Sacramento, California (PSF) - How about those Sacramento Kings! 

Last night the Kings clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2006 with a 120-80 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Sacramento fans are probably the happiest they have been in years after ending their 16-year playoff drought. I don’t think there is a fan base, front office, or team who deserves this more than them.

Before the season, the Kings made a lot of major moves to get them to this position, starting with hiring potential Coach of the Year Mike Brown. Brown came from the Golden State Warriors system after being a part of their dynasty for the last seven years. Not many people questioned this hire seeing as Mike Brown was the most deserving assistant coach for a head coaching gig. 

The Kings also signed Malik Monk, one of the best scorers in the league, reuniting him with De’Aaron Fox from their Kentucky days. Fox and Monk have been one of if not the best backcourts in the NBA this season. Sacramento also signed Kevin Huerter from the Atlanta Hawks, a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, and has had an efficient season shooting the ball.

Last season at the trade deadline, the Kings traded All-Star Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis. This was viewed as a very bad trade, and Sacramento’s front office was killed for this move. However, just because the Kings made the playoffs this year doesn’t mean that trade should be looked at as a good thing now, despite Sabonis helping Fox’s development and them both turning into All-Stars this season.

The entire NBA community has been nothing but happy for the Kings this season, and it’s good to see teams that have been in the gutter for so long take the next steps forward.