Sacramento Kings End 16-Year Playoff Drought, Face Golden State Warriors in First Round
After a 16-year dry spell, the Sacramento Kings will finally be making their return to the NBA Playoffs.[0] The Kings have clinched homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs, which begin on April 15, and will play Game 1 of their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.[1] This is a significant moment for the city of Sacramento, as it marks the end of the longest active postseason drought in North American sports.[2]
The seven-game series will have a 2-2-1-1-1 format with the first two games being played in Sacramento, the next two games being played on the road, and alternating sites for the last three games, if necessary.[1] Fans can purchase individual game tickets beginning at noon on Monday, April 10.[3] However, getting inside the arena won't be cheap.[4] According to TickPick, the cheapest ticket for Game 1 goes for $427, making it the most expensive first-round entry fee in NBA history.[5]
The Kings have also clinched their first Pacific Division title since the 2002-03 season, and can finish no worse than fourth in the Western Conference.[6] The team has already sealed its first playoff berth in 17 years, and is in third place in the West.[6]
The Kings' opponent in the first round of the playoffs is the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors.[2] While the Warriors have been to the NBA Finals six times in the last eight years, this will be the first playoff game for the Kings in 16 seasons.[7] The odds are in favor of the Warriors, with many sportsbooks setting their odds at -300 to win the series.
Despite the odds, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé is excited for the opportunity to play playoff basketball in Golden 1 Center and show why Kings fans are the best in the world. He encourages fans and businesses to light their homes and offices purple to show they are #SacramentoProud.[8]
In addition to the playoff games, the Kings will also be hosting watch parties for away games at Golden 1 Center.[9] These events will be free, but a ticket will be required for entry into the arena.[9]
Kings and Warriors fans won't have to spend too much on travel costs, as the first-round NBA playoff series will bounce back and forth along I-80 from Sacramento to San Francisco.[10] While tickets for games in Sacramento are nearly twice as expensive as those at Chase Center in San Francisco, fans on both sides of the rivalry will have the opportunity to see their team play at home and away.[11]
The Kings may be the underdogs in this series, but they have four reasons to believe they can beat the Warriors in the playoffs. With the support of their fans and the momentum of their first playoff appearance in 16 years, anything is possible.
0. “Kings’ Ransom: Sacramento’s Surprising Season Schools Sportsbooks” US Bets, 3 Apr. 2023, https://www.usbets.com/kings-ransom-surprising-sacramento-schools-sportsbooks/
1. “Sacramento Kings announce playoff plans for fans, including ticket sales and watch parties” Sacramento Bee, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article274044305.html
2. “Tickets For Sacramento Kings Game 1 Are Most Expensive Ever” Sports Lens , 10 Apr. 2023, https://sportslens.com/news/tickets-for-sacramento-kings-game-1-are-most-expensive-ever
3. “Sacramento Kings playoffs tickets go on sale Monday. Here's how to get them” KCRA Sacramento, 10 Apr. 2023, https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-kings-playoffs-tickets-go-on-sale-monday-heres-how-to-get-them/43553631
4. “Want to go watch the Kings in the playoffs? This is how much it will cost you” KTXL FOX 40 Sacramento, 10 Apr. 2023, https://fox40.com/sports/basketball/kings/sacramento-kings-playoff-tickets/
5. “Kings playoff ticket prices vs. Warriors hit historic highs after 16-year drought” ClutchPoints, 10 Apr. 2023, https://clutchpoints.com/kings-news-sacramento-playoff-ticket-prices-vs-warriors-hit-historic-highs-after-16-year-drought
6. “Kings fans mob players in team's return from Portland after clinching playoff berth since 2006” Daily Mail, 2 Apr. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nba/article-11930217/Kings-fans-mob-players-teams-return-Portland-clinching-playoff-berth-2006.html
7. “Tickets for Game 1 of Warriors-Kings will be most expensive first-round game on record” KNBR, 11 Apr. 2023, https://www.knbr.com/2023/04/10/tickets-for-game-1-of-warriors-kings-will-be-most-expensive-first-round-game-on-record/
8. “Kings Announce Playoff Celebrations for Fans to Feel the Roar” NBA.com, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.nba.com/kings/news/kings-announce-playoff-celebrations-for-fans-to-feel-the-roar
9. “Kings v. Warriors | What to know about Sacramento Kings' return to the playoffs” ABC10.com KXTV, 10 Apr. 2023, https://www.abc10.com/article/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/kings-warriors-playoffs/103-4556ba12-c316-4a7c-8163-938904c83070
10. “Warriors-Kings Game 1 to be most expensive first-round NBA playoff game” Yahoo Sports, 10 Apr. 2023, https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-kings-game-1-most-212153511.html
11. “NBA Playoffs: round 1 tickets for Warriors v. Kings will cost you more in Sacramento than SF” KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco, 10 Apr. 2023, https://www.ktvu.com/sports/nba-playoff-tickets
