Light The Beam 🔦
03/30/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
Kings Wallop Blazers by 40 (120-80) to Snap Longest Playoff Drought in Pro Sports
Sacramento, say it ain’t so! The longest playoff drought in professional sports is officially over. The Kings are heading back to the NBA playoffs for the first time in what feels like an eternity. Sacramento smashed Portland by 40 points on Wednesday night (120-80) with a second-half blitz to secure the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2006 — the longest playoff drought in NBA history and the longest active drought in American professional sports. The Kings outscored the Blazers by 34 in the second half with five players in double figures and 14 different scorers.
Kings Drought By The Numbers (Since 2006)
809 Losses
16 Lottery Picks
11 Different Head Coaches
5 Different Heads of Basketball Operations
3 All-Stars
Fun Fact:Â The Kings entered the season with 250-1 odds to win the Pacific Division.
Sacramento has been synonymous with losing for the better part of the 21st century. Now, with all-stars in Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox and a young core of shooters, the Kings will have home-court advantage in at least one round of the playoffs. They’re currently the 3-seed in the West, but they could eclipse Memphis for the No. 2 spot by the season’s end. And the marketing department’s new rallying cry will make its way to your living room come April when Kings players smash that big purple button — Light the Beam!
Watch:Â Kings Crush Blazers to End 17-Year Playoff Drought
NBA Highlights
Holiday Gets Career-High 51:Â The Bucks hung 149 on the Pacers Wednesday (149-136) in Indiana thanks a career-high 51 points from Jrue Holiday. He also added eight rebounds and eight rebounds while Giannis Antetokounmpo added a triple double (38-17-12).
Clippers Cap Grizz: The Clippers and Grizzlies delivered some fierce basketball last night with Russell Westbrook (36) and Ja Morant (36) dueling things out. Robert Covington had 27 off the bench on a 7-for-7 night from 3 to help the Clips end Memphis’s seven-game win streak (141-132).
KD Returns for Suns:Â After a brief stint in Phoenix before injuring his ankle, Kevin Durant returned for the Suns on Wednesday in a win over the Timberwolves (107-100). KD had 16 points in somewhat limited minutes while Devin Booker poured in 29. The Suns are winners of three straight and currently fourth in the West.
Other NBA Highlights
76ers def. Mavericks (116-108)
Bonus:Â Thunder Beat Pistons on Game-Winning Tip-In
Photo: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images