There’s not much positive going on around the Sacramento Kings, as they’ve been one of the most unlucky franchises in the NBA and all of North American sports for nearly two decades. But thanks to the right mix of players and new head coach Mike Brown, the Kings find themselves in third place in the hotly contested Western Conference entering March.
The Kings have the longest playoff drought in any of the four major sports. It’s been 16 years since Sacramento hosted a postseason game, but they currently have an 88 percent chance of breaking that streak. There are 22 games left, and if their recent play is any indication, they should be able to hold on to their playoff hopes, and maybe even the three seeds.
NBA Coach of the Year odds 2023
If that happens, and the Kings not only avoid the gatehouse but also have home field advantage in their first playoff series since the iPhone was invented, then Brown deserves very serious consideration for the Coach’s award. of the Year of the NBA. And it looks like he’s already getting some recognition.
According to sportsbooks, the race for the award has been a two-man race for the past month, between Brown and rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla, who has the Celtics tied for the best record in the league. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone is the only other real chance for the award, though he’s a long shot at this point, coming in at +400.
Mazzulla had been ahead of Brown and the favorite for most of January and February as the Celtics soared. But the Kings’ sustained success has pushed Brown into the top favorite to win the COY, with a +125 designation. The gap between him and Mazzulla (+185) isn’t exactly sizable, but it’s big enough that Brown can clinch the award with a handful of more impressive wins from Sacramento.
The Kings will be on track to take on the Thunder tonight, but they will play five of their next six at home at the Golden 1 Center. They’ll be playing tough teams, but if they’re able to snap out of that skid with a 4-2 record, they’ll be sitting pretty in the final month of the season.
