The Sacramento Kings are looking to make the NBA playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons. In Part 1 of my Sacramento Kings WIN/LOSS PREDICTIONS I outlined what I think the Sacramento Kings will do from game one up until the end of January. As of Wednesday 11/3/21, the Kings are 3-4, 0-3 when leading heading into the 4th quarter, and 3-1 when trailing heading into the 4th.
The question is simple, and has been asked many times … will the Sacramento Kings get to the play-in, playoffs, or continue their playoff-less streak? Read ahead for how I think the Kings will finish their season and if they will make the NBA Play-In and MAYBE EVEN … the NBA PLAYOFFS.
15 Years …
The Sacramento Kings finished the 2020-21 NBA season 31-41, 12th in the western conference. That was two games back of the 10th seed San Antonio Spurs for the final NBA Playoff Play-In spot. That marked their 15th straight season missing the playoffs. That ties the LA Clippers for the longest playoff-less streak in NBA history. That Clippers playoff drought spanned from 1977-1991.
Looking back at last season for the Kings, if you take out a couple of LONG losing streaks, a myriad of injuries, some frustrating ‘last two minute reports’ … the Kings may have had a better chance of making the 10 seed, through the newly created NBA Playoff Play-In.
Personally, as a Kings fan since 1997 or so, I DO NOT count a Play-In berth as breaking the playoff-less streak. I have not heard many, or really any, Kings fans who disagree with that streak-busting ‘requirement’. What about you?
WIN/LOSS PREDICTIONS – PART 2
I ended PART 1 of my Sacramento Kings WIN/LOSS predictions through the month of January … where I have the Kings at 24-28 overall heading into the final two and a half months of the NBA season!
Full Sacramento Kings Schedule
February:
Prediction: 4-7 (28-35 overall)
Sacramento will play 11 games during the month of February, including two back-to-backs, both before the All-Star break. To start the month the Kings play Brooklyn at home and travel to San Francisco the next evening to take on the Golden State Warriors. After the All-Star break, the Kings will have a tough stretch, playing Washington, Brooklyn, and Chicago in the span of 5 days, on the road.
The NBA All-Star break spans 2/17-2/23, with the All-Star game falling on Saturday 2/20, in Cleveland. Will the Kings have any All-Star weekend participants? I think Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell will make whatever version of the rookie/sophomore game they have nowadays. Maybe Buddy Hield will compete in the three-point competition again, after winning in 2020! I think that with a lot of help from the MEDIA and Kings voters … De’Aaron Fox could make his first-ever NBA All-Star team! Kings fans … stuff that ballot box, call national sports talk radio, and cross your fingers!
March:
Prediction: 8-6 (36-41 overall)
The Kings start their 13 game March schedule with a back to back, both on the road, against New Orleans, and then San Antonio. After a TOUGH February schedule, the Kings have some winnable contests in the month of March. Injuries, current standings and teams looking more forward to the draft lottery than a playoff run will all either aid and/or hinder the Kings road to the playoffs.
April:
Prediction: 4-1 (40-42 overall)
The final month of the 2021-22 NBA season will HOPEFULLY feature meaningful games for the Sacramento Kings and their playoff/play-in run!
Sacramento plays five games in the month of March, ending with back-to-back road contests against ‘most likely’ playoff teams Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. Will these teams be fighting for a better playoff spot? Will they be resting for a playoff run, which may allow the Kings to sneak in a couple of wins? Will the Kings be vying for a playoff spot or hoping for another ball in the upcoming NBA draft lottery?
Game 83 and Beyond!
Will the Kings play in game 83 and beyond for the first time in 15 years? I am hopeful the Kings will have MANY meaningful games in the last three months of the season, which will lead to BREAKING their 15-year playoff-less streak.
Last season, an abbreviated 72 game season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 10th seed in the west, San Antonio, had a .458 winning percentage. If my math is correct, that would translate to 37.5 wins in an 82 game season. Will that be enough to make the 10th seed and NBA play-in? Will my prediction of 40 wins be good enough to AT LEAST make the 10th and FINAL play-in seed?
Sacramento Kings Playoff/Play-In Prediction
I think the Kings will MAKE the 10th and final seed if they do get to 40 wins this season!
This is NOT Gambling Advice … But …
Essentially, there will be no easy games for the Kings to start off the season. That could be good for the gamblers who can catch the Kings as they are hopefully improving and hopefully beating a few teams they are favored to lose against … before the Vegas odds setters catch on.
The latest NBA Playoff odds have the Kings at +380 to make the playoffs … which means if you bet 100$ on the Kings to MAKE the playoffs … and they make the playoffs (not play-in) … you WIN 380$, plus your 100$ original bet.
Did I mention I MAY have placed a wager on the Kings to MAKE the playoffs … when their odds were +450 before the regular season started … it pays to have friends who have brothers who live in Las Vegas, I guess. Maybe I should have put some cryptocurrency on the wager …
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Go Kings!
– Tom Witt
Main Image Credit: Getty Images
Tom Witt Writes 