The Sacramento Kings haven’t made the NBA playoffs since Herbert Hoover’s presidency. The NBA was still using peach baskets at the time and the No. 1 movie in America was just grainy footage of a man in a top hat riding a penny farthing. Okay, this is a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea. Sacramento hasn’t seen postseason basketball in a long, long time. If you would’ve promised their fans a No. 10 seed before the season, they would have been thrilled. As the season has progressed, it has become clear that their seed is going to be a whole lot higher. In fact, we might have to drop the zero from that number “10.”
That’s right, folks. With roughly four weeks of basketball remaining, the Sacramento Kings have a genuine chance to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The odds, to be quite clear, are quite small. But the Denver Nuggets, who have now lost four straight games, have opened the door slightly. The Kings, winners of eight of their last 10, will have a chance to barge through that opening.
Here’s where we stand on March 14: the Nuggets lead the Kings by five games. However, that margin is only four games in the loss column, giving Sacramento slightly more control over their pursuit. Technically, the Grizzlies remain one game ahead of the Kings in the standings, but with Ja Morant’s status unclear, it’s probably safe to assume they aren’t going to seriously push for home-court advantage unless he returns sooner than expected.
But the Kings have their entire roster healthy and at their disposal. They have the Western Conference’s best record and net rating since the All-Star break. They also have an easier schedule down the stretch than the Nuggets do.
Only five of Denver’s last 13 games are at home, where the Nuggets have a 30-6 record this season. Sacramento’s schedule is similarly road-heavy, but the Kings are the only Western Conference team with a record above .500 on the road (19-13). Eight of Denver’s last 13 games are against teams currently seeded in the top six in the Western Conference, including two…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoff-race-nuggets-open-door-for-kings-to-make-a-genuine-push-for-no-1-seed-in-western-conference/
Author : Sam Quinn
Publish date : 2023-03-15 13:27:44
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