The Sacramento Kings are ready and capable of bursting the NBA’s “Zion vs. LeBron in the First Round of the playoffs” bubble
Do you want to make some predictions on the NBA bubble seeding games? Download PropMe from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store to guess whether Zion will have more dunks than the entire Kings team in their two matchups and so much more. We’ll let you know on Twitter when you can enter so make sure to follow us @BellyUpHoops. The winner will win merch from the Belly Up Store and be invited to be a guest on the Hardcourt Hunnies podcast!
Welcome to Bubble City- where dreams come true and giving the Sacramento Kings a participation trophy could come back to bite Adam Silver!
In a very obvious move to keep the New Orleans Pelicans on television as long as possible during the shortened NBA season, the League has invited everyone within six games of the 8th seed to Orlando.
People are talking about Bane…I mean, Zion and the Pelicans. Folks are mentioning the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant a.k.a. F*Ck 12 (shout out to The Migos). Even the Trailblazers are getting pub- although we may not be getting a representative squad in O-Town from them.
SHHHH!!!
Do not talk about the Sacramento Kings!
Of the teams fighting for that last spot in the playoffs, though, the Kings could be the sleeper to get in.
The Squad
You can’t talk Kings without talking about their dynamic backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield. They combined for a little over 40 PPG and right around 10 APG, providing both the scoring punch and the playmaking that had the Kings rolling right before the season shut down (again, thank you, Corona). SacTown won 7 of their last 10 before we bounced for COVID, including two wins over Memphis, and victories over the Clippers, Wizards, and Blazers- all opponents that will be in Bubble City.
Injuries have been a bear for the Kings, and COVID will, likely, take out Jabari Parker (who has only played in one game this season) and Alex Len.
On the positive, Marvin Bagley III, the Kings’ young gun in the post, will be healthy and head coach Luke Walton has already made it clear that he plans to use him in Bubble City.
This only adds depth to one of the deeper teams battling for the final Western Conference playoff spot, as the Kings have eight different players averaging over double figures, including veterans of the playoffs like Harrison Barnes and Kent Bazemore. Don’t forget about The Serbian Express, the undisputed tag team champions of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja “Belly” Bjelica.
Fire power is NOT a problem for the Kings.
Schedule
If you have to show up to Bubble City, you want a schedule like Sacramento’s.
They will get to control their own destiny, with a game against the Spurs and two against New Orleans. It could be a blessing or a curse, but they will balance out these games with shots at Orlando, a depleted Brooklyn squad, and they will wrap up with a Lakers team that will have very little to play for, in all likelihood, in a scenario where rest will be highly valued.
Tough games versus Dallas and Houston round out the schedule for the Kings.
If they can split with New Orleans and take the Spurs match up, 5-3 is not out of the question. Even 6-2 could be a possibility.
Sacramento Kings Prediction
Will it be easy for the Sacramento Kings to get the 8th seed? No.
But it is more than just a possibility that they can make this happen!
I see the Kings making the Play In Tournament, meaning they are within four games of the 8th seed once everyone has played their Bubble City schedule to completion. Once they are in that dance, who knows?
I do not see any of the Bubble City bottom feeders taking out the Lakers in the First Round of the playoffs, but the Sacramento Kings are as poised as any of them to crown themselves as a playoff team once the dust settles.
