Kings Victory Over Pistons, Three-Game Win Streak Shows They are Ready for Play-In Game

The current NBA season may not have gone the Kings’ way, but despite all their adversity and internal shakeup, Sacramento appears to be headed to the play-in game.

With their backs against the wall and nowhere to go, the team turned around a rather weak end-of-season stretch to win three in a row.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

That put plenty of distance between them and the Suns, who occupy the eleventh seed, and gives them a chance at the early postseason.

While Sacramento’s struggles firmly took them out of the top six seeds, they still have a shot to make the seven game series. A lot of that is due to their recent victories, and none of those were more important than their win over the Pistons on Monday night.

Never Giving Up

The Kings might not be the best team heading into the postseason, but they could also be getting hot at the right time. Winning three straight is far from taking the world by storm, but their recent win against the Pistons showed a large amount of resolve.

Though Sacramento took the game by ten points (127-117), it was far from smooth sailing

In fact, they were down by ten at the half and as much as eighteen in the second. That lead seemed insurmountable, but the Kings found a way to fight back.

Behind truly herculean efforts by Zach LaVine and Demar DeRozan, Sacramento steadily chipped away at Detroit’s lead before closing the gap and eventually getting the win.

LaVine finished the night with 43 points, while DeRozan ended up with 37.

Both players were almost unstoppable. They attacked the rim, shot well, and got everyone involved. Their spark went a long way, allowing the team to battle back and spread the floor.

Their hot night also opened up the middle and gave Domantas Sabonis (19 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists) a chance to show out.

Top Heavy All the Way Down

LaVine and DeRozan became the first pair of Kings teammates to score 35+ points each since the team first moved to Sacramento. It was a great feat that showed exactly what the team is capable of when everything clicks.

They might not have the same depth as other playoff teams, but LaVine, DeRozan, and Sabonis are a formidable trio. All three of them have the ability to score, see the floor, and get hot. Just one of them being on can be enough for a win.

If multiple of them go off it’s extremely hard for opposing teams to keep up

That’s what the Pistons game showed. The Kings did not have the best showing from their bench, but they relied on their starting talent to come out on top. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

“We come here to win a ball game,” said interim head coach Doug Christie. “[The Pistons] got going in the first half and we hung around and hung in there, and just came out in the second half and made sure we hit first. The guys…Did a really, really solid job.”

Preparing for the Near Future

The Pistons game is also important because it shows just how volatile one game can be. Detroit has had a better year, and could well be the better team, but LaVine and DeRozan’s efforts both pushed Sacramento over the edge.

All it takes is for one team to go cold, one team to get hot, or for players to have an explosive night for things to turn around. That’s important because it means, despite the King's struggles, they aren’t necessarily out of it just yet.

They have a tough hill to climb

The other teams in the play-in are going to be a tough bid. Even so, the Kings could get a win or two if things swing their way. Anything can happen, which gives Sacramento a real chance to get to the big time with a bit of momentum.

An Unfortunate Setback

While the Kings should be celebrating their victory, one bit of bad news from Detroit came in the first quarter.

Stand out guard Malik Monk, who is having a career year this season, went down after just six minutes of play with an apparent calf injury. He did not return.

There’s no official word just yet on how bad the damage might be

It could be something as simple as a contusion, or it could be a much bigger ailment. Either way, the strong guard could be out for a few games.

If he does sit out, Markelle Fultz would likely take on a much bigger role as a way to fill in the gap.

He is not a one-to-one substitute for the dynamic scorer, but he’s long, powerful, and has a veteran presence on the court that could come in handy down the line.

The Kings are going to need all hands on deck if they want to make some noise in the postseason

Still, they can get wins against good teams with Monk if needed. They showed that against Detroit, and they could well show it again soon.