The Sacramento Kings have returned to the town they were run out of just three days ago, in the hopes of clearing their name of any choking charges, or dying in the attempt to. Yes, San Francisco welcomes the Kings yet again to the Chase Center, with a Warriors squad now bolstered by Draymond Green (and presumably Gary Payton II) in a contest that could tie up the series between the young Kings and war-torn Warriors, or put the Warriors on the brink of an untimely demise. Can the Sacramento Kings rediscover the offense that led the league in scoring? Will the Warriors put the fear and respect they so desperately crave into a Kings squad so unwilling to give it? If a beam is lit in Sacramento and no one in the Bay Area sees it, will it still get complaints?
Let’s talk playoff basketball!
When: Sunday, April 23rd, 12:30 PM PT
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
TV: ABC
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
For Your Consideration
No Fear of Perfection: It was bound to happen. Despite what the collective sigh of relief and the hot air that followed that release of tension might have tell you, no fan in Sacramento believed at the beginning of this that the Kings had any chance of sweeping Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Steve Kerr and the rest of the defending NBA champions. After two games in Sacramento did we, a collective of dreamers freshly freed from sixteen years of sleepless nights, spend a moment to ponder the impossible – that a 3-0 lead might just cause an early collapse? Sure. Lord knows I spent a decent amount of my drive to and from work on Thursday contemplating the impossibility, wondering if the same man dumb enough to think this squad would be fighting for a playoff spot, might also be missing the obvious aura of destiny around a team as long cursed as the Kings.
I’ve got some obvious, but good news. We weren’t ever meant to see this team go 16-0 in the playoffs. As of three games into this series, there is no Hollywood film waiting at the end of this road. There is no destiny that envelops us, guiding shots in and out till we arrive at the preferred out. There is only the 48 minutes of the game, a million different statistical categories that we can draw on to predict possible outcomes, and the buzzer that sounds when the game is done. The Kings aren’t Cinderella, the glass slipper isn’t meant for us.
Good.
Despite what Las Vegas and Golden State fans would have you believe, the Sacramento Kings aren’t the underdogs. Lord knows, I’ve given the defending champs a lot of rope, allowed in my mind to see them as the rightful winners of this series unless the Kings go out and take in, but three games later, I’ve got to say, we’ve got to start seeing the Kings for what they are, not what any narrative or insecurity in our own minds see them as. They’re the third seed in the Western Conference. They’re up 2-1 on the 6th seed. Nearly 80% of the time, that team wins the series. Are the Warriors dangerous? Yes. Are they capable of beating the odds? Absolutely. At the end of the day, these Kings have spent the season proving they’re the better team against the exact same opponents as the Warriors. It’s time the Kings start truly backing it up.
This isn’t frustration, and it certainly isn’t nerves. A large part of my heart wants to believe that we’re playing with house money, because, grand scheme of things, we are. But, I also want to the Kings win this whole damn thing. Not just the series, not just the next series, but I mean, the whole. damn. thing. In a world where superstars in the East and West are going down like a Draymond Green foot on a Sabonis rib cage, there is a path to Larry O’Brien for every single team still remaining in the playoffs. The Lakers are old, the Grizzlies are vulnerable. The Nuggets aren’t tested, the Clippers are broken and the Suns are three hard screens away from being a glorified lottery team. The East is chaos, and in that chaos, opportunity.
Sacramento isn’t Cinderella. It doesn’t need to be.
I love our story, I’ll cherish this season for the rest of my life and if the Kings can pull it off, I wouldn’t be able to wait and to see the motivation a first round loss would bring to a team that never knew what it was like to win on this stage in the first place. But they don’t need it. Though three games they’ve twice been the more disciplined team. Through three games of poor shooting, they’ve won twice. Through distractions, deafening crowds, hours of attention on national media, they’ve been able to put the Warriors on their ass twice. They’ve scared this team. They’ve scared this fanbase.
Because they’re the better team.
They just two wins away from proving it.
Prediction
The Kings finally win an early game. Keegan Murray hits 6 threes. Kevin Huerter puts a dunk down over Kevon Looney. The Sacramento fans are heard in Chase Center, cowbells be banned or not!
Kings: 126, Warriors: 119
Noon? It will be 9:30 PM for me and I’m loving it.
Time to bounce back, my Kings.
8:30pm for me as I’m still in England at the moment. I’ll actually be awake to see the final score!
It will be 03.30am for me……….
I used to watch live game, about the Kings playing the Mavs in Playoffs (about 20+ years ago)……
But this time, I will just re-watch the game after I wake up and welcome and enjoy the Victory…..
I think Brown sent the wrong message last game. He told the team they weren’t going to get the calls, and the team came out looking timid.
Just be aggressive and play the way you played all season. Can’t control what the refs do. Get to the rim and make the refs call fouls.
