Could the Kings make the playoffs this year.?...its still a fair possibility in early February but the competition is fierce. The Kings as the 9th seed are currently 1.0 game behind the Clippers (who have already won the tiebreaker ). . The season is nearly 2/3rds over. Games against these 10 teams around the Kings (that follow0 are especially important: Thunder, Blazers, Rockets, Spurs, Jazz, Clippers, Lakers, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Pelicans
H-to-H Splits:
Thunder (2-1) 1 game remaining @ OKC
Blazers (1-1) 1 game remaining @ Portland
Rockets (0-1) 3 games remaining 2 @ home 1 @ Houston
Spurs (2-0) Won Season Series 1 game remaining @ San Antonio
Jazz (1-2) 1 game remaining @ Utah
Clippers (0-3) Lost season series 1 game remaining @ home
Lakers (1-2) 1 game remaining @ LA
Timberwolves (2-1) 1 game remaining @ Minneapolis
Mavericks (1-0) 2 games remaining 1 @ home 1 @ Dallas
Pelicans (1-1) 2 games remaining 1 @ home 1 @ New Orleans
Unfortunately the Kings will most likely lose the tiebreaker with Lakers by virtue of division record and already have done so with Clippers. They've won the Spurs tie-breaker. They are in good position against T-Wolves and have elevated big games against the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves which will decide those tiebreakers. Warriors/Nuggets are out of the discussion as are the Grizzlies/Suns
Their most important single games I think left on the schedule:
1. @Blazers (wins tie-breaker )
2. @TWolves (wins tie-breaker)
2. @Jazz (protects 1st level tie-breaker)
4, @Thunder (wins tie-breaker)
5.@LAL (gain 1 game on close-in division rival)
6. LAC (gain 1 game on close-in division rival)
Notice 5/6 of the *most important* single games are away. 14 home games and 15 away games. Projecting with the current W/L percentages the Kings would win 9 games at home and 6 on road. That would have them at 43 wins. More important though, would the 6 road wins include a healthy amount of the important games? Its still pretty open.
H-to-H Splits:
Thunder (2-1) 1 game remaining @ OKC
Blazers (1-1) 1 game remaining @ Portland
Rockets (0-1) 3 games remaining 2 @ home 1 @ Houston
Spurs (2-0) Won Season Series 1 game remaining @ San Antonio
Jazz (1-2) 1 game remaining @ Utah
Clippers (0-3) Lost season series 1 game remaining @ home
Lakers (1-2) 1 game remaining @ LA
Timberwolves (2-1) 1 game remaining @ Minneapolis
Mavericks (1-0) 2 games remaining 1 @ home 1 @ Dallas
Pelicans (1-1) 2 games remaining 1 @ home 1 @ New Orleans
Unfortunately the Kings will most likely lose the tiebreaker with Lakers by virtue of division record and already have done so with Clippers. They've won the Spurs tie-breaker. They are in good position against T-Wolves and have elevated big games against the Blazers, Thunder, and T-Wolves which will decide those tiebreakers. Warriors/Nuggets are out of the discussion as are the Grizzlies/Suns
Their most important single games I think left on the schedule:
1. @Blazers (wins tie-breaker )
2. @TWolves (wins tie-breaker)
2. @Jazz (protects 1st level tie-breaker)
4, @Thunder (wins tie-breaker)
5.@LAL (gain 1 game on close-in division rival)
6. LAC (gain 1 game on close-in division rival)
Notice 5/6 of the *most important* single games are away. 14 home games and 15 away games. Projecting with the current W/L percentages the Kings would win 9 games at home and 6 on road. That would have them at 43 wins. More important though, would the 6 road wins include a healthy amount of the important games? Its still pretty open.