What could the future (rest of this season) hold for the Kings?

One thing is for sure.

It sure is better to be ending the year, post-All Star Break "Ascending" toward a possible playoff spot, as opposed to last year where we were "Descending" away from the playoffs post-ASB.

Whereever we end up this season (in or out of the playoffs), we should have momentum heading into next season.
 
Sigh. Need the Grizzlies to start losing or all the jostling with the Blazers and Pels won't even matter. They've been building big leads for 3 games now and their schedule to me looks easier than ours
 
This is probably the last soft patch of the schedule for Griz. Their last 15 games is brutal.
I think for a decent chance at the Playoffs, the Kings will need to go 15-6 the rest of the way. Eerily similar to last year, except this year they're playing better going into the same stretch, and last year's team much better earlier.

When might Holmes return? That could add depth and energy.

It's really 1 game at a time with only a couple mess-ups allowed now. Contrast that to the Grizzlies who have more cushion.

Realistically Kings need to win all games against Spurs/Pelicans/Blazers - 5-0, and then go 5-4 against playoff teams and then..... go 5-2 against the other teams. They are allowed no (or maybe one) mess-up against close in teams only 1 or 2 against poorer teams. That is a tight rope, and even then the Grizzlies with the Kings tiebreaker, still can afford to go 12-8......I'm not expecting Kings to make it but will hold out small hope. Like I'd said earlier, if they can make it into the stretch 6 or 8 games or so and still have a small chance, that's better than last year and would indicate they'd made a leap to finish. And if they can best last years ending mark that's a nice way to end the season even if beat out.
 
12 of Memphis' remaining games are against teams with winning records. They also have some games against teams who are playing better now than their record suggests.

If the Kings win two out of every three games remaining they'll finish at 500 and I'll be happy. If they do slightly better than that I think they'll make the playoffs.
 
12 of Memphis' remaining games are against teams with winning records. They also have some games against teams who are playing better now than their record suggests.

If the Kings win two out of every three games remaining they'll finish at 500 and I'll be happy. If they do slightly better than that I think they'll make the playoffs.
The teams fighting for the 8th seeds still have a lot of games between each other. 39 wins may get the 8th seed.
 
Right now we need to win 3-4. Have to beat Blazers and Pels. Then have to split between Philly and Toronto.
Yep, those 4 remaining games against the Pelicans/Blazers and Spurs are the crucial spots we need to get to. Need at least 3-1 I think to stay competitive.

Grizzlies still have 2 games against the Pelicans and the Spurs as well. Also games left against:

Road: Bucks, Mavericks, Raptors, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz

Home: Thunder, Celtics, Raptors, Mavericks, Thunder, Sixers

They have the Hawks, Magic and Knicks left as "cake" match-ups at home. Every other game should be really tightly contested by a west team trying to sneak into the playoffs or one of the really good teams listed above. Something like 9-12 for them is very much in the range of outcomes, which would leave us needing 13-8 to snake that 8th spot with the tie-breaker.
 
A month or so ago I would have considered the sixers a scheduled loss. The fact they’re missing Embiid and simmons made this a winnable game. It kinda sucks cuz winning games we weren’t meant to gives us a buffer but I’m not too down on tonight’s game. The blazers game is more important. That is a must win whereas losing tonight and on Sunday against the raptors is a bit more bearable.
 
A month or so ago I would have considered the sixers a scheduled loss. The fact they’re missing Embiid and simmons made this a winnable game. It kinda sucks cuz winning games we weren’t meant to gives us a buffer but I’m not too down on tonight’s game. The blazers game is more important. That is a must win whereas losing tonight and on Sunday against the raptors is a bit more bearable.
I honestly think we have a chance against Raptors, but Sunday's start will tell.
 
Well except for the Pelican win it's been a good day for the race to the 8th spot. Seems we lost a lot of wind in our sails though from yesterdays result.
 
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Well except for the Pelican win it's been a good day for the race to the 8th spot. Seems we lost a lot of wind in our sails though from yesterdays result.
Yeah, a win yesterday plus a bunch of today’s losses would have been nice. I guess we will just have to settle for a win tomorrow :p
 
Yeah, a win yesterday plus a bunch of today’s losses would have been nice. I guess we will just have to settle for a win tomorrow :p
all of Portland’s starters played big minutes today in their loss. So lets hope that plays more a factor tomorrow than a revenge win attitude.