In their initial attempt to secure their first playoff berth since 2006, the Sacramento Kings failed miserably.
The Kings will make one more effort to end the longest postseason dry spell in pro athletics when they visit the oppressed Portland Pioneers on Wednesday night.
Sacramento (45-30) is on the verge of ending that dreadful 16-season streak, but it was unable to do so when it lost 119-115 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
Because this is the first of two games against the Trail Blazers in a row, securing a victory over Portland (34-43) feels like a formality.
Additionally, according to a report from Bleacher Report, Portland has lost nine of its last ten games and will be without star guard Damian Lillard (calf), who has been ruled out for the season.
In 58 games this season, Lillard averaged 32.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.8 rebounds.
Harrison Barnes, a forward for the Kings, sees the bigger picture as well. He would have liked to see the home crowd celebrate the milestone.
In the game against Minnesota, Fox scored 29 points, while fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis added 24 points and 10 rebounds. However, compared to the Timberwolves’ 33 assists, the Kings were only 5 of 27 from three-point range.
Keegan Murray was 1 of 6 from 3-point range however tied Lillard (185) for the second-most 3-pointers by a new kid on the block in NBA history. Donovan Mitchell holds the record with 187, which he set while playing for the Utah Jazz from 2017 to 2018.
Portland is playing out the remainder of a second consecutive disappointing season while the Kings, who are third in the Western Conference, are anticipating the postseason.
Before their recent slump, the Trail Blazers were on the outside of the play-in tournament race.
However, Lillard and fellow starters Jerami Grant (quadriceps), Jusuf Nurkic (knee), and Anfernee Simons (foot) all sat out of Monday’s 124-90 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Before the game started, Portland was down 30-12, and it was down 58-35 at halftime. In the end, the deficit reached 36.
After having the best three games of his career, including 29 points in Sunday’s 118-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, rookie Shaedon Sharpe fell back to earth against New Orleans.
Sharpe scored 10 in garbage time after scoring two points in the first three quarters against the Pelicans and averaging 25.7 points during that stretch. He made 5 of 13 shots for 12 points.
Nassir Little, who had a season-high 28 points in the game against Oklahoma City, only scored seven points on three of ten attempts.
Keon Johnson matched his vocation high of 20 focuses to lead the drained Pioneers against the Pelicans.
Earlier this season, the Kings and Trail Blazers split two games.
