NBA Power Rankings: Boston Celtics look vulnerable; Knicks rounding back into form?

13. Sacramento Kings

As somewhat of an unpopular opinion, heading into the NBA playoffs I believe that the Sacramento Kings have something to prove. This is a team that was the surprising darling of the NBA last season. Even though they didn’t win a playoff series last year, they gained so much-needed postseason experience. Heading into this season, the goal was not to make the playoffs. Instead, the Kings need to win a playoff series in order for this season to be viewed as an overall success.

Considering that they’re going to likely enter the playoffs as an underdog in whoever they draw in the first round, it’ll be interesting to see how this team operates in such a role. From an objective perspective, the Kings are certainly on the right path.

However, when it comes to meeting expectations and building around their young core, there’s a very real chance that this team could very much be back to the drawing board this offseason if they're unable to take a tangible step forward.