The set-up: The Sacramento Kings (2015-16: 33-49) are trying to break a 10-year postseason drought while the Phoenix Suns (2015-16: 23-59) have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. These two Pacific division rivals open the new season tonight in Phoenix and let's note that the Kings won three out of four meetings with the Suns last season,

Sacramento: The Kings open the season without starting PG Darren Collison, who will begin an eight-game suspension due to a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. Ty Lawson will start at the point for the Kings, looking to rebound after two poor seasons and two DUI arrests in 2015. DeMarcus Cousins averaged a career-best 26.9 points last season and averaged 11.5 rebounds but the Kings collapsed with a 9-18 finish. Last season's 33 wins were the most Sacramento has achieved in Cousins' six seasons. Sacramento hired Dave Joerger as its head (was previously at Memphis), hoping he will be able to mesh with the combustible Cousins.

Phoenix: Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas were the Suns' best guards two years ago but all were PGs. The logjam at the position quickly turned unworkable, forcing a reboot. Bledsoe is the lone survivor of the purge and the now undisputed point guard and is hoping to rebound from injuries that forced him to watch most of last season's 23-59 disaster from the sideline. Devin Booker (13.8) became the fourth-youngest player in league history (behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant) to score 1,000 points in a season and Brandon Knight (19.6) comes off the bench in the backcourt but the frontcourt is a major concern.

The pick: These two teams are both "works in progress" and I'm making the Under an 8* play.