When was the last time the Sacramento Kings made the playoffs?
If you didn’t know, it’s kind of a big deal to see the Kings back in the NBA playoffs, especially when considering how long it’s been since they were last there.
Believe it or not, postseason basketball is back in Sacramento and by the looks of things it might be here to stay. Indeed, after a lengthy drought - the longest ever to be honest - the Kings are back in the postseason and by all accounts they aren’t there to make up numbers. Yet, how long has it been? Let’s find out.
When were the Kings last in the playoffs?
Though it may be hard to believe, the last time the Sacramento Kings were in the NBA playoffs was not too long after YouTube was launched - the 2005-06 season to be precise - when they finished 8th in the Western Conference to book a spot in the post season. To be clear, it’s been 16 seasons since the Kings last tasted postseason basketball and as you can imagine both the team and its fans couldn’t be happier.
“We’ve had a great season and people saw this coming since February, but the vibe leading to actually clinching a playoff spot was extreme caution, even when the magic numbers for clinching dwindled down,” Carmichael Dave said. “A lot of us were deathly afraid of jinxing anything. We had several chances to clinch, and it didn’t happen. So, when we finally did clinch, there was bliss.” Dave is a local radio personality, who is largely credited with saving the Kings from oblivion back in 2013, when they were on the verge of leaving for Seattle. At the time, he took to the road in his van to garner support for the franchise and in the end it worked. Ten years later, Dave is a veritable celebrity in Sacramento and rightly so.
What does Sacramento’s playoff record look like?
To be honest, not so good. Back in 2006, the Kings were eliminated in the very first round 4-2 by the San Antonio Spurs. Incidentally, it was the second consecutive year that they exited the playoffs in the very first round and was the final season following eight straight appearances in which they took a post season trip, before the longest playoff absence in league history began. As for the last time they made it to the second round, that would be in 2004, however, they were eliminated 4-3 by the Minnesota Timberwolves. On the other hand, we should mention that the Kings actually won an NBA title, though we’ve got to go all the way back to the 1950-51 season when they were known as the Rochester Royals. It’s been a minute to say the least.
What can we expect from the Sacramento Kings in 2023?
While Kings fans are staunchly behind their team, it would be fair to say that this season has exceeded expectations. Yet, it would also be fair to say that they’ve got a good thing going. From De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis to Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes and rising star, Keegan Murray, the Kings aren’t in the playoffs by fortune, they deserve to be there. Indeed, this is the most wins they’ve notched since the 2004-05 season. On the other hand, the Kings are about to take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. With that in mind, it might be best to maintain a cautiously optimistic approach if you’re a Kings fan. On the other hand, the Warriors enter the post season having struggled of late and as we know in the NBA, anything can happen.