Western Conference Standings Update: Where do the Kings stand?
Feb 16, 2024, 9:10 AM | Updated: 9:14 am
(Photo by Alysa Rubin/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alysa Rubin/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)
While the Sacramento Kings have an identical record through 54 games as they did one year ago (31-23), their place in the Western Conference standings looks slightly different.
Entering the All-Star break last season, Sacramento sat in the third spot in the West standings. This year, they enter the break in Play-In territory as the eighth seed.
How is that possible?
The Western Conference has been a buzzsaw this season, with the top six teams possessing winning percentages of .600 or higher. For reference, entering last year’s All-Star break, just two teams had won 60 percent or more of their games:
Denver and Memphis.
It’s a different story this year, as three games separate the top-four teams in the conference, while the fifth through eighth seeds have just 1.5 games between them.
With less than half of the season to go, let’s check where things stand in the wild, wild Western Conference.
Western Conference Standings
Sacramento’s win over Denver heading into the break was significant as it kept a two-game gap between themselves and the surging Los Angeles Lakers.
As was the case last season, the Lakers have hit the ground running post-trade-deadline, winning six of their past seven games.
Another team that has climbed back into the postseason discussion is the Golden State Warriors, who have won eight of ten to pass the Utah Jazz for the tenth and final Play-In spot.
As far as the road ahead goes, the Kings will have some tough tests on the horizon as they own the sixth-hardest remaining strength of schedule in the conference (eighth-hardest in the NBA) per Tankathon.
While Sacramento’s schedule won’t be a walk in the park, some teams ahead of them–Phoenix (the most challenging remaining schedule in the league) and the Los Angeles Clippers (seventh hardest)–have more difficult paths to the playoffs.
Teams near or beneath the Kings in the standings, like the Lakers (tenth hardest schedule) and New Orleans Pelicans (twelfth hardest), have similar roads ahead as these teams vie for a top-six spot in the conference.
Western Conference Remaining Strength of Schedule
(Per Tankathon.com)
Teams like Dallas, Golden State, Denver, and Oklahoma City have much easier paths than Sacramento, adding pressure to an already crucial final stretch of the season.
The good news for the Kings is that 17 of their final 28 games will take place at Golden 1 Center, where they hold a 15-9 (.625) record this season.
It’s almost time for the playoff push, and the stakes will rise with each passing game until we reach mid-April.
When is the next Sacramento Kings game?
Sacramento will enter the All-Star break looking to rest and recover for the final stretch of the regular season.
Once the Kings return from the week-long break, they will face rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs–owner of the worst record in the Western Conference–on Thursday, February 22nd, at Golden 1 Center.
Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Spurs coverage, beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Upcoming Schedule
- NBA All-Star break – February 15-21
- Thursday, February 22nd – Sacramento Kings vs. San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 PM PST
- Sunday, February 25th – Sacramento Kings @ Los Angeles Clippers – 6:30 PM PST
- Monday, February 26th – Sacramento Kings vs. Miami Heat – 7:00 PM PST
- Wednesday, February 28th – Sacramento Kings @ Denver Nuggets – 6:00 PM PST
- Friday, March 1st – Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 5:00 PM PST
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