Western Conference Standings Update: Where the Kings stand at the break

The Western Conference standings are always a neck-and-neck race, but this season’s push for the postseason will feature a photo finish for several teams.

As the NBA All-Star game moves into the rearview, teams will begin their push for playoff positioning starting this week as we move into the final stretch of the regular season.

For the new-look Sacramento Kings (28-27), the road to a postseason berth is anything but straightforward as the Beam Team enters play on Friday night sitting 3.5 games behind the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot with 27 games remaining.

Sacramento and Golden State–two teams that are currently tied for ninth in the standings–will face off on Friday night at Golden 1 Center in the first of many pivotal upcoming matchups that can affect the Kings’ place in the Western Conference standings.

Here’s an updated look at where the Kings currently stand in the race for a third-consecutive postseason berth (Playoffs in 2022-23 and Play-In appearance in 2023-24):

Western Conference Standings

The Kings will need to adjust to life without De’Aaron Fox in a timely fashion if they want to avoid falling out of the postseason chase.

New faces Zach LaVine, Jonas Valanciunas, Jake LaRavia, and Markelle Fultz will look to provide a boost following the All-Star break–especially with a few practices under their belts, something that interim head coach Doug Christie didn’t have a chance to put his team through in the days following the February 6th trade deadline.

Sacramento’s offense has been its usual impressive self, scoring 120+ points in three out of the past four games. The defense, however, has been a concern, as the Kings have surrendered 124.1 points per game over the past eight contests.

The Kings’ three-point defense has been an issue all season long (allowing opponents to shoot 37.7% per game, 29th in the NBA), and that aspect of their makeup will be watched closely over the final 27 games.

Not only does Sacramento have to juggle a new-look roster over the final stretch, but they will also have to deal with a devastatingly complicated schedule the rest of the way:

(Tankathon)

The Kings hold the second-hardest remaining strength of schedule in the NBA the rest of the way, only training fellow Western Conference playoff hopeful Phoenix.

March will feature a brutal 15-game stretch that includes 14 matchups against teams currently in the race (or already in position) for a postseason spot. Boston, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Memphis are among the teams that Sacramento will face during the regular season’s final weeks.

It all starts on Friday night at Golden 1 Center. Will the Kings rise to the occasion and build a run that will result in the franchise’s second playoff berth since 2006, or will they mirror recent teams by fizzling down the closing stretch?

The time is now for Sacramento to assert itself in the Western Conference standings. Let’s see if they can show up when it matters most.

More Kings content from Sactown Sports

Former Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox unfollowed Domantas Sabonis on social media this week, causing some fans to question the new San Antonio Spurs star’s decision.

“Don’t care to see it,” Fox replied to a fan on Instagram in a since-deleted comment when asked about unfollowing his former teammate. “We were teammates. It’s okay to not be close to everybody.”

The Athletic’s Sam Amick joined The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to share his thoughts on the Fox-Sabonis dynamic, laid out whether or not there was more going on behind the scenes between the two, and much more.

Plus, Amick dives into the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers that shook the basketball world to its core.

Be sure to check out the entire interview with Sam Amick on the Sactown Sports 1140 YouTube page.

The Sam Amick Show is brought to you by our partners at Jiffy Lube. Stop by one of their several locations today!

Sam Amick on the De’Aaron Fox-Domantas Sabonis social media drama

When is the next Kings game?

The playoff push will begin on Friday night at Golden 1 Center when the Sacramento Kings face a familiar foe–the Golden State Warriors as both teams hope to climb the Western Conference standings.

Sacramento is 2-0 against the Golden State this season, winning the most recent matchup at Golden 1 Center by a final of 123-117 on January 22nd behind 32 points from DeMar DeRozan.

Be sure to catch all of the Kings vs. Warriors drama right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage starting at 2:00 PM PT on The Drive Guys before action tips off at 7:00 PM PT from downtown Sacramento.

Upcoming schedule for the 2024-25 Sacramento Kings

• Friday, February 13th – Sunday, February 16th – All-Star Weekend
• Friday, February 21st – vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PT
• Monday, February 24th – vs. Charlotte Hornets – 7:00 PM PT
• Wednesday, February 26th – @ Utah Jazz – 6:00 PM PT
• Monday, March 3rd – @ Dallas Mavericks – 5:30 PM PT

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