The Sacramento Kings are fighting for their playoff lives in a tight race for the last two play-in spots in the Western Conference.
Strength of schedule could be a big factor over the last two weeks of the regular season as the Kings battle the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns for the ninth and 10th seeds in the West. The Kings will play host to the Suns in the regular season finale April 13 at Golden 1 Center in a game that could determine which team gets into the play-in tournament.
The Kings opened a six-game road trip with a 121-91 loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday while the Mavericks picked up a 120-119 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Mavericks moved a half-game ahead of the Kings for ninth in the West. The Kings fell to 10th, one game ahead of the Suns for the final play-in spot.
Phoenix and Sacramento have eight games remaining. Dallas has seven.
Phoenix Suns schedule
The Suns have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. They have four home games and four road games.
3/30 vs. Houston Rockets (48-26)
4/1 at Milwaukee Bucks (40-33)
4/4 at Boston Celtics (55-19)
4/6 at New York Knicks (46-27)
4/8 vs. Golden State Warriors (42-31)
4/9 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (62-12)
4/11 vs. San Antonio Spurs (31-42)
4/13 at Sacramento Kings (36-38)
Sacramento Kings schedule
The Kings have the 14th-most difficult remaining schedule. They have three home games and five road games.
3/31 at Indiana Pacers (43-31)
4/2 at Washington Wizards (16-58)
4/4 at Charlotte Hornets (18-55)
4/6 at Cleveland Cavaliers (59-15)
4/7 at Detroit Pistons (42-32)
4/9 vs. Denver Nuggets (47-28)
4/11 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (42-31)
4/13 vs. Phoenix Suns (35-39)
Dallas Mavericks schedule
The Mavericks have the 15th-most difficult remaining schedule. They have four games at home and three on the road.
3/31 vs. Brooklyn Nets (24-51)
4/2 vs. Atlanta Hawks (35-38)
4/4 at Los Angeles Clippers (42-31)
4/5 at Los Angeles Clippers (42-31)
4/9 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (45-29)
4/11 vs. Toronto Raptors (27-47)
4/13 at Memphis Grizzlies (44-30)