While the Kings’ storybook season has been a feel-good tale all year, many are skeptical about how they’ll perform in the playoffs.
Charles Barkley, however, has an idea.
“The Sacramento Kings are going to win a playoff series,” Barkley said on TNT’s NBA Tip-Off on Thursday. “Guaranteed! They’re going to be playing the [Golden State] Warriors or the [Los Angeles] Lakers, that’s a tough first-round series. They gon’ win a series.”
Barkley added that he's tired of the "slander" the Kings have received all season.
Sacramento (48-32) is making its first playoff appearance since 2006. The Kings currently sit in the No. 3 seed in the West, while the Warriors (42-38) are No. 6 and the Lakers (41-39) are No. 7.
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Kings nearly have locked down the three seed and the sixth and final playoff seed is up for the Warriors. Clippers and Lakers to fight for. Whoever ends up earning the spot will get a first-round series likely against Sacramento.
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Given the big names like Steph Curry and LeBron James on each of those respective teams, a first-round exit is being projected for the Kings.
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This Kings team, however, has been proving every doubter and critic wrong all season. They clinched their first Pacific Division title in 20 years -- the same division that has teams like the Warriors, Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers in it.
Plus, Sacramento will have home-court advantage and while the Kings haven't been great at home this season, opponents know how hard it can be to win inside a loud, cowbell-filled Golden 1 Center.