Kings playoff countdown: First-round matchup, tickets and Western Conference injury news

There was unfortunate injury news late Thursday night for one of the teams the Kings could face in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has suffered a broken left wrist and will miss significant time, sources told The Athletic. At 6-foot-9 and 264 pounds, Reid plays the power forward and center positions. He is a key backup who plays a role at both ends of the floor, averaging 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.6 steals in 18.4 minutes per game.

The Kings (46-30) are third in the Western Conference after clinching a playoff berth and homecourt advantage with a 120-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. One of the few teams the Kings have struggled against is the Timberwolves, who went 3-1 against Sacramento this season due in part to their size and length.

The Timberwolves (39-38) are currently tied for seventh in the Western Conference with the New Orleans Pelicans, one game behind the No. 6 Golden State Warriors. The Kings will play the No. 6 seed in the first round of the playoffs if they hold onto the No. 3 seed.

Current seed: No. 3

The Kings are third in the West, two games behind the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies and five games ahead of the No. 4 Phoenix Suns. The Kings will clinch the No. 3 seed and the Pacific Division championship with any combination of two wins or two losses by the Suns.

First-round matchup: Golden State Warriors

The playoffs begin April 15. If they started today, the Kings would play the No. 6 seed, the Warriors, in the first round. Other possibilities include the No. 4 Suns, No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, Pelicans, Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. Those eight teams are separated by a total of five games.

Homecourt advantage: Yes.

The Kings have clinched homecourt advantage. They will play Game 1 of their first-round playoff series at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The seven-game series will have a 2-2-1-1-1 format with the first two games being played in Sacramento, the next two games being played on the road and alternating sites for the last three games.

Tickets: Not available

Tickets for Game 1 of Sacramento’s first-round playoff series haven’t gone on sale yet. The team says purchasing a 2023-24 season ticket membership is the best way to get priority access to home playoff games. The Kings are also offering fans a chance to sign up for presale access through a free subscription to Kings Insider emails.