Kendrick Perkins Makes Strong Statement About Sacramento Kings
When the Sacramento Kings defeated the Brooklyn Nets 101-96 on Thursday, they won their 42nd game, which assured them of their first winning record since the 2005-06 campaign.
They have been a feel-good story in the NBA this season, as they currently hold the second seed in the Western Conference and are on their way to ending their long playoff drought, which dates back to 2006.
But many are unsure of how far they could realistically go in the playoffs, as they possess plenty of depth but no true superstar.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, however, feels the Kings can reach the Western Conference Finals this year.
.@KendrickPerkins believes the Kings’ ceiling is the Western Conference Finals 👀 pic.twitter.com/cHIDe7Hydb
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 17, 2023
Sacramento has been getting the job done with a very potent offense, and it actually ranks first in team offense with 120.9 points per game.
However, to win in the playoffs, a team also needs to excel on the defensive end, which is something the Kings do not do at all.
They rank just 25th in defensive rating, and they don’t have a lot of rim protection or strong defenders on their roster.
Perkins mentioned that Sacramento could face the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the playoffs, and he feels that the Warriors’ inability to win on the road would be a big advantage for Sacramento, who would have home-court advantage.
However, the Warriors have the type of championship pedigree and experience the Kings can only dream of, and that could mean De’Aaron Fox and company would be in trouble if and when the Warriors take at least one road game in the capital of California.