How the Sacramento Kings went from futility to the NBA playoffs. See our animated timeline

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The wait is finally over, Sacramento. The Kings are going back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history and the longest active streak in North American professional sports.

The Kings are going to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They will face the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round with Game 1 of their best-of-seven series to be played Saturday at Golden 1 Center.

Here’s how Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, front office executives Monte McNair and Wes Wilcox, coach Mike Brown and All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis succeeded in bringing winning basketball back to Sacramento.

Acknowledgments

Lead animation by Sohail Al-Jamea, Rachel Handley, and Neil Nakahodo

Character designs by Rachel Handley and Neil Nakahodo

3D modeling and animation by Sohail Al-Jamea

Design and development by Gabriela Hanna, Gabby McCall and Susan Merriam