Kings Playoff Standings Watch!!!

I don't care what the poor track record or sample says about this.

Long term I'd rather play teams without their stars than with, and teams with rest disadvantage. Eventually that record would probably start to self-correct itself.
I think we are seeing our focus and intensity level take a level up since the all star break. We are obviously not going to win every game, but I would be surprised if we take anyone lightly the rest of the way.
 
Next set of key Playoff race matchups:

Trail Blazers @ Hawks
Suns @ Bulls
Jazz @ Thunder
Grizzlies @ Nuggets (ESPN)
Pelicans @ Warriors
Timberwolves @ Lakers

Rooting for the Hawks, Bulls, Thunder, Nuggets, Pels and Lakers. Only one I had to think about was Pelicans-Warriors. Don’t want the Pelicans winning too many games without Zion but halting the Warriors momentum right now is more important from the Kings’ perspective.
 
Agree completely. Phoenix and Golden State look the most dangerous. If we can hold onto 2/3, then those two teams look likely to be 4/5, and on the same side of the bracket as Denver. Staying at 2/3, and being in a bracket with Memphis, Dallas, and the playin 7/8 winner is almost too good to be true, since we would avoid the three most dangerous teams until the WCF. It really puts an emphasis on finishing strong.
GS has two more easy games, then i think something like 8 or their next 9 games are TOUGH opponents (so I wouldn't bet they're climbing unless they have GPII back).
 
Clippers on a 5 game losing streak and have already fallen to 8.

Ja on his 3rd gun issue in the last month or so. Expect him to be gone a while

Mavs on a 2-5 skid starting with when we beat them in Luka's return



The top 4 in the west is now looking like Denver, Sac, Phoenix and GSW. With 3 and 4 game buffers on the Suns and Warriors, we have a relatively clear path to the 2 seed if we take care of business
 
Clippers on a 5 game losing streak and have already fallen to 8.

Ja on his 3rd gun issue in the last month or so. Expect him to be gone a while

Mavs on a 2-5 skid starting with when we beat them in Luka's return



The top 4 in the west is now looking like Denver, Sac, Phoenix and GSW. With 3 and 4 game buffers on the Suns and Warriors, we have a relatively clear path to the 2 seed if we take care of business
Doesn't it seem like in the last 20-25 games is always when the separation starts to occur - it's like clockwork, every season. Then by the end there are usually a clear 5-6 top teams and then usually 1-2 fighting for the last spot. It's rare that there are 3-4 teams on the bubble... this year could be different, and if so, hold onto your hats!
 

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
Forgive my ignorance, but what is this the magic number for? I know the theory behind a magic number, but I'm not sure of this specific application of it. Play-in? Straight playoffs w/o play-in? Keeping the 3 seed? I guess I'm confused on what this is saying. And the example isn't helping me much. Maybe I'm missing something obvious here?
 

Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
Forgive my ignorance, but what is this the magic number for? I know the theory behind a magic number, but I'm not sure of this specific application of it. Play-in? Straight playoffs w/o play-in? Keeping the 3 seed? I guess I'm confused on what this is saying. And the example isn't helping me much. Maybe I'm missing something obvious here?
This specific magic number is for the Kings relative to each other team. We will finish better than the Spurs and Rockets no matter what. Any combination of 12 Kings wins and Lakers losses will ensure that we finish ahead of the Lakers. Etc.

The one odd thing is that the magic number in the Denver/Memphis row is the number for Denver/Memphis to beat the Kings (i.e. the "elimination number"), not the other way around like all the other magic numbers.
 

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
This specific magic number is for the Kings relative to each other team. We will finish better than the Spurs and Rockets no matter what. Any combination of 12 Kings wins and Lakers losses will ensure that we finish ahead of the Lakers. Etc.

The one odd thing is that the magic number in the Denver/Memphis row is the number for Denver/Memphis to beat the Kings (i.e. the "elimination number"), not the other way around like all the other magic numbers.
Got it, thanks. Usually it is for clinching a playoff berth or something, so I was trying to sort out what it was describing. And the Denver/Memphis thing was also throwing me off.

Edit: I guess it is also good for us keeping the #3 spot. If none of the teams below catch us, we keep our spot (as a minimum, not looking at Denver/Memphis).
 
Incredibly hard seeing the Grizzlies win tonight in LA. If we beat the Wolves tonight and handle the Pels on Monday we'll likely be in sole possession of the 2 seed
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
If the Blazers lose a few more games they might pull the plug and that could have ramifications on our schedule as we play them twice at the end of March
Blazers are done.

Hopefully bodes well for me getting decent tickets for both games. I'm looking forward to having something to cheer about in Moda Center.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
Incredibly hard seeing the Grizzlies win tonight in LA. If we beat the Wolves tonight and handle the Pels on Monday we'll likely be in sole possession of the 2 seed
Only "bad" thing is if Memphis continues their descent, and Kings play as they have, feels like it sets up a 2/3 matchup with the Suns.

I guess that will truly put us right there with the 2000-2001 Kings when they met the Lakers in the second round if it actually happens. Along with Denver we very well could be the next ~4 years in the West.
 
I think we're closer to the 2nd seed than we are to the 6th.
But, it's getting close to 49 wins being the mathematical maximum score for 6th place in the Western Conference, given all the intra-conference matchups. (This result would also require implausible winning records like 12-0 for western conference playoff teams vs non-critical matchups)
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
I think we're closer to the 2nd seed than we are to the 6th.
But, it's getting close to 49 wins being the mathematical maximum score for 6th place in the Western Conference, given all the intra-conference matchups. (This result would also require implausible winning records like 12-0 for western conference playoff teams vs non-critical matchups)
we've handled business so well since the break going 8-12 is probably enough for the 5 seed or better. I'd love to go 13-7 and get to 50 though. Good lord, it doesn't actually seem remotely out of the realm of possibility does it? I had that as the ceiling entering the season and even 2 weeks ago that felt like it would be a huge stretch. After 5 straight wins, it feels like a reasonable target.
 
Agree with this so so much. There hasn’t been much to be salty about this year, but this idea that games where the opponent is in a back to back and missing stars is bad for us is just such a ridiculous take. It’s like when they say a team is 0-32 when they trail after 3 quarters. That stat has no determination on the game ahead.

It is a mental thing. Dropping games you “should” win and not coming out taking advantage of opportunities is a mindset. Just because Charlotte beat us on a back to back doesn’t mean the clippers will. Get dialed in, play our game, and we will win most of those. If we can’t get up for a team directly below us in the standings in a playoff race, then we have real problems.

On balance, the Clips on a back to back without Kawhi is good, regardless of what we’ve done in the past.
I feel like a lot of Kings fans(myself included) somewhere deep inside still don't trust the
Hol
Losing Clarke means losing 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, enough to affect a lot of close contests.
Yep , he was their counter to when other teams went small to minimize Adam's impact.For now they have no Adams and no Clarke.JJJ is always in foul trouble.They are getting thin in the frontcourt
 
The schedule in March is brutal. Between 13-18 March, the Kings play four games in six days once again. Between 20-25 March, the Kings have to play two back-to-backs, facing Boston, Phoenix, and Utah (twice).