The Golden State Warriors traveled east to face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The winner would get an opportunity to face the New Orleans Pelicans and advance to the playoffs. After the Dubs ended the Kings season last year, Sacramento returned the favor this time around, defeating the Warriors 118-94.
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr opted to start rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis in the front court alongside Draymond Green. While Jackson-Davis has had a productive rookie season, Kevon Looney finished the year strong and was particularly effective against the Kings last postseason.
Jackson-Davis had a particularly tall task on defense, where he was often matched up against the far more perimeter-focused Harrison Barnes, with Green defending Domantas Sabonis. While both teams were moving the ball well offensively early, the Kings dominated the glass, recording six offensive rebounds in the first quarter. With so many second chances, the Kings jumped out to a 31-22 lead after the first frame.
The Kings started the second quarter strong, building a 38-22 lead before the Dubs made a field goal. Golden State’s young wing duo of Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga were able to stop the bleeding, providing some sparks off the bench. Moody started cutting into the lead with a three, an assist, and a trip to the free-throw line. Then Kuminga went on a single-handed 6-0 run to cut the deficit to 48-40. A back-and-forth final few minutes left the Kings ahead just 54-50 at the half.
Kerr inserted Kuminga into the lineup for Jackson-Davis in the second half, and it seemed to work momentarily. However, the Kings just had too much gas in the tank. Or, perhaps the Warriors' tank is finally empty. Steph Curry sparked a couple of runs, briefly pulling the Warriors within one point, but the Kings always seemed to have an answer. Before the end of the quarter, Sacramento led by 15 once again and would never look back.
The fourth quarter was a familiarly painful sight for Warriors fans. Curry’s stubborn refusal to quit led to drive after drive, and attempt to push the pace after attempt to push the pace, but Sacramento’s offense had become a river the Dubs could not stop.
The Kings had an all-out focus on Curry defensively. Curry finished the game with 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting from the field, but it was far from enough, especially when paired with his six turnovers.
Curry needed some help. Draymond Green scored 12 points and made a pair of threes, but he’s not supposed to be an offensive weapon that carries the scoring load. Andrew Wiggins looked like he has for much of the season: quiet and inefficient, finishing with 12 points.
They needed the other Splash Brother to step up. Over his Warriors career, Klay Thompson scored 15,531 points in the regular season and 3,032 in the playoffs. He has delivered when the team has needed it countless times. However, he wasn’t able to on Tuesday.
Thompson had the worst postseason shooting performance of his career. Despite a solid regular season, Thompson’s final game on his current contract, and — with his free agency looming — perhaps his final game in a