Kings-Spurs gameday live: Crucial stretch for Sacramento’s playoff hopes — get used to it
The Kings are in the midst of a critical stretch in their schedule and fans should probably get used to hearing that with just 33 games remaining in the regular season.
Sacramento seems to be in prime position to end an NBA-record 16-year playoff drought. The Kings (28-21) are third in the Western Conference going into Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center, but their current seven-game road trip could be a make-or-break moment.
The Kings split the first two games of the trip, falling 117-110 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday before avenging the loss with a 118-111 overtime victory over the Timberwolves on Monday. Sacramento will conclude the trip with five games against four teams with a combined record of 76-128.
The Spurs (14-37) are up first. They’ve lost six in a row and 11 of their last 12. They surprised the league by going 5-2 to start the season, but since then they’ve gone 9-35. Devin Vassell is out indefinitely after undergoing left knee surgery in early January. He made news a couple of weeks ago when he was seen walking on a treadmill.
The Kings will then visit the Indiana Pacers (24-28), who have lost three in a row and 10 of 11 with former Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton out due to knee and shoulder injuries. Haliburton is reportedly hoping to return when the Pacers play host to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. That would put him in line to face the Kings on Friday if the Pacers let him play on the second night of a back-to-back.
From there, Sacramento will head south to play the New Orleans Pelicans (26-25) on Sunday. The Pelicans had lost nine in a row going into Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Zion Williamson has been out since Jan. 2 with a right hamstring strain. Brandon Ingram recently came back after missing two months with a toe injury. Ingram has appeared in three games since his return, averaging 17.5 points while going 17 of 57 (.200) from the field and 2 of 15 (.091) from 3-point range. The Pelicans rested Ingram in a back-to-back situation against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. They will also be facing the Kings on the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Lakers on Saturday.
The Kings will then return to Texas to wrap up the trip with a two-game set against the Houston Rockets (12-38). Houston lost 13 in a row and 18 of 19 to fall to the deepest reaches of the Western Conference. The Rockets have now won two of four with victories over the Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons, but they still have the worst record in the NBA.
If the Kings can win all five games to run their winning streak to six, they would improve to 12 games over .500. That could provide a much-needed cushion with 28 games remaining against the Mavericks (3); Phoenix Suns (3); Portland Trail Blazers (3); Los Angeles Clippers (2); Oklahoma City Thunder (2); Timberwolves (2); Pelicans (2); New York Knicks (1); Bucks (1); Chicago Bulls (1); Brooklyn Nets (1); Washington Wizards (1); Utah Jazz (2); Boston Celtics (1); Spurs (1); Golden State Warriors (1); and Denver Nuggets (1).
Those 17 teams have a combined record of 439-410 (.517). Twelve of them are over .500 Three others are only two games under .500. Several, including the Suns, Blazers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Bucks, Nets and Warriors, could have stronger second halves after dealing with significant injuries over the first half of the season.
The Kings are in a position of strength as the All-Star break approaches, but they will have to stay strong down the stretch. They are just 2 ½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed. They are also just 2 ½ games ahead of the Mavericks and Suns for the No. 6 seed and 4 ½ games ahead of the Thunder and Blazers, who are tied for 11th.
Kings at Spurs
When: 5 p.m.
Where: AT&T Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Kings -7.5
Over/under: 244.5
Injury report
Kings: None.
Spurs: PROBABLE — Josh Richardson (knee). QUESTIONABLE — Romeo Langford (adductor). OUT — Dominick Barlow (G League); Charles Bassey (G League); Devin Vassell (knee).
Upcoming schedule
Feb. 1 at San Antonio Spurs
Feb. 3 at Indiana Pacers
Feb. 5 at New Orleans Pelicans
Feb 6. at Houston Rockets
Feb. 8 at Houston Rockets