Yeah they looked scared. Playing on the road in the playoffs for the first time will do that to you. I think they’ll regain their confidence today.
Noon is 2030 for me, what a treat as I’m watching live with my 14 yr old son who’s a Warriors fan (what international fan his age isn’t)
Just put your ducking Jets on and let’s see a real full throttle game to be proud of – whatever the result! ( as long as the kings triumph )
Last game we would love to erase,
And this one’s again at the Chase.
If the Kings could just please
Make some more of our threes,
We can shine the beam into space!
This is the most important game of the series as I personally think the winner of today’s game wins the series. Kings up 3-1 heading back to G1 is going to be difficult for the duds. Whereas the Kings losing two straight to the duds is going to cause alot of doubt in this young team. Today is the most pivotal game.
The shots have to start falling especially for KH and KM.
Domas has to start playing better.
Monk needs to have a Monk game.
I think we play well today and have a chance at the end.
Agreed. As long as the Kings come out and play their game like they have for most of the season, I think I can handle a loss. They are playing the champs at their home and that is never easy. If, however, the Kings come out play like Thursday, we have problems.
I have to be honest. I want a Kings and Lakers series. Imagine taking out both our regional rivals. I hate both those teams, especially after the stomp and I can’t stand how much the media dik rides those two teams. It’s cringe.
Fook Draymoron btw.
Honest truth, if the Kings can put away these Warriors, then LeBron’s Lakers, I won’t care anymore about the missed opportunities in the early 21st century. I’d be on cloud nine.
And I’d be perfectly happy with getting destroyed by the Nugs in the WCF. Just give me knocking out the two most annoying fan bases and leaving BS ESPN with nothing to talk about since their two darlings would be gone fishing.
First of all, great one-liner by Will that we lost our first playoff game in 17 years. That’s the optimism we need.
Second, we played 7 of those two-straight series against one team this season. We didn’t lose the second game of any of them. Mike Brown makes adjustments. My casual observation is we need more arc in our shots as they keep hitting back iron and rimming out. They seem to be doing a little extra oomph, which is good becuase it means we aren’t tired legs missing front iron. I’ve seen both Steph and Klay airball 3’s this series so I think that’s a good sign.
Either way, I’m immensely grateful for the cheer and happiness this team has brought me this season. Let’s see that beam lit at least twice more in the next week.
The Kings are 19-72 on what the NBA stats out as “wide open 3s.” I don’t know what their regular season number was, but I’m guessing around 40%? That would equate to 10 more 3s made, or basically another 30 pts. scored in the series.
Make your open 3s. Convert at the line. Win the boards & turnovers. Hold Curry under 40.
It’s simple, while also being the furthest thing from easy.
Those 3’s have to revert to the mean. Don’t know if it happens today on the road but I’m confident it will at home for game 5.
Of the 16 playoff teams, the Kings are dead last in shooting 3’s at 27.4%. They are also 3rd in attempts. That’s the series right there.
For the season, the Kings shot 35% from deep while on the road, making an average of 13.7 per game. The made 11 threes last game, but shot a ridiculous 47 attempts. If they had just hit their average, they would have made 16 threes, good for an additional 15 points, which would have made it a one possession game at the end of regulation. Gotta hit those free throws as well.
This. At this point, I think the ability to win this series is in the Kings heads. If they can handle playoff pressure, they’ll make shots (and rebound and execute their offense) and win the series. I don’t have any question about Fox. Monk can be hot and cold and Barnes is probably (but not necessarily) solid, but most of the other players are a question mark right now.
My only issue with Fox is the number of 3PTA he is taking. He is leading the team with 9, when in the regular season he was at 5. I’d rather him attack the paint, drawing fouls, or kicking out to better shooters. I think it is part of the Dubs plan to let him shoot, just like it is with Sabonis.
The mean in the playoffs will be lower.
I’m a simple man who’s just a Kings fan. LET’S GO KINGS!
There’s a saying in the land of the most well known of royalties supposedly coined by a fellow named Rudyard:
It is a most glorious Sunday, with charming high of 79°.
The stage is set for the dogs of both teams – mad or otherwise, to be the talk of the game. Will it be mad dog Draymond? or those with “the dog” of strong work, will and heart- Domas, HB for Sac or GPII, Looney for SF?
I like Sac’s chances – but I’ll say that every game in this series (and the next). Bring on the mid-day melee!
EVERYONE: Whatever you did during games 1 and 2, do those things again.
Wore miss-matched socks? Do it.
Poured the milk into your bowl before the cereal? Do that.
Dog pooped two times on his walk before the game? Tell him to do it again.
I wore my Holmes jersey for games 1 and 2, then swapped it out for Cranberry Kings Fox for game three. 22 all the way.
Yes! Let’s go!
I have this pair of undershorts…
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