Fans, commentators react as Kings lose to miss the playoffs. ‘Only saw two guys with a pulse’
The Kings fell short Friday in New Orleans, missing the playoffs with a dispiriting loss to the Pelicans, 105-98.
After ending the first quarter up 24-22, the Kings fell behind early in the second quarter and never regained a lead, trailing by as many as 20 points in the fourth.
For Kings fans – many of whom took to social media to mourn the season – it was a disappointing ending. In a matter of weeks, the Kings fell from the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference to missing the playoffs entirely.
They also fell to a Pelicans team that lost star Zion Williamson, a former No. 1 draft pick, to a hamstring injury suffered during Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kings TV personalities also expressed some frustration.
“I gotta keep it real with this: I only saw two guys with a pulse out there tonight,” commentator Kyle Draper said during the Kings postgame show on NBC Sports California. “I thought De’Aaron (Fox) and I thought Domas (Sabonis) did that tonight. … At least they were trying. De’Aaron was going down shooting. He was going down firing.”
Fox scored 35 points on 12-of-29 shooting from the floor. Sabonis had 23 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Key injuries late in the season to players like Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter also hurt the Kings’ chances down the stretch.
“This is a disappointing loss, but it’s not surprising,” color analyst Kayte Christensen said on NBC Sports California postgame. “Because it almost feels like they have their hand tied behind their back to a certain degree. You’re missing a lot of people; they’re key people.”
Pelicans just have such a major advantage with their depth over the Kings, especially since Huerter and Monk are out.
Kings need their starting 5 to be totally clicking and that's not happened tonight.— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) April 20, 2024
Well, congrats to the pelicans for owning the kings all season
— Jillian Adge (@JillAdge) April 20, 2024
This season was the biggest waste of talent I’ve ever seen. Good job Sacramento, you’ve done it again. @SacramentoKings
— Tyson (@tysontav) April 20, 2024
Proud the @SacramentoKings always! excited for the next season already!! Get that rest Beam Team
— Steve Fong (@CaliBoyRez) April 20, 2024
The Kings did avenge last year’s first-round playoff elimination with a dominant 118-94 win Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors during the first phase of the play-in tournament.
And pregame analysts for TNT liked their chances before tip-off — the Kings went 0-5 vs. the Pelicans during the regular season, including a 33-point loss in a game Williamson didn’t play. They lost those five games by an average of 19 points.
The Pelicans will go on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
