Sad Sac Kings not yet in prime time

March 21, 1992
Originally published by The Untitled Times (Sacramento Urban Journalism Workshop, Sacramento Bee) Also published in Jesuit High School Plank under headline: "Sacramento Kings: are they jesters of the basketball court?"

For 3.7 seconds, the Kings showed the kind of submissiveness one has come to expect in the late regular season. In their previous six Sacramento seasons, they have given new meaning to the term "playing out the string."

The difference was that things were finally looking up when they took a 108-107 lead over the Houston Rockets at home on March 8.

This looked to be the night the Kings came marching in. Playing crisply with execution in the first half, they had been outplayed at times in the last two quarters by the Rockets, but had showed perseverance and grit by battling back from a 105-100 deficit in the last two minutes.

What followed said a lot about why the Kings won’t print playoff tickets this season: a lapse that allowed Hakeem Olajuwon to score the winning points on an inbound lob with 3.3 seconds remaining, giving the Rockets a 109-108 win. The lapse was punctuated by a pick set on Kings center Duane Causwell, which created the obvious mismatch of Kings guard Spud Webb unintentionally guarding Olajuwon.

"Not being a winning team this year was something we expected," Kings player personnel manager and vice president Jerry Reynolds said before the game. "We know why we are losing--we have played inconsistently. Our rebounding has hurt us."

But, despite the losses, Reynolds says fan support is great. "Our club is not a winning team, but we do draw an exciting product," he said. "The fans are starting to like what they see on the floor."

And the Kings, for two quarters at least, showed a glimpse of what may be to come. They were sharp, building a 29-19 lead early while the Rockets looked tentative. With more inside moxie, the dire situation in the paint in the closing seconds might have been reversed. "Sac-Town" is not prime time yet, but coming.