The team that many people in Serbia started rooting for because of Stojaković and Divac “caught” the playoffs for the first time since the days of… Stojaković and Divac.
Sacramento defeated Portland 120:80 the previous night and thus got a “golden victory”. With this triumph, the Kings secured a place in the playoffs in six rounds before the end of the regular part of the season, which ended the black streak that American sports can’t remember. Believe it or not, but for a full 17 years, Sacramento failed to reach the playoffs which is the longest fast in the major American sports (hockey, American football, baseball and basketball).
The club that many people in Serbia cheered for because of Peđa Stojaković and Vlada Divac, has not felt the magic of the “postseason” since their time. The last time they played in the playoffs was in the 2005/06 season, and in that season Divac and Stojaković already left the Kings. Coach Rick Adelman’s company at the time was knocked out by San Antonio 4-2 in the first round. For example, Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Mike Beebe, Kevin Martin, Jason Mart, Francisco Garcia played for that team… So, all basketball players who became pensioners in the old days, so Kings fans really had to be patient.
Many dry years had to pass, until the season in which coach Mike Brown managed to “sort out” the team. It is of course led by the fantastic Dieron Fox, who is playing the basketball of his career, while there is also the excellent Domantas Sabonis, the experienced Harrison Barnes, as well as Kevin Hurter and Keegan Murray, players who play a very important role throughout the season.
If we add Malik Monk and Trey Lyles to that, we get a very grateful team that is first of all well led, and that also took advantage of the mild crisis in the West to make it to the playoffs from a very high position.
As things stand now, the Kings will go from third place to the playoffs, where according to the current standings, the Warriors are waiting for them, but a lot can change until the end. They still have a chance to leapfrog the Grizzlies for second place, while a lot of changes are possible below them. Teams from fourth to tenth place are in “three wins”, so we probably won’t know the full look of the skeleton until the last day.