, and oh you already posted…
Per the TNT broadcast team, Conference record would be the next metric used.
We lose tonight, I think we may end up 9th and host the Rockets or Dubs
…and that won’t go well.
Ten games until season end. If the Kings go 6-4 they will match last season’s 48-32 record.
Will have to throw up before this one.
Are you sitting courtside?
Nice one
Ugh….
Just saw a post on espn that Heurter is having surgery and is done for the season. Is that official? Definitely hurts our depth and shooting.
I’m already over the “must win game” drama.
It is not. At all.
It would be nice, yes. It would show our ability to bounce back from a shit loss, yes. But it is not, in any way, a “must win game when we still play the Clips, the Pels, and the Suns, all of which have just as much bearing on our playoff positioning as this one.
Win this one and we control a little bit more of our destiny, for sure, tho, so lets….
Go Kings!!!
+1, would be nice to see ShaVez off the bench and provide some spark off the bench on both sides of the floor again, especially if it contributes to a win.
Ready for a much better effort on both ends of the floor tonight with fresh legs! Go Kings!
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