NBA Pretender or Contender: Bucks look legit; Celtics, Grizzlies fading?

Milwaukee Bucks (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
Milwaukee Bucks (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
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Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown (Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports)

Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have had an amazing season thus far. They’ve successfully snapped their 16-year NBA Playoff drought and will be heading into the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference. For anyone to say that they saw this coming before the season, well they’d be lying. The Kings play one of the most entertaining brands of basketball and can score with anyone on any night.

The big question for this team heading into the playoffs is whether or not their success in the regular season will transfer to postseason basketball. Quite frankly, I’m not sure that’s a foregone conclusion. Depending on who they draw in the first round of the playoffs, the Kings could be one of the teams that many will expect to be upset.

Even if the Kings end up losing in the first round of the playoffs, what this team has accomplished already this season is a clear step in the right direction. And the valuable experience that this team gains in the playoffs will only continue to help the team moving forward.

So while the Kings should be labeled as a pretender, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Verdict: Pretender