Sacramento moves within one win of ending 16-season playoff drought

Mar 25, 2023, 11:08 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: Keegan Murray #13 of the Sacramento Kings drives toward the bask...

(Photo by Loren Elliott/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

And then there was one.

The Sacramento Kings’ Magic Number for securing an NBA Playoff berth has been reduced to one following a 121-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

While the Kings had a chance to clinch in front of 18,151 fans at Golden 1 Center, they could have another chance to end the 16-season playoff drought with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.

Some research is needed as there are some scenarios where the Kings could clinch before they take the floor on Monday, but the NBA will not release clinch scenarios until Sunday morning. For now, the Magic Number sits at one as the time to celebrate inches closer.

Sacramento picked up its 45th win on Saturday–the most by the franchise since the 2004-05 season when they finished the year with 50 wins.

About that time, Kings fans 🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/NksHxI6vHw

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 26, 2023

After getting pummeled in the paint by Utah on Monday night in Salt Lake City, rookie center Walker Kessler gave Sacramento fits during the first half as the Jazz took control early.

Kessler (19 first-half points) was the driving force behind a Utah offense that outscored the Kings in the paint 38-20 during the first half. Sacramento looked flat on the offensive end without De’Aaron Fox (hamstring soreness), as they finished the second quarter having shot 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the three-point line.

As was the case just 24 hours earlier while facing Phoenix, the Kings needed to make halftime adjustments to get back on track.

For the second night in a row, Sacramento came out of the halftime break firing as Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes (nine points each in the third) re-ignited the Kings’ offense to the tune of a 25-10 run during the opening minutes of the second half.

Sacramento got it done on both ends of the floor in the third, outscoring the Jazz 35-17 while shooting 58 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep while holding Utah to eight-of-21 (38%) shooting in the period.

Second-half adjustments were needed, and Mike Brown’s Kings came through once again to shift the momentum of this game heading into the fourth quarter.

“That’s two games in a row that we came out in the third quarter and responded,” Brown said postgame of his team’s ability to adjust mid-game. “You like to see us come out and make the adjustments that we needed to.”

Keegan HUGE trey 💦 pic.twitter.com/mUhTcNIvtX

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 26, 2023

Things got close late in the fourth as Utah trimmed Sacramento’s 12-point lead to six with two minutes remaining, but Keegan Murray’s sixth three-point field goal of the night put this one away as ‘Light the beam’ chants reverberated around a sold-out Golden 1 Center.

The Kings closed out another game without Fox, as players like Huerter, Harrison Barnes, and Murray came up big during crunch time in another win for the soon-to-be playoff-bound Sacramento Kings.

Takeaways

Keegan Murray is closing in on history, as the rookie forward is just four three-point field goals away from setting a new NBA record.

Murray finished Saturday’s game with 22 points on six-of-12 shooting from three-point range, giving himself 184 made three-point field goals–just three back of Donovan Mitchell’s record of 187 triples.

“I think it’s great because it comes in the flow of our offense. I don’t do anything special,” Murray said of his soon-to-be record-setting three-point shooting. “We have a lot of playmakers in our offense. I just knock down shots.”

Domantas Sabonis racked up his 60th double-double of the season during the win, scoring 16 points to go along with 15 rebounds and seven assists over 38 minutes.

Kevin Huerter continued to impress in his return from injury, as the sharpshooting guard scored 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, swiped three steals, and handed out four assists, marking the first time in his NBA career that he posted 25+ points and 7+ rebounds in consecutive games.

Huerter kickin' off the third quarter with a triple pic.twitter.com/ijGIwd4jBU

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) March 26, 2023

Harrison Barnes continued to be a late-game anchor for Sacramento, as the veteran forward scored seven of his 18 points during the fourth quarter.

Davion Mitchell and Matthew Dellavedova provided the Kings with strong defense at the guard spots on Saturday, as Mitchell finished the night with four steals and drew two charges while starting in place of Fox.

Dellavedova swiped a steal and was honored for his hustle postgame when the team honored the Australian guard with his first Defensive Player of the Game chain of the season.

Tonight’s Defensive Player of the Game:

DELLY.

“You like it? It suits me.” pic.twitter.com/zSWDm6jcKf

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) March 26, 2023

Injury Updates

Mike Brown shared that De’Aaron Fox (hamstring soreness) was held out of Saturday’s game as a precautionary measure.

Brown told the media that it was his decision to sit Fox, who wanted to suit up and play with his teammates after exiting Friday’s game against the Suns during the third quarter.

Fox’s injury isn’t considered serious, and Brown said that he felt there “wasn’t a reason ” to play the All-Star guard against Utah, hinting at larger priorities on the horizon–and Sacramento definitely has some big games coming up as they close in on clinching a playoff spot.

Having their star guard healthy for the playoff run is a top priority, and Brown seems keen on resting Fox until he’s feeling 100 percent.

Next Game

Sacramento will conclude its four-game home stand on Monday as they will face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the final time this regular season when the two teams meet at Golden 1 Center.

Be sure to get all of your Kings vs. T-Wolves coverage right here on Sactown Sports 1140 beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.