Sacramento Kings end longest playoff drought in NBA history

The Sacramento Kings have officially ended the longest playoff drought in NBA history.

Sacramento punched its postseason ticket Wednesday night with a 120-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers to secure its place in the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2006, snapping the longest active playoff drought across North America's "Big 4" sports (the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL).

“We want to do bigger things, but 16 years – that’s a long time,” Kings star De’Aaron Fox said. “So that feels great just being able to get that off us.”

For Kings fans, it's a moment to celebrate (Light the Beam!). For the rest of us, it's a good time to reflect on just how much has changed during the 16 seasons the Kings spent in the wilderness:

Who was on the 2005-06 Kings?

There was little evidence the Kings were about to embark on a 16-year odyssey of missing the playoffs in 2006. Though the early years of the team's time in Sacramento were brutal, the Kings were making their eighth straight playoff appearance in 2006 under Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman.

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Some mainstays of their best teams during that era were gone by 2005-06 (most notably Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and Doug Christie) but the Kings were still a good team, putting together a 44-38 record while having an impressive seven double-digit scorers.

Mike Bibby led the way with 21.1 points per game, and he was joined in double figures by Metta Sandiford-Artest (then Ron Artest), Peja Stojakovic (who was traded that season for Artest), Brad Miller, Bonzi Wells, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kevin Martin.

Who won the 2006 NBA Finals?

The Kings went out in the first round that year in six games to a 63-win San Antonio Spurs team led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

The title was captured by the Miami Heat, who won their first championship by defeating Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in six games. Dwyane Wade, who was just 24 years old and in his third NBA season at the time, was named Finals MVP. The championship marked the fourth and final title for Shaquille O'Neal.

Where does Kings' playoff drought rank in NBA history?

It's the longest there's ever been. The drought started with the decision not to bring Adelman back in the summer of 2006. Eleven men have manned the Kings bench, including interim coaches, between Adelman's departure and the hiring of Mike Brown last summer. The Kings did not post a single winning record between 2006 and this season. In fact, Brown and Adelman are the only coaches the Kings have had that have produced winning records since the team moved to Sacramento in 1985.

The Kings' 16-year playoff drought is one season longer than the previous NBA record, held by the Clippers franchise, which missed the playoffs between 1977-1991. In third is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who ended a 13-year playoff drought in 2018.

Kings rookie Keegan Murray, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, was 5 years old when the team last played a postseason game.

What is now the longest active playoff drought in NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL?

The crown for longest playoff drought among North America's "Big 4" sports passes to the New York Jets, who last played in a postseason game following the 2010 NFL season (they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC title game on Jan. 23, 2011).

The Buffalo Sabres' NHL playoff hopes are currently hanging by a thread. Should they miss the postseason – and it appears they're going to – they'll extend their own NHL record by joining the Jets with 12 straight postseason misses. They last played a playoff game on April 26, 2011, when they fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 in the first round.

The longest current MLB postseason droughts belong to the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels, with both making their last playoff appearances following the 2014 season. That's right, we have not seen Mike Trout in a playoff game in eight years – and Shohei Ohtani has never appeared in one.

With the Kings finally making it to the NBA postseason, the new active leader for regular season futility is the Charlotte Hornets. Their streak is relatively modest, though; they haven't made the playoffs since 2016.

What's next for these Kings?

"When you have a fanbase that's as intelligent, rabid, passionate about not only their team, but their city too – you can feel it, it's a prideful thing – you want the world for them," Brown said after the playoff-clinching victory. "You're exited about (making the playoffs), we want (the fans) to celebrate but we also know that they expect more from us and we expect to hopefully give them more."

Now that a playoff berth has been secured, attention turns to seeding and the postseason itself.

Sacramento appears to be locked in to the No. 3 seed. The Kings (46-30) are two games back of the Grizzlies with six games left to pay for both teams but they're five games ahead of the fourth-seeded Suns. Who the Kings will play in their likely 3-6 matchup remains a mystery. As of Wednesday night it would be the defending champion Warriors, but the 4-10 seeds are all within 3.5 games of each other.

