The Kings enter the restarted NBA season looking to make the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. No matter how odd the circumstances are, they'll take ending a 13-year drought.
If Sacramento does sneak into the postseason, history will be made.
As NBC Sports' NBA insider Tom Haberstroh explained in his latest "Haberstat," no team has reached the playoffs when trailing the No. 8 seed by more than 3.0 games after 65 regular-season games. Well, the Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns all are at least 3.5 games back of the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference. In the East, the Washington Wizards are 5.5 games back of the Orlando Magic. All six teams will be participating in the Orlando bubble.
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Sine 2000, there were 44 teams between 3.5 and 6.0 games back of the No. 8 seed through 65 games. None made the playoffs.
The Kings must either jump the Grizzlies or finish within 3 1/2 games of the final overall seed to force a play-in round with that team. Below is the Kings' eight-game schedule at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, starting July 31.
Game No. 1 vs. San Antonio Spurs on Friday, July 31 at 5 p.m. PT
Game No. 2 vs. Orlando Magic on Sunday, Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. PT
Game No. 3 vs. Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, Aug 4 at 11:30 a.m. PT
Game No. 4 vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 10:30 a.m. PT
Game No. 5 vs. Brooklyn Nets on Friday, Aug. 7 at 2 p.m. PT
Game No. 6 vs. Houston Rockets on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 5 p.m. PT
Game No. 7 vs. New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. PT
Game No. 8 vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Aug. 13 -- Time TBD
NBA
All Kings games will be broadcast in the Sacramento area, subject to territorial restrictions, on NBC Sports California.
The Blazers already have a leg up on the Kings, too. The NBA will use winning percentage to determine seeding, and Portland has played two more games than Sacramento.
[RELATED: Where Kings' roster stands heading into Orlando restart]
Kings fans are hoping to party like it's 2006, which was the last time they made the playoffs. They're hoping for a better result, as the Kings lost to the Spurs in the first round that year.
The Kings will have to get off to a hot start, but they soon can make history in the Most Magical Place On Earth.