Let's Make the Playoffs! & The State of the Opposition

[Bricklayer]

Utah still has 2 with Warriors, 2 with Spurs, 2 with Cavs, 2 with Celtics.

The thing about the recent Utah and Portland runs is that they were both right through the easy parts of their schedule. Nobody expected those teams to go 8-2, but everybody knew it was going to be soft. There's still opportunity for us to recover as they come back down to normal, but this team's mental game is impossible to figure out, and the next two weeks brutal.

 

[Section 101]

The thing about the recent Utah and Portland runs is that they were both right through the easy parts of their schedule. Nobody expected those teams to go 8-2, but everybody knew it was going to be soft. There's still opportunity for us to recover as they come back down to normal, but this team's mental game is impossible to figure out, and the next two weeks brutal.

Next 2 weeks? Next 2 games. Win or go home.

 

[Npliam]

The thing about the recent Utah and Portland runs is that they were both right through the easy parts of their schedule. Nobody expected those teams to go 8-2, but everybody knew it was going to be soft. There's still opportunity for us to recover as they come back down to normal, but this team's mental game is impossible to figure out, and the next two weeks brutal.

While the schedule did soften up for the Jazz the resurgence also happened to coincide with us getting healthy. We still have a starting quality shooting guard to add back to our roster that we have sorely missed. I honestly don't think that The Kings are chasing the Jazz. If they jazz stay healthy they aren't going on a 5 game losing streak or anything crazy like that. Portland and Memphis on the other hand.....you guys might be able to catch them.

 

[lwc]

It looks like the Magic will hold on to beat the Mavericks.

 

[9x1x6]

Blazers are manhandeling the Warriors.

 

[Dbeltz24]

Looks like Rockets and Blazers will get the W tonight

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

If I didn't know better, I'd say that Lillard was salty about that All-Star snub...

 

[Bricklayer]

If I didn't know better, I'd say that Lillard was salty about that All-Star snub...

You don't know better.

 

[kingsboi]

the Jazz and Blazers with statement wins...Blazers beat the best team in the league, Jazz beat the 3rd seed in the East. It's going to be a dog fight between those two teams...going to be fun, I want Portland in to be honest. Would be a fun match up to see Lillard vs Curry in the opening round.

 

[Iced Espresso]

4 back is better than 4.5

 

[kingsboi]

4 back is better than 4.5

Portland and Utah are not going to go away

 

[Iced Espresso]

Portland and Utah are not going to go away

Well I'd like to be able to say the same thing about us. And anything is possible, injuries, Utah has a brutal schedule...

 

[Iced Espresso]

Well I'd like to be able to say the same thing about us. And anything is possible, injuries, Utah has a brutal schedule...

Utah

@ Houston
San Antonio
Brooklyn
@ Boston
@ Toronto
@ Memphis

I could see a 1-5 there if we get lucky.

 

[andjel]

Maverics, Blazers, Rockets and Jazz, with Memphis as a dark horse. We have to jump over 2 of those.

Or we just have to jump over any east coast team, and we are probably finally done with the damn draft pick we owe to Bulls.

If we can pull 6-4 next 10 games we have a chance.

 

[ockingsfan]

19-9

The Kings should just concentrate on reaching that record with 28 games left and they should make the playoffs.

They can't control the competition, but if they do their part and win, I think they will make the playoffs.

42-40 should get them the 8th playoffs spot this year.

 

[Dbeltz24]

Utah

@ Houston
San Antonio
Brooklyn
@ Boston
@ Toronto
@ Memphis

I could see a 1-5 there if we get lucky.

Have you seen our next 9 games?

 

[Boogie_Fever]

Love Dame. He went nuclear on the Warriors and let everyone know he's a bit peeved he wasn't on the All Star team again.

 

[KingMilz]

The Grizz still going hard and they have like 6 games against the Lakers and Suns (3 each roughly), they were scrapping at a insane level against the Twolves. I love Jamychal Green dude earned himself a NBA gig for a number of years. They are a super interesting team to watch and defensively are actually stilll really good with the additions of Hairston/Lance/Ennis/Anderson and the return of Brandon Wright.

 

[bajaden]

19-9

The Kings should just concentrate on reaching that record with 28 games left and they should make the playoffs.

They can't control the competition, but if they do their part and win, I think they will make the playoffs.

42-40 should get them the 8th playoffs spot this year.

I hate to be a naysayer, but were now 8 games under five hundred after last nights game, and we have a vicious schedule coming up. What in god's name makes you think that were suddenly going to win 65% of our remaining games. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible, but it's far from likely. We need a couple of teams to go into the tank for us to grab the eighth spot. And, we have to win more than half our games the rest of the way, which, if I may point out, we haven't come close to doing so far this season. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I'm just being a realist. Trust me, I hope your right and I'm wrong.

 

[parker]

I hate to be a naysayer, but were now 8 games under five hundred after last nights game, and we have a vicious schedule coming up. What in god's name makes you think that were suddenly going to win 65% of our remaining games. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible, but it's far from likely. We need a couple of teams to go into the tank for us to grab the eighth spot. And, we have to win more than half our games the rest of the way, which, if I may point out, we haven't come close to doing so far this season. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I'm just being a realist. Trust me, I hope your right and I'm wrong.

I agree that it's unlikely, but if you look at their whole schedule, there are 19 wins there if the King's can play like they did during their winning streak.

