The Kings are one of the 22 teams invited to play in Orlando as the NBA prepares to restart its season after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
While the team has a tough schedule ahead, they still have a chance to make the playoffs. Well ... not according to ESPN.
Kings guard De’Aaron Fox sounded off when he saw a portion of a playoff predictions article on the website that didn’t even mention the Kings:
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The article detailed that tough eight-seed scenario, which is fair. The Kings are three-and-a-half games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed, and there is a three-way tie in ninth place between the Kings, the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans
Each team that goes to Orlando will play eight "seeding games." If the No. 9 seed is within four games of the No. 8 seed there will be a play-in tournament between the No. 8 and 9 seeds. That tournament will be double elimination for the No. 8 seed and single elimination for the No. 9 seed.
I’ll say it again, it’s not going to be easy, but to not even mention the Kings? Oof. Even just say: “Oh, the Sacramento Kings will be there, too.” Something.
NBA
NBC Sports’ own Tom Haberstroh quoted the famous “Dumb and Dumber,” line in a recent interview that proves it’ll be a tough task. The Kings were one of the hottest teams in the NBA when the season was suspended, going 13-7 in their last 20 games before the coronavirus hiatus.
[RELATED: How Kings are affected NBA standings change, tiebreaker]
Yes, it’s been a while since actual NBA games were played, but it’s almost as if the team was an afterthought.
As Fox said, not even a mention is uncalled for.