A number of different droughts could be ended if the Kings go on a run. They have not won a playoff series since 2004, and they've never reached the NBA Finals since they moved to Sacramento (the 2002 team lost in the Western Conference finals in seven games to the Los Angeles Lakers – not that Kings fans needed reminding). In fact, the franchise has not played for the NBA championship since 1951, when the Rochester Royals (as they were then known) won the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.

Contributing: Associated Press

The longest playoff droughts in sports

Mark Dwyer, and Ryan C Miller

Democrat and Chronicle

Drought: A prolonged or chronic shortage or lack of something expected or desired.

Expected? Oh no, not anymore.

Desired? With the intensity of 1,000 suns, yes.

When the Toronto Blue Jays reached the postseason this fall, they unwittingly gave the Buffalo Bills an unwanted gift: the longest active playoff drought in sports. Toronto snapped its streak at 21. The Bills are now officially sitting at 16 seasons and counting, having not sniffed the playoffs this century.

In an attempt to diffuse the pain, we're introducing you to the other fan bases that know a thing or two about playoff allergies. But first, western New York's pride and joy, the Bills, whose seasons are always regular:

Buffalo Bills

Drought: 16 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Jan. 8, 2000. How could we forget? Frank Wycheck's torso-twisting heave across ... you know what? We're just not going to get into it.

Remember that guy? Jonathan Linton; The Bills running back only had a three-year career, but his best one came in 1999 when he led the team in rushing with 695 yards and 5 TDs. He was, however, part of the blown coverage team for the "Music City Miracle." He barely touched the ball in the NFL again and later scored a job in the State Department.

The year they almost made it: 2004. A win at home in the season finale against Tommy Maddox's Steelers could've sealed it for Buffalo. Instead, the Bills (9-7) got first dibs on January tee times once again.

The year they didn't even come close: 2001. In Gregg Williams' first year at the helm, the Bills went 3-13 behind the dynamic duo of Alex Van Pelt and Rob Johnson. Joe Montana and Steve Young, they were not.

Back then, you were probably: Watching Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and feeling super smart, putting up with America's Boy Band epidemic (1995-2002) and/or freaking out over that crazy Sixth Sense ending. Spoiler Alert: That kid is 27 now.

The last time the Bills made the playoffs …

... Karlos Williams was 6.

... Taping your favorite show with a videocassette recorder was perfectly acceptable.

... You were eagerly awaiting the next issue of Maxim. That issue that featured Sabrina the Teenage Witch on the cover made you subscribe.

Timeline: The Bills' 16-year playoff drought, year by year

**********************

Seattle Mariners

Drought: 14 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Oct. 22, 2001, ALCS. The Mariners were the best team ever! Until they didn't win the World Series. They didn't even reach it. The Mariners' three biggest superstars — Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez — were gone but Seattle responded by winning 116 games in the regular season, tying the 1906 Cubs for the Major League record. Seattle fell to New York 4-1 in the ALCS. Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill and Tino Martinez homered as the Yankees won Game 5, 12-3.

Remember that guy? Ichiro Suzuki. He won the AL MVP, Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award, becoming the first player since 1975 to win all three in the same season.

The year they almost made it: 2014, 87-75. The Mariners were a pleasant surprise and nearly forced a Game 163 tiebreaker on the final day of the season. A bunch of experts got carried away and picked Seattle to reach or win the World Series in 2015. Instead, they had trouble outscoring the Seattle Sounders on most nights and went 76-86.

The year they didn't even come close: 2008, 61-101. Seattle was the first team eliminated from playoff contention and became the first club to spend $100 million in payroll and lose 100 games.

Back then, you were probably: Singing "H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A" but had no idea what it meant, giggling in Spencer's Gifts, skeptical Beyoncé could make it solo after Destiny's Child split.

The last time the Mariners made the playoffs …

... Your encyclopedia was a CD called Encarta and you were wondering who added all this information to this Wikipedia site.

... Same-sex marriage became legal in the first country, the Netherlands ... That would never happen in the U.S.

... The XFL seemed like a good idea.

