Can Cousins and Gay Lead Sacramento Kings to Playoffs?

Due to the brevity of the 2014-15 NBA regular season, it’s important to balance intrigue and reality. Certain players and teams have turned heads, but without a proven track record, it’s fair and sensible to question their legitimacy.

In the curious case of the Sacramento Kings, it’s logical to curve your optimism. It’s illogical to dismiss them.

With DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay leading the charge, the Kings could be 2014-15’s cinderella story.

Thus far, Sacramento has been the most pleasant surprise of the early season. Not only is it 5-1, but it’s defeated contenders to reach that plateau.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, this is the Kings’ longest winning streak since taking five straight from January 31 to February 10 in 2007.

Since dropping the season-opener, the Kings have registered home wins over the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers, and road victories against Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.

The question is, can the Kings maintain their current level of play?

Sacramento hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006. That’s also the last time it won more than 38 games.

To make matters worse, the Kings went just 28-54 in 2013-14. Given their track record, it’s fair to have concerns about whether or not the Kings can maintain their current level of play.

To make the playoffs, Cousins and Gay would need to lead a turnaround of epic proportions. Can they do it?

DeMarcus Cousins: Becoming Elite

One of the brightest stars in northern California is Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. While he’s never been named to an All-Star Game, Cousins is one of the most productive big men in the association.

In 2014-15, he’ll be the go-to player on a team with postseason aspirations.

Thus far, Cousins is averaging 24.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steal on a slash line of .500/.000/.810. In his signature performances, he had 34 points and 17 rebounds during a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, and 30 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes in a victory against the Denver Nuggets.

In his most recent outing, Cousins led Sacramento to a 114-112 double-overtime road victory over the Phoenix Suns with 25 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks.

For as sensational as those numbers may be, they aren’t a product of a small sample size. That could be what Cousins averages throughout 2014-15.

In 2013-14, he posted marks of 22.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Cousins was the first player to average at least 20.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94.

Should Cousins continue to perform at this level, he’ll inevitably become an All-NBA honoree. More importantly, he’ll anchor the Kings’ offense and keep them in games against almost any opponent.

The question is, can the No. 2 star shoulder the perimeter load?

Rudy Gay: Late-Career Revelation

When he was selected No. 8 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, Rudy Gay entered the association with superstar potential. Many were intrigued by his scoring ability, while others heralded him for his well-rounded skill set.

Gay’s first seven seasons were filled with up-and-down experiences.

In 2013-14, Gay’s eighth season in the NBA, he struggled early with the Toronto Raptors. In 55 games with the Sacramento Kings, however, he discovered the form that many had been waiting for him to flash.

Gay averaged 20.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals on 48.2 percent shooting from the floor.

Thus far in 2014-15, the Kings star has done his best to prove that his success wasn’t a fluke. That was never more evident than when he scored 40 points against Nicolas Batum and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Through six games, Gay is averaging 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.3 3-point field goals on a slash line of .453/.444/.848.

At 28 years old, Gay has turned things around in a way that very few expected of him. Not only is he developing an efficient scoring touch, but he’s become a more balanced player than in previous seasons.

Gone are the days of his inefficient ways with the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors.

If Gay can continue performing at this rate, he and Cousins will help the Kings perform at a postseason level.

The question is, can the supporting cast maintain the pace?

Supporting Cast: Inconsistent, but Possible

The Sacramento Kings have two stars, which is a leg up on some of the competition. Beyond DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, however, is a supporting cast that’s promising yet inconsistent.

Will the likes of Darren Collison, Reggie Evans, Carl Landry, Ben McLemore, Ramon Sessions, Nik Stauskas and Jason Thompson rise to the occasion?

As the names listed display, there’s genuine talent and upside within the Kings’ supporting cast. No player stands out from the rest, but each bring a valuable set of skills to the rotation.

There’s a critical balance between youth and experience.

McLemore and Stauskas are floor-spacing sharpshooters. Each has struggled with inconsistency and the general adjustment to the pace of the NBA, but they’re known marksmen.

If either or both can find their form, Cousins’ job becomes more manageable as the interior scoring presence.

Evans and Thompson aren’t prolific players, but they’re reliable. Evans is an elite rebounder and Thompson is a defensive presence.

The real question mark is at point guard.

Collison and Sessions are far from a star-caliber tandem, but they’re strong. Collison is a well-rounded contributor who does a little bit of everything, while Sessions can slash and attack.

Both have game-breaking speed and agility, but they’ve yet to channel that into the level of consistency which contending requires.

Fortunately, head coach Michael Malone has a good track record with point guards.

The key player for the Kings will be Landry, who missed all but 18 games in 2013-14. He’s far removed from his previous stint in Sacramento, but he can drain shots from mid-range and crash the offensive boards.

If he’s able to rediscover his past form, Landry and Cousins would form a dynamic offensive tandem down low.

Should the supporting cast thrive in their designated areas, it could be enough for Malone to orchestrate a miraculous turnaround in Sacramento.

If said contributors fail to fill their roles, however, the workload for Cousins and Gay will be immense. In a stacked Western Conference, making the playoffs requires a massively successful season.

The No. 8 seed in 2013-14 was 49-33.

As tall a task as it may be, Cousins and Gay will keep the Kings in the conversation. It’s on the supporting members to step up and solidify Sacramento’s status as a legitimate postseason contender.

So far, so good.