 

[twslam07]

My first preference is to make the playoffs. However, I think that is highly unlikely (even if we continue to play like we did last night). Our hole is too deep to climb out of. However, I want this team to compete and be 500 (37-45) or better these last 28 games. It would help with bringing Rondo back, it would hopefully give Cousins & Gay enough hope that they are excited for next year, and hopefully it can be used as a selling point to lure FAs here. Also 37-45 would have been 10th worst last year which means we would keep our pick again and hopefully give Vlade another chance to land an impact player or another asset to move in a trade.

If we finish strong, our core players keep their faith in what we have, & we keep our 1st round pick, that's not a bad place to be. I'm not suggesting we tank at all. Playing better, developing chemistry, and building towards next year is much more important, but the hole we are in and upcoming schedule will probably result in us keeping our pick anyways.

 

[biltalent]

My first preference is to make the playoffs. However, I think that is highly unlikely (even if we continue to play like we did last night). Our hole is too deep to climb out of. However, I want this team to compete and be 500 (37-45) or better these last 28 games. It would help with bringing Rondo back, it would hopefully give Cousins & Gay enough hope that they are excited for next year, and hopefully it can be used as a selling point to lure FAs here. Also 37-45 would have been 10th worst last year which means we would keep our pick again and hopefully give Vlade another chance to land an impact player or another asset to move in a trade.

If we finish strong, our core players keep their faith in what we have, & we keep our 1st round pick, that's not a bad place to be. I'm not suggesting we tank at all. Playing better, developing chemistry, and building towards next year is much more important, but the hole we are in and upcoming schedule will probably result in us keeping our pick anyways.

Just one quick note: I would prefer that we give up our pick this year to the Bulls so that Philly gets the 2018 top ten protected pick instead of the unprotected pick in 2019.

 

[twslam07]

Just one quick note: I would prefer that we give up our pick this year to the Bulls so that Philly gets the 2018 top ten protected pick instead of the unprotected pick in 2019.

No, I'd rather keep the pick this year.

It's about winning now with Cousins. Having the additional asset helps us win now (whether it is trading it or him having a WCS impact). If we fail to put a good team together and Cousins leaves, I could care less if we give up that early pick to PHI. We can just start our rebuild the following year with our picks again (we're not on any time table to please a certain player/build around a certain player), and if we succeed and put a good team around Cousins, we convey a mid to late 1st round pick.

 

[VF21]

I hope we get rid of the stupid pick to Chicago so it can be over and done with.

 

[ockingsfan]

I hate to be a naysayer, but were now 8 games under five hundred after last nights game, and we have a vicious schedule coming up. What in god's name makes you think that were suddenly going to win 65% of our remaining games. Is it possible? Sure, anything is possible, but it's far from likely. We need a couple of teams to go into the tank for us to grab the eighth spot. And, we have to win more than half our games the rest of the way, which, if I may point out, we haven't come close to doing so far this season. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I'm just being a realist. Trust me, I hope your right and I'm wrong.

Yes, probably not likely, BUT if we want to make the Playoffs, that is what the Kings should be aiming for.

Anything less and we lose our draft pick AND miss the playoffs.

Anything a lot worse, we get to keep our draft pick at least.

 

[twslam07]

I hope we get rid of the stupid pick to Chicago so it can be over and done with.

No sense in giving up an asset for free. If we finished above the bottom ten, I'm fine with the pick being conveyed. I'm not going to lose sleep over it. However, there seems to be people on this board that would prefer the pick to be conveyed regardless of how we end up finishing this season. I'm sorry, but that's illogical. Would you not like to have another asset to help build a winner around Cousins? You'd be willing to give that up for free? I sure wouldn't...

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Miss me with all of that. Sometimes, you just have to write **** off as a loss. Where that draft pick is concerned is one of those times.

 

[nebs]

lol @ whoever said 19-9 to finish the season. We are about to go 1-9 in our next 10 imo. Hope not but... yeah.

 

[Showtime]

Wait...you guys don't still think they have a real shot to make the playoffs, do you?

 

[twslam07]

Miss me with all of that. Sometimes, you just have to write **** off as a loss. Where that draft pick is concerned is one of those times.

Let me put it this way...

If we were to fall into the bottom 10 at the end of this year, it seems as if people are so sick of having the stipulations that come with the pick that they'd be willing to call up Chicago and say, "We will trade you our 2016 1st if you remove the remaining draft pick rights you have against us" just to be done with it. To me, that's illogical.

Again, I do not want us to tank to try and keep the pick (something I know both you and I agree on), but when the dust settles and if we fall into the bottom 10, having this pick shouldn't be seen as a negative. Winslow, Turner, Lyles, Booker, Payne, & Oubre were taken 10-15 just this past year. You have the ability to add another piece around Cousins to help us retool and compete next year. Or you have an asset to move in a trade to bring in a veteran for that very same purpose.

Speaking of rookies that could help next year, Hield would be awesome to have. Senior SG who has a NBA skillset and body already. I think he could come in and instantly be a lower level 3 and D player with the potential to be much, much more. Would definitely help us with our SG problems, and if he develops into a go-to option over the next couple years, you can look to move Gay and acquire a 3 and D SF as a replacement. Brice Johnson is senior PF who I think could immediately have an impact off the bench for us. He's got good size & athleticism while being a good defender and shooter. Cousins/Cauley-Stein/Johnson would be a good & versatile frontcourt going forward. Then you also have guys like LeVert & Valentine who are also senior guards that could potentially shore up our SG woes. Not that you (Citrus) care about this last paragraph. Mostly just wanted to go into a little more detail looking at what COULD be available if we have the pick.