We saw them coming from afar. Both the victory of the Kings in Portland and their qualification in the play-offs, which took shape very early in the season. But it’s still an event, now official: Sacramento, a franchise whose only constancy resided in mediocrity, will not see its journey end at the same time as the regular season for the first time since 2006 and the non- renewal of the last coach to have made this team shine, Rick Adelman.
This series of 16 consecutive seasons without play-offs, from 2007 to 2022, one more than the Clippers between 1977 and 1991, will remain an NBA record for quite some time since the mistigri of the longest “drought” in progress ( according to the usual term in the United States) is now held by the Charlotte Hornets, who this year sign their seventh consecutive season without play-offs.
Under the orders of Mike Brown, who arrived last year from the bench of Golden State, where he was assistant to Steve Kerr, after the fourth title of the Warriors version Stephen Curry, “Sacto” develops this season a coherent game on both sides parquet. It was again obvious on Wednesday against the Blazers deprived of their entire five majors (Lillard, Simons, Reddish, Grant and Nurkic).
Still challenged at halftime (46-50), the Californians unrolled during the second to clinch a victory that comes in the top 10 biggest gaps of the season (80-120, +40). This made it possible to rotate the workforce (no holder with more than 27 minutes of play, 15 players used in total with Malik Monk in top scorer, 19 points) in anticipation of a first round where the Kings will also now be assured of have the advantage of parquet. Coffee and cigar while waiting for the bill.