The Sacramento Kings have qualified for the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2006. What has altered?

The Billboard Hot 100 was topped by Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day,” Owen Wilson had just made his debut as Lightning McQueen in “Cars,” and Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray was counting down the days until his sixth birthday.

May 2006 was a long time ago, and it must have felt even longer for everyone involved with the Kings.

Sacramento has not played an NBA postseason game in nearly 17 years, but after turning a corner this season, Golden 1 Center fans will finally have something to cheer for after the regular season’s 82 games conclude.

The Kings clinched a playoff spot with a 120-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. They now have a 46-30 record and are the third team in the Western Conference playoffs, joining the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies.

With De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis leading a new era in Sacramento, there is hope that the team’s return to the NBA Playoffs is not just a fluke, but a sign of things to come in the future.

Changing locations

When the Kings chose to trade brilliant, young point guard Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in early 2022, many questions were raised.

Haliburton was drafted No. 12 by the Kings and was widely regarded as the franchise’s future point guard. After his rookie season, the 6-foot-5-inch playmaker was named to the 2021 NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

After averaging 13 points, 5.3 assists, and three rebounds in his rookie season, Haliburton maintained his pace in his sophomore season, recording a career-high 38 points and 17 assists early in his sophomore year.

However, the Kings began to have reservations about his long-term compatibility with Fox in their backcourt, and a blockbuster trade sent Haliburton to the Pacers.

Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson joined the guard in Indiana, while Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, a 2023 second-round pick, and, most importantly, Sabonis went to California.

Sabonis, like Fox alongside Haliburton, was a star on a team that wasn’t built around his skill set.

The Lithuanian has thrived in Sacramento since his arrival and is having one of his best seasons in the NBA in 2022/23. Sabonis, the son of Hall of Fame center Arvydas Sabonis, is averaging career highs in rebounds and assists at the time of writing and has already been named to the All-Star team three times.

Speaking to The Athletic shortly after his trade, it appeared that the 7-foot-1-inch forward knew good things were in store for the Kings.

“They brought me here, and we want to change things,” Sabonis explained.

“It’ll be great fun.” It’s just that I believe we’re making progress and heading in the right direction. We’ve been planning a big summer for quite some time. And then we’ll have a good training camp and gather everyone, you know? ”

Everything changes during the off-season.

Luke Walton was fired as the Kings’ head coach after a poor start to the 2021/22 season. Walton was replaced on an interim basis by veteran coach Alvin Gentry, and after the season, the 68-year-old was also fired.

The Kings then hired Mike Brown, the Golden State Warriors’ associate head coach, as their new head coach before the start of the 2022/23 season.

Brown had just won an NBA championship with the Warriors after defeating the Boston Celtics in the finals, and he was tasked with bringing some of his winning ways to Sacramento.

The 53-year-old has completely transformed the Kings’ approach to the game, transforming the team into one of the league’s most exciting offenses.

Along with Brown, guard/forward Kevin Huerter and shooting guard Malik Monk contributed significantly to the Kings’ success, and No. 4 draft pick Murray also joined the team.

It’s no surprise that the arrival of these pieces has coincided with the Kings’ offensive overhaul.

Huerter and Murray have shot over six threes per game since moving to the West Coast, and both are shooting over 40% from deep.

Monk trails the pair in three-point attempts (3PA) and three-point percentage (3P%), but he demonstrates how far this Kings offense has progressed and the thought that went into building the team.

Last season, the Kings ranked 21st in terms of three-point attempts per game, while also shooting from deep at a 24th-rated 34.4%.

This season, Brown’s team has risen to seventh in the 3PA rankings with 36.9 attempts per game at a clip of 37.4% – the eighth best in the NBA – demonstrating the offensive changes that have been implemented.

The clutch performances of Fox have also contributed to the Beam Team’s success.

The brilliant 25-year-old is atop the NBA’s Clutch Player Ladder and has been instrumental in his team grinding out crucial wins at critical times of the season.

The best form of defense is attack.

So far this season, the Kings have the highest point-per-game average in the league at 120.9. The Kings finished 16th in this ranking last season, averaging just 110.3 points per game. The team’s transition and roster additions have been critical in terms of their increased offensive numbers.

To summarize the franchise, the Kings rank first in offensive rating but 26th in defensive rating, demonstrating their all-out attack mentality.

This was exemplified by their record-breaking performance against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Kings won 176-175 in an incredible offensive display in the second highest scoring matchup in NBA history. Fox scored 42 points and had 12 assists, while Monk led the team in scoring with 45 points off the bench, including six three-pointers.

‘Turn on the light!’

The Golden 1 Center fans have fully embraced the project and have contributed to the Kings’ success this season.

After each home victory, the Kings launch a massive purple beam into the sky, which has become an important part of the franchise’s culture.

When a victory is near, the entire arena erupts with chants of “LIGHT THE BEAM! TURN ON THE BEAM! “, which has gone viral on social media.

While some opposing teams and fans have used the beam to mock the Kings if they lose a game, the beam has helped to foster a special bond between the fans and the franchise.

Whatever happens in the playoffs, Sacramento has turned things around while capturing the hearts of its fans by playing run-and-gun, fearless basketball this year.

Everyone in Sacramento is hoping they can keep the lights on throughout the postseason.