Hi! Welcome back from the All-Star Break, did you miss us? Yeah, me neither. The Kings are in Oakland tonight to take on the Warriors, a game that has the feel of a legitimate first round match-up preview for the first time in the combined history of these two teams. To slide into the 8th spot, the Kings will have to fend off Lebron James and the Lakers below them, all while climbing over the Clippers above them. If that’s going to happen, the Kings are going to need to pull a few more rabbits out of the hat, with tonight being one such opportunity. The Warriors will be healthy, rested and playing at home while coming off an All-Star Break in which KD won an All-Star MVP solely to keep him from whining to reporters after the game about literally any perceived slight or question asked to him. The road to the playoffs ends in Oakland, how fitting the Kings last quarter of the season should as well.

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Thursday, February 21st, 7:30 PM PST

Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland CA

TV: NBCSCA

Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

Boogie Night: Tonight marks DeMarcus Cousins’ twelfth game back since a terrible Achilles injury a year ago, and is the first time he’ll get to play the Kings since pulling the greatest troll job in NBA history. While he hasn’t returned to his dominant post-injury self and won’t (if ever) for a considerable amount of time, DeMarcus’ move to a team that already plays with 4 All-Stars in the starting lineup has been one that’s drawn considerable ire from fans around the league, and in true Boogie fashion, he couldn’t give a rats ass. In his 11 games back, the Warriors have a record of 10-1 with their soul loss being to the Philadelphia 76ers. All this while DeMarcus has been rather expectedly inefficient in their starting lineups. While 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists look great on a team with as many mouths to feed as the Warriors do, he’s only shooting 42.3% from the field, 29% from three and 73.3% from the free throw line. The man has a long ways to go before he’s himself again, even before he’s a consistent player for the Warriors. One thing is absolutely certain in this world: the NBA is a better, more interesting league when DeMarcus Cousins is playing. I’m glad he’s back and finding himself, even it it is for a team stacked chin-high with talent.

Now how the hell are the Kings going to beat this team? For one, run Willie till his legs fall off. DeMarcus is mobile like a Sherman tank is mobile and while Boogie is going to get his shots in, bringing their pace up to their league leading averages will have the Kings gassing the big man every time he sets foot of the hardwood. The second is by using their newly acquired small forward to guard the man who replaced him during the Warriors dynasty run. The Kings have played the Warriors fairly even with Justin Jackson and Iman Shumpert playing D on the lengthy Durant and Harrison Barnes is a far better match-up against Kevin than either of those two were this season. Lastly, pure dumb luck. The Warriors are a team built to destroy anything that comes their way but coming off a week where they didn’t have to practice, where they rested or partied in Charlotte, it’s a distinct possibility that a shooter or two comes out rusty, and the Kings have to take advantage of that. It’s the Warriors, y’all. I don’t have to break them down too much for you.

Prediction

Coming off the bench, Sacramento’s newly signed 10 Day contract player, Ethan Strauss, hounds Kevin Durant all game: catching him in corners and asking him hard hitting questions like “Hey, hear about that big trade?”, dropping a monster line of inquiry over the top of him when he booms “So, what’s your approach to this coming off-season?” Kevin starts getting light-headed, and before Strauss can finish him off with “What’s your favorite city to play in on the road?” Durant reaches out, smacks Strauss in the face and is tossed from the game. Fox scores 30, Willie puts a couple of big dunks over Boogie.

Kings 121, Warriors 119