**********************

Cleveland Browns

Drought: 13 seasons

Last playoff appearance: Jan 5. 2003. The Browns blew a 17-point lead and lost 36-33 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild-card round. Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala's TD run with 29 seconds left doomed the Browns. Cleveland's Kelly Holcomb threw for 429 yards and three TDs. (The same Kelly Holcomb that replaced a benched J.P. Losman for the Bills in 2005 (Wow, the Bills have had some mediocre quarterbacks.)

Remember those guys? Holcomb, Tim Couch, Jeff Garcia, Luke McCown, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Brandon Weeden, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Connor Shaw, Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown, Austin Davis. Ohio State's three quarterbacks (Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett, Braxton Miller) are better than Cleveland's. And one of them is a wide receiver.

The year they almost made it: 2007, 10-6. Cleveland’s only winning season since 2002. They were the season's only 9-plus win team to not make the playoffs. But, hey, at least they drafted Brady Quinn in the first round that year.

The year they didn't even come close: 2015. The NFL season isn't even done yet, but it's been long over for the Browns. The offensive coordinator left; the quarterbacks coach was fired; their best player (Josh Gordon), general manager and offensive line coach were suspended; possible savior Johnny Manziel entered rehab. All before Week 1. This year's Browns logos feature a slightly brighter hue of orange, about the only thing looking bright for this franchise. Baby steps.

Back then, you were probably: Popping your collar, ashamed you downloaded Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" on LimeWire and Kazaa, trying to rent Old School from Blockbuster but it was always out of stock.

The last time the Browns made the playoffs …

... Steve Bartman could safely walk the streets of Chicago.

... Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were the final two on American Idol.

... Ellen DeGeneres was Dory in Finding Nemo but didn't have her own show.

**********************

Oakland Raiders

Drought: 13 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Jan. 26, 2003. The Raiders, who were actually favored to win, got manhandled by Jon Gruden's Bucs in Super Bowl XXXVII, 48-21. Raiders QB Rich Gannon was intercepted a Super Bowl record five times — three of them were returned for touchdowns.

Remember that guy? Jerry Rice, who wasn't bad at football. Sometimes it's easy to forget, though, that the 49er legend spent FOUR seasons across the bay in Oakland. Could have sworn it was one or two. The 2002 season was arguably his best with 92 catches for 1,211 yards and 7 TDs. In the Super Bowl, he caught five balls for a team-leading 77 yards and a TD.

The year they almost made it: 2011. The Raiders finished in a three-way tie atop the AFC West at 8-8, but it was the Broncos that prevailed via a tiebreaker. Oakland was sitting pretty around Thanksgiving, but lost four of its final five games.

The year they didn't even come close: 2006. Art Shell's Raiders finished 2-14 and scored a paltry 10.5 points per game. When Ronald Curry scored in the fourth quarter of Week 14, that was the last Raiders touchdown of the season. Yikes.

Back then, you were probably: BLASTING 50 Cent in your car (even though it was probably Missy Elliot ... we won't tell); obsessed with The West Wing; or getting dragged to the theater to see The Hours, Chicago or The Pianist with your wife, instead of Gangs of New York, which got your vote. You lost, 1-1.

The last time the Raiders made the playoffs …

... Serena Williams was Serena Slamming the rest of tennis (this is still happening).

... A CNN headline said gas prices "skyrocket around United States" ... to $1.60 per gallon.

... You had no Chappelle's Show one-liners for your arsenal of one-liners.

**********************

Miami Marlins

Drought: 12 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Oct. 25, 2003. The Marlins — then the "Florida Marlins" — defeated the New York Yankees in six games in the 2003 World Series. Oddly, it was the franchise's second championship in their second postseason appearance and they haven't been back since. I guess they feel as though if they don't have the talent to win the whole thing, why bother going?

Remember that guy? Carl Pavano. To Yankee fans, Carl is a four-letter word. But for the Marlins back in 2003 and 2004, he was a helluva pitcher. He had one terrific start in the 2003 World Series, and then had a stellar 2004 season, which led to his 4-year, $40 million free agent deal with the Yanks. Wearing pinstripes, Pavano immediately got to work on his eventual nickname, "American Idle." He started only 26 games in four seasons and sat out almost the entire 2006 and 2007 seasons due to a rash of injuries and Tommy John surgery.

The year they almost made it: 2009. The Marlins finished 87-75, but were five games back of the Colorado Rockies for the NL wild card spot.

The year they didn't even come close: 2013. A tidy 62-100 record was quite putrid, although young stars Jose Fernandez and Giancarlo Stanton started flexing their considerable talent.

Back then, you were probably: Listening to your Outkast CDs (round, shiny discs that played music), watching Monk on Friday nights or really, really into the Lord of the Rings.

The last time the Marlins made the playoffs …

… Lionel Messi had zero career goals for Barcelona.

… Britney Spears, 21, had another No. 1 album, a new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and could do no wrong.

… First-time major winner Andy Roddick (U.S. Open) was probably looking ahead to a long, intense rivalry with first-time major winner Roger Federer (Wimbledon).

***********************

Minnesota Timberwolves

Drought: 11 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: May 31, 2004. After missing the playoffs in their first seven seasons and then losing in the first round the next seven, Minnesota won its first two playoff series in franchise history to reach the Western Conference finals. The problem: The T'Wolves had one future Hall of Famer in Kevin Garnett; L.A. had four (Shaq, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, Karl Malone). Garnett was the regular season MVP, averaging 24.2 points, a league-high 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.2 blocks.

Remember that guy? Garnett. KG was a 15-time All-Star, won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and retired as the all-time... He's still playing?! For the Timberwolves?!

The year they almost made it: 2004-05, 44-38. Minnesota finished ninth in the Western Conference. Latrell Sprewell turned down a 3-year, $21 million contact extension, saying it wasn't enough to feed his family.

The year they didn't even come close: Any year David Kahn ran the franchise. Kahn selected three point guards in the first round of the 2009 Draft, but passed on Stephen Curry. The same man signed Darko Milicic to a $20 million contract and called him "manna from heaven."

Back then, you were probably: wearing a trucker hat, jealous that your friend had a Motorola Razr, either thinking Napoleon Dynamite was one of the best or one of the stupidest movies you've ever seen.

The last time the T-Wolves made the playoffs …

...The most offensive thing Donald Trump said back then was "You're fired," as new host of The Apprentice.

... Mark Zuckerberg launched The Facebook but you didn't need to sign up because MySpace was way cooler.

... Tom Brokaw left NBC Nightly News and Brian Williams took over. (We're telling the truth, it was that long ago.)

**********************

St. Louis Rams

Drought: 11 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Jan. 15, 2005. The Rams weren't even above average the last time they made the playoffs. St. Louis became the first NFL team to win a playoff game after going 8-8 but then got demolished 47-17 by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2004 NFC divisional round. Michael Vick (before he was inmate No. 33765-183) set an NFL postseason record for a quarterback with 119 rushing yards. Football Outsiders calculates that the 2004 Rams were, play-for-play, the worst team to make the playoffs in the site's rating history.

Remember that guy? Anthony Hargrove. The Rams’ third-round pick in 2004 had a roller-coaster career. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for a fight with police outside a Rochester nightclub during Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher in 2007. Hargrove battled drug addiction, substance-abuse, suspensions, and returned from a treatment center to win a Super Bowl with New Orleans and was implicated in the Saints’ bounty scandal.

The year they almost made it: 2006. New coach Scott Linehan took over and the team made a splash in the offseason by signing ... Gus Frerotte? The Rams started the season 4-1 before losing seven of their next eight games. Stephen Jackson led the NFL with 2,334 total yards from scrimmage.

The year they didn't even come close: 2009, 1-15. Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk were long gone and so was the "Greatest Show on Turf." The Patriots scored 183 points after five games in 2015. The 2009 Rams scored 175 points, the sixth-fewest in NFL history for a 16-game season.

Back then, you were probably: getting home from work or school and putting up an away message on AOL Instant Messenger, wearing a stack of Live Strong bracelets, burning a CD mix for your best friend for every mood.

The last time the Rams made the playoffs …

... It was totally normal to print MapQuest directions and bring them with you.

... YouTube was a month from being launched, so you had to download a RealPlayer plugin to watch the "Numa Numa" kid or any other Internet video.

