Today, we head West to take a look at three teams that all had playoff/non-playoff streaks that hung around their necks like a millstone: the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs.

 

Sacramento Kings

Record: 28-36 (11th in Western Conference)

82 game pace: 36-46

Expectations

The Kings brass saw enough in their 19-43 record in 2019 to go all in to end their 13 season playoff drought. As well as veteran free agent signings Trevor Ariza, Dewayne Dedmon and Cory Joseph, the team made a change at the helm. In removing the proven but abrasive defensive mastermind Dave Joerger and installing former Lakers Golden Boy Luke Walton, the hope was that Walton's player centric style would unlock a freedom in this young Kings core.

 

What went right

Is it fair to say that the only thing that went right for Sacramento was the trade deadline? In dumping Ariza and Dedmon, the team offloaded a pair of under performing and unhappy – overtly so in Dedmon's case – dead weights. Along with the overdue decision to start Bogdan Bogdanovic over Buddy Hield, those moves seemed to finally set the balance of the team. They were 7-3 post All Star break, and were a legitimate chance to steal the final playoff spot in the West before the season was prematurely shut down.

Injuries to Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles forced the team to start afterthoughts in Richaun Holmes and Nemanja Bjelica and both proved to be amongst the teams best this season. Holmes, in his 5th campaign, averaged 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in 33 starts. The 32 year old Bjelica put up 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, also canning a pair of 3 pointers in 61 games with the first unit. His shooting from the power forward position opened up so much on the offensive end for the Kings.

 

What went wrong

A 0-5 start certainly didn't help Walton's Kings, though they recovered with 6 wins in their next 8 games. That was indicative of the maddening inconsistency this team showed. The Kings suffered losing streaks of 8 and 6 games, in addition to their season opening stretch. They contrasted that with runs of 6 wins in 7, as well as a 2nd run of 6 from 8.

The most obvious reason for Sacramento's inconsistency is the slew of injuries the team had to deal with. Bagley missed 51 games; De'Aron Fox missed 19. Outside of the two franchise cornerstones, Holmes missed 25 games and Bogdanovic sat out 11 times.

There were also some interesting tactical decisions from Walton. Joerger's 2019 squad used a solid defense to get out and run, ramming the ball down the defences throat before they could get set. For reasons that remain unclear, Walton decided to have the jet heeled Fox walk the ball up the court. He also struggled to sort out his shooting guard rotation. Hield started most of the season, but he gave up as many points as he scored, whilst Bogdanovic quietly bristled in a bench role. Once Walton switched their roles, the team started to find some balance. Bogdanovic's play making took some of the burden from Fox, and Hield defensive shortcomings were not as readily exposed going up against the opposition 2nd units.

GM Vlade Divac will be incredibly disappointed with his free agent splurge. Ariza and Dedmon didn't make it through the season before being moved on. Joseph – still somehow only 28 years old - provided absolutely nothing outside of solid on-ball defense. One trick ponies like him are a dying breed.

 

The outcome

Ultimately, the ever positive Sacramento fans will have to wait at least another season to witness playoff basketball. Frankly, next season might be wishful thinking. Fox is a very nice player, but he's not a #1 option on a top 10 team in the NBA. Bagley is athletic, but what is his role? He's a centre on offense and a forward on defense – that's very difficult to build around. Hield is an elite gunner off the bench, but doesn't have an above average skill outside of his wonderful stroke. Bogdanovic may not be around next season. Holmes and Bjelica are rotation pieces that stepped up manfully, but the Kings can't expect the same production from them next season.

The much maligned partnership of majority owner Vivek Ranadive and GM Divac talk a great game, but once again they've failed to back it up.

San Antonio Spurs

Record: 27-36 (12th in the Western Conference)

82 game pace: 35-47

Expectations

Surely the Spurs expected to extend their playoff streak, right? Why else would you not flip expensive and relatively limited veterans like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, not to mention ageing 2nd unit stalwarts in Patty Mills and Rudy Gay.

With Dejounte Murray returning and expected to step into a leadership role, Derrick White coming in from national team duty, and the veteran core around them, San Antonio opened their season looking to secure a 23rd straight playoff qualification.

 

What went right

There was a lot of good for the Spurs this season, but it came in spurts. Aldridge was borderline All NBA when he started shooting from deep – alas, it only lasted about six weeks couple of months. DeRozan had a brilliant January, averaging 26.9 points on an outstanding 66% true shooting. Mills and Gay had their moments off the bench. Bryn Forbes remained an excellent deep threat. Jakob Poeltl played stellar defense. Lonnie Walker IV had some exciting cameo performances.

 

What went wrong

For all of their collective good to great moments this season, nobody in silver and black was able to perform to their best with any consistency. As one player would peak, another would find their form on the wane. It's no coincidence that the Spurs best stretch of the season came with DeRozan, Aldridge and Mills at their best.

The young back court of Murray and White also fired in fits and starts. Both had excuses: Murray was coming off an ACL injury and White didn't have an off season due to international commitments. Nonetheless, the future leaders of the club didn't really lead as hoped.

 

The outcome

The streak is over; long live the streak!

No matter which way you cut it, the Spurs needed a miracle to make the playoffs this season. As of the league suspension date, they sat a full four games behind Memphis with Portland, New Orleans and Sacramento all in their way. All of those teams were in far better form than San Antonio.

There are, believe it or not, fifty nine currently rostered NBA players that were born after April 22nd 1998 – until now those players had not spent a day on this earth where the Spurs were not a playoff team.

Given San Antonio have spent thirty of the past thirty one seasons in the playoffs (and that one missed season was heavily injury influenced; it won them Tim Duncan, so I think they’re fine with it) you wouldn’t bet against San Antonio finding a way back to contention, but many of their previous competitive advantages – superior international scouting, specialist development coaches, cultural focus) have been replicated throughout the league, thanks to the famed Popovich coaching tree.

Without a little lottery luck, the path back to the top might be more fraught than the Spurs have ever experienced.

 

Phoenix Suns

Record: 26-39 (13th in the Western Conference)

82 game pace: 33-49

Expectations

Expectations were modest in Phoenix. After so many false starts, that's natural. There were expectations, however. They had a star on the rise in 23 year old Devin Booker, a potential star in sophomore centre Deandre Ayton, and they finally had a real live point guard in Spanish passing maestro Ricky Rubio. What they didn't have, was certainty.

How would the free agent additions fare? What, exactly, did they have in the hyper athletic Kelly Oubre? Was Monty Williams, in his first head coaching role since 2015, still an effective NBA coach?

Whilst making the playoffs for the first time since 2010 might have been the perfect scenario, merely seeing solid progress was all that was realistically asked of this group.

 

What went right

There was definite growth in the Valley of the Sun this season. Booker continued his ascension, turning in similar numbers to his last campaign but on a much more efficient basis and in turn earning his maiden All Star nod. He found allies in the 21 year old Ayton (19 points, 12 boards and 1.7 blocks) and 24 year old Oubre (18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals). Those three give the Suns a potentially brilliant young core to build their next great team around. They were ably supported by veteran imports Rubio and Aron Baynes – both proved to be astute additions.

Pensioner Rookie Cameron Johnson defied the naysayers to make some solid contributions off the bench. Williams was steady, if not spectacular, at the helm.

 

What went wrong

The season hit an early hurdle, with Ayton playing a single match before copping a 25 game suspension for PED use. Baynes stepped in admirably but once he went down injured the team was relying on Frank Kaminsky in the middle – that went about as well as you might expect. Ayton and Baynes struggled with injuries throughout the season.

Those two weren't the only Suns to be bitten by the injury bug: Oubre, Rubio and the disappointing Dario Saric all missed time.

 

The outcome

Whilst Baynes - for a period the Greatest Shooting Big Man in Basketball - led a brief resistance, the Suns season was effectively torpedoed with Ayton’s suspension and Baynes injury. An encouraging 7-4 start to the season gave way to dreadful 4-15 stretch. In a tough Western Conference, it's difficult to recover from that sort of run.

The continued maturation of Booker Ayton & Oubre could give Phoenix it's best core since Nash, Stoudamire and Marion. Whilst they might not make playoffs next season, the Suns are at least heading in right direction.