The Kings desperately need to get a win or two in the books and soon, and they’ll have to catch some luck and bring their A-game to do it this week, as it isn’t going to be a walk in the park.
The Kings face four teams all currently slated for the playoffs, as well as the defending champions on the road. The four games also come on back-to-backs with road and home alternating so there is going to be travel involved every day and little time to rest.
The first game comes at Portland, a team the Kings just recently faced (and lost to) last week at ARCO Arena. The Kings probably should have won that game, leading 99-90 late, but the Blazers were able to take it to overtime and eventual victory. The Blazers will be on their home floor, but they’re riddled with injuries, and the Kings will want revenge.
The next night Sacramento return home to face the Bobcats for the first time this season. Gerald Wallace was originally brought to Charlotte from Sacramento in an expansion draft, and Kings fans still think of him fondly, despite him being little more than a super athletic garbage time player during his time with the team. The Bobcats defense can be tough, but their offense is exactly the opposite. It’s perhaps the most winnable game of the week, especially considering Charlotte is the only team below .500 and only 5-14 on the road.
The game against the Lakers will likely require some divine intervention to win. It’s not as if the Lakers haven’t been upset by some bad teams before, but ever since getting Andrew Bynum back they’ve been on a roll.
Sacramento then comes back home to play the Hornets for the third time this season. The Kings have lost the previous two meetings, but played competitively in both games, losing only by 3 and then 4 points. The last victory was perhaps the biggest collapse all season for Sacramento, as they led by 23 points in the 2nd half and still lost. The comeback was the largest in New Orleans Franchise History.
The Kings have their work cut out for them. Hopefully they can start the 2nd half of the season on the right track.