The Sacramento Kings hope that new royalty has entered the castle of Golden1Center in Sacramento.
They currently sit on the right side of the Playoff fence and are (-120) to make the playoffs and (-110) to miss the playoffs, according to sports betting sites.
The last NBA championship for the franchise, came 71 seasons ago in 1950-51 when the then-Rochester Royals went the full seven games to dispatch the New York Knicks, 4-3, in the NBA Finals.
But, can they end the drought this season? Let’s examine further.
Mike Bibby was a 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐌 during the 2005-06 Season 🔥
👑 21.1 PPG (17th in NBA)
👑 5.4 APG
👑 50.1% eFG
👑 1728 Total PTS (15th in NBA)Take a look back at the best moments of Bibby's best statistical season in our latest 𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗠 𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗠 series 👑 pic.twitter.com/dS8eRS4n0P
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 13, 2022
Sacramento Kings Playoff Drought
The Kings’ 16 seasons without an NBA Playoffs appearance is the longest streak in the history of the league. They recently surpassed the longest streak without a playoff appearance, which was previously held by the LA Clippers who went 15 seasons without a playoff berth from 1976-77 to 1990-91.
The Charlotte Hornets’ current total of six seasons without a playoff appearance is in second place.In winning their last Playoff series came in ’05-06 when they were seeded eighth in the Western Conference and were pushed out by the 1-seed San Antonio Spurs in six games.
During that season, guard Mike Bibby led seven Kings in double figures with 21.1 points per game as he shot 38.5 percent from three.
The Kings have made the playoffs only 10 times in the 38 seasons while in Sactown. The entire franchise, also known as the Rochester Royals, the Cincinnati Royals, and the Kansas City (Omaha) Kings, have made the playoffs just 27 times in their 73-year existence.
Sacramento was close to winning the Western Conference and appearing in the NBA Finals in 2001-02. Unfortunately, a ridiculously officiated game caused them to lose Game 6 to the Lakers as the Kings had a 3-2 lead going into that nightmare.
Clearly, that SERIES WAS FIXED!
De'Aaron Fox letting the ball roll across halfcourt before picking it up to conserve the shot clock is an insane thing to do **90 seconds into a game.**
And by "insane," I mean "genius." pic.twitter.com/TzldcgBqHs
— Bowser2Bowser (@bowser2bowser) December 7, 2022
Sacramento Kings Betting Odds
The Kings started out the 2022-23 season with 11 other NBA teams to post the best record in the league. All 12 sat with Sacramento’s betting odds of (+100000) to post the best record.
Obviously, NBA betting sites didn’t think that the Kings would be a good team.
Going into the season, the Kings’ odds to make the playoffs were (+450) while they were at (-700) to miss the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Kings have the fourth-best odds to win the Pacific Division at (+1400), which is their best figure while some oddsmakers have the Kings at (+3000).
Kings Players Have Long Odds to Take Home NBA Awards
As Sacramento is 15-8 ATS and leading the NBA, several Kings have been keys to their start and their fifth place in the Western Conference. With Fox as the key to the Kings’ offensive attack, he is averaging 23.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game.
The former Kentucky Wildcat shoots 56.1 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from the three-point line. Fox had (+16000) to win the NBA MVP to begin the season as he has moved to as low as (+1500) and has fallen as deeply in some spots to (+4900).
Forward Domantas Sabonis began the season with (+40000) and has fallen to (+50000) to win the MVP. Sabonis currently averages a double-double with 16.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. He leads Sactown in assists at 6.5 per outing while shooting 59.9 percent from the floor. His 37 percent as a three-point marksman makes him all the tougher of a matchup for Kings’ opponents.
So far, Murray is getting 11.4 points and 4.9 rebounds on the season after lighting up Hawkeyes’ opponents last year with 25.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per outing. He also proved himself as vigilant on defense as he averages 2.0 blocked shots per game. As of now, he sits fifth at (+12500) as Orlando’s Paolo Banchero (-375) is the solid favorite.
Kings’ 2-guard Malik Monk was in Charlotte for his first four seasons and after last year in LA in purple and gold, he has landed with the Kings. Monk started the season with (+8000) attributed to Sixth Man of the Year odds. Currently, Monk has as low of a number as (+2000) beside of his name with (+3000) being the height.
Monk played beside of Fox at Kentucky, so his ability to come off the bench in his sixth season and contribute has been paramount. He is the fourth leading scorer at 14.7 points per night as he nets 48.9 percent from the field.
Really good answer from De’Aaron Fox about everyone stepping up. pic.twitter.com/BmFGFgs5Ey
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) December 5, 2022
Will the Sacramento Kings Make the Playoffs?
Sacramento is 10-2 at home ATS in its first 12 home games as the Kings were given an OVER/UNDER win total of 33.5 by oddsmakers at the beginning of the season.
I would totally push the Sacramento Kings prediction to OVER as the Kings already have 13 wins and getting to that 33-34 seems to be a given.
Their offense puts pressure on defenders as Sacramento is currently averaging 119.9 points (2nd/NBA).
Upgrading the defense against the three-point shot will be important as Kings’ opponents make 37.3 percent and opponents also shoot 48.3 percent.
Kings’ fans, as Adam Sandler proclaimed to the crowd at his comedy show in Sacramento, the Kings are a good team, on the rise and doing great things.
You can count a Playoff appearance as one of those great things.