... Most girls walked around the mall in monochromatic velour sweatsuits with silkscreened words on the butt.

**********************

Sacramento Kings

Drought: 9 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: May 5, 2006. The Kings were the No. 8 seed in the West and lost 4-2 to San Antonio. The Kings traded Peja Stojakovic for Ron Artest. Artest guaranteed the team would make the playoffs and Sacramento went 20-9 after the All-Star break. It was the eighth straight season the Kings made the postseason.

Remember that guy? Jason Hart. The former Syracuse University star played in 66 games for Sacramento. Only 12 players in NBA history have played for more franchises than Hart, who played for nine.

The year they almost made it: Never. Shaquille O’Neal famously called the Kings “Queens” but that seems like a compliment nowadays. At least queens are royalty; the Kings have become peasants. The last time the organization won a championship was in 1951 as the Rochester Royals, when they were crowned champions at Edgerton Sports Park Arena.

The year they didn't even come close: 2011-12. The Kings drafted Jimmer Fredette; their mayor, Kevin Johnson, could've cracked the starting five; and they came closer to relocating to Seattle than making the playoffs.

Back then, you were probably: Having a sore arm from playing too much tennis on your new Nintendo Wii, wondering why you wasted an hour of your time watching that episode of "Flavor of Love," convinced the Zune would make the iPod obsolete.

The last time the Kings made the playoffs...

... A selfie meant having to wait until everyone left a public bathroom so you could use the mirror.

... A wholesome, Disney-approved Miley Cyrus premiered on Hannah Montana.

... Kobe Bryant was being celebrated for scoring 81 points instead of being celebrated for a farewell tour.

**********************

San Diego Padres

Drought: 9 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: Oct. 8, 2006; The Padres struggled offensively in their 3-1 NLDS loss to the Cardinals, scoring six runs in four games and going 2-for-32 with runners in scoring position. Chris Carpenter (2-0) was stellar in Games 1 and 4. A rookie named Adam Wainwright closed out the decisive game.

Remember that guy? Mike Piazza. The Dodgers/Mets/Pert Plus legend played his last (close to) full season with the Pads. He hit .283 and smacked 22 long balls. After a stint with the A's the following year, he walked into the sunset.

The year they almost made it: 2010. San Diego won 90 games, but that was two less than the Giants, who won the West, and one less than the Braves, who claimed the Wild Card.

The year they didn't even come close: 2008. Falling one loss shy of 100, this team was gross.

Back then, you were probably: Having Monday morning work conversations that were basically one big Ari Gold quote, having weird Pan's Labyrinth dreams/nightmares, and realizing that Shakira's hips were being truthful.

The last time the Padres made the playoffs …

... iPhones weren't even around yet. Remember the world without iPhones? We don't, either.

... Jack Nicklaus' record was basically toast after Tiger Woods picked up another major win at Medinah.

... Liz Lemon didn't even exist.

**********************

Edmonton Oilers

Drought: 9 seasons.

Last playoff appearance: June 19, 2006. The Oilers came back to push the Stanley Cup finals to Game 7, but fell 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Oilers arrived in the finals as the Western Conference's No. 8 seed, having upset top-seeded Detroit, No. 5 San Jose and No. 6 Anaheim along the way.

Remember that guy? Marty Reasoner. Yes, the Honeoye Falls native and McQuaid product was on the roster in 2005-06, but he was traded to the Bruins in March. He returned to the Oilers the following year, then finished out his career with the Thrashers, Predators and Islanders before hanging up the skates in 2013. He currently works on the Islanders' player development staff.

The year they almost made it: 2008. After a horrendous start, the Oilers put together a strong second half to earn 88 points, but finished three points shy of a playoff berth.

The year they didn't even come close: Three times, Edmonton finished with a lowly 62 points: 2010, 2011 and 2015. It was 2010, though, when the team blew everyone away, at losing. The league's second-worst team, the Maple Leafs, were 12 points better than them.

Back then, you were probably: Trying to figure out if you could bring Sexyback (you couldn't); saying to yourself, "this Roger Goodell fella is just what the NFL needs"; wondering why Jim and Pam weren't a thing yet on The Office.

The last time the Oilers made the playoffs …

... Barry Bonds was still crushing dingers and making baseball somewhat uncomfortable.

... Jack Bauer had just saved the world for the (record) fifth time. You were starting to think, "Maybe this is getting a little too far-fetched."

... The world had yet to meet Borat. And you had yet to meet someone doing an awful Borat impression.

Lakers eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Nets

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — D’Angelo Russell took no public pleasure in playing a pretty big role in officially eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers from playoff contention for yet another season.

Russell is much more excited about the increasing likelihood that he’s about to make his postseason debut with the Brooklyn Nets.

Joe Harris hit six 3-pointers while scoring 26 points, and Russell added 21 points and 13 assists against his former team in the Nets’ 111-106 win over the Lakers on Friday night.

Russell had seven points and three assists in the fourth quarter while Brooklyn held on to beat the Lakers, who drafted Russell in 2015 and traded him in 2017. He hit two big 3-pointers down the stretch, and he raised his finger to his lips to shush his former fans in the Staples Center crowd.

But Russell said it was nothing personal, and he didn’t think much about putting the final nail in the Lakers’ playoff hopes.

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"Sounds good on paper, but at the end of the day, we’re not playing them," Russell said. "We’re not competing against them for seeding, so the win is good enough."

Los Angeles (31-41) will miss the playoffs for a franchise-record sixth straight season even with LeBron James, who fell just short of his 81st career triple-double with 25 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds.

"It’s been a tough season for all of us," James said. "It’s not what we signed up for. Throughout the year, things happen. Suspensions, injuries, and us just not being able to play sustainable basketball for 48 minutes. You don’t even try to wrap your head around it. You just keep playing and try to get better and go from there."

The Nets needed another big game from Russell, who scored 27 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter of a thrilling win over the Kings three nights earlier. That stunning effort in Sacramento was the latest highlight of a breakout season for LA’s former No. 2 overall pick.

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Russell was well-liked by Lakers fans — but not by Magic Johnson, who dumped Russell in a trade to get rid of Timofey Mozgov’s onerous contract just a few months after the Hall of Famer took over the Lakers’ basketball operations.

"This is definitely where I started," said Russell, who has previously acknowledged being irked by Magic’s parting comments about his leadership. "It’s definitely a place that gave me an opportunity. Not many guys started somewhere and then that was forgotten throughout their career. You know, Chauncey Billups, the (Steve) Nashes of that group, so I’m trying to consider myself one of those guys."

Russell has grown into an All-Star in Brooklyn, while the Lakers have stayed in largely the same place in the standings despite adding James last summer.

JaVale McGee had career highs of 33 points and 20 rebounds along with six blocked shots for the Lakers, who have lost five straight and 10 of 11.

After 23 lead changes, the Lakers got within three points in the final minute, but James committed a turnover and missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

TIP-INS: Nets — Allen Crabbe missed his fourth straight game with a sore right knee.

Lakers — Tyson Chandler got his first game action since March 2. … Kuzma hit a 3-pointer from half-court to beat the shot clock in the first quarter.

NETS RISING: Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points in his hometown as the Nets (38-36) bolstered their playoff chances with their second straight win after an 0-3 start to this seven-game road trip. Brooklyn is seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, a half-game behind sixth-place Detroit and 2 ½ games ahead of ninth-place Orlando.

STAYING HOME: The Lakers will miss for the sixth consecutive season, easily the longest streak in the 16-time NBA champion franchise’s history. The Lakers had only missed the playoffs five times in their first 55 seasons of existence before this current drought.

With 10 games left in the season, the Lakers already know they’re staying home again for the playoffs, even after adding James to the roster last July. James has played in the last eight consecutive NBA Finals, but he will miss the postseason for the first time since 2005, his second pro season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

JAVALE’S BEST: McGee, the veteran big man with two championship rings from Golden State, had the biggest offensive game of his 11-year NBA career. He went 15-of-20 from the field, repeatedly converting in the paint on 10 assists from James.

UP NEXT: Nets at Trail Blazers on Monday night. Lakers host Kings on Sunday night.

NBA Finals: Toronto Raptors not first Lake Ontario team to seek title

When the Toronto Raptors hosted the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA finals on Thursday night, a title banner 2,500 miles away in Sacramento, California might just have started to flutter in a show of support.

That banner belongs to the 1951 Rochester Royals, the last team on the shores of Lake Ontario to play in an NBA Final, and where the Sacramento Kings franchise has its roots.

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Suns nab forward Josh Jackson with 4th overall pick

Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Josh Jackson believes the Phoenix Suns got the best player in the draft: Josh Jackson.

The Suns agree.

"People say he was the best two-way player," general manager Ryan McDonough said. "The last I checked the game is played two ways."

The small forward from Kansas who is known for his defense and plays the game with an "edge" was the Suns' choice with the fourth overall pick Thursday night.

"I don't think the other guys in this draft really care as much as I do," Jackson said. "I don't think they play as hard as I do, period. I think that's what really makes me special. I refuse to fail, period."

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Jackson joins a Suns team already loaded with youthful talent as the franchise continues the long climb back toward relevance.

The 6-foot-8, 207-pound forward averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his lone season with the Jayhawks. The 20-year-old Jackson was the Big 12 freshman of the year and an all-Big 12 first-team selection.

He fills a Phoenix need with his defense.

McDonough said the only real weakness in Jackson's game is his spot-up shooting.

"If he can shoot the ball at an above-average level," McDonough said, "he can be a star."

Jackson was available to the Suns because the Boston Celtics, picking third, chose another small forward, Jayson Tatum of Duke.

Jackson plays with an attitude to his game, something Phoenix coach Earl Watson loves in his players. Devin Booker does, too, so things could get interesting out on the wing for Phoenix.

"We love his fire, his competitive spirit," McDonough said. "Frankly, I thought we needed some more of that."

McDonough called Jackson a perfect fit for the Suns, joining Booker and T.J. Warren as versatile wing players.

"In our opinion, elite two-way wings are the hardest players in the NBA to find," McDonough said. "I won't say Golden State started the trend although they may have mastered it in terms of getting a bunch of guys like that at a high level. We're trying to see if we can do something similar."

Jackson joins an already-young team that came away with two lottery picks last year, thanks to a draft-night trade with Sacramento. The Suns chose then-18-year-old forward Dragan Bender with their pick last year, third overall, then acquired Sacramento's eighth selection from the Kings and chose 19-year-old forward Marquese Chriss.

Jackson said he looked forward to learning together with his young teammates and developing chemistry.

"It's going to make us a really special team down the road," Jackson said. "You think back to the Warriors when they all came together — Draymond (Green), Stephen (Curry), Klay (Thompson) — they practically grew up together in this league and look at them now."

McDonough said the Suns extensively investigated an off-court incident that Jackson was a part of last December. He was arrested after kicking in the tail light and denting the driver's door of a Kansas women's basketball player's car while she was in it.

He agreed to a diversion program that requires him to go to anger management class among other things in order to have the misdemeanor offense dismissed.

Asked about the incident, Jackson said, "I don't think it really represents who I am."

"You know, I made a mistake that day. I did," he said. "I admitted to it from day one. I think the whole situation was blown out of proportion, just because I am who I am."

Jackson said the incident "wasn't as bad as everybody made it out to be. But I have owned up to it and I accept responsibility for it from day one."

With their two second-round picks, Phoenix chose a pair of seniors, 6-5 shooting guard Davon Reed of Miami at No. 32 and 6-9 power forward Alec Peters of Valparaiso at No. 54.

Reed, who averaged 14.9 points per game as a senior, worked out twice for the Suns, who like his defense and shooting ability.

Peters, the Horizon League player of the year, averaged a conference-leading 23 points per game. McDonough called him one of the best shooters in the draft.

Peters did not work out for teams because of a foot injury and will skip the Las Vegas Summer League, but the Suns believe he will be ready by training camp.

The Suns are enduring the longest playoff drought in the franchise's history. Phoenix hasn't made it to the postseason the last seven seasons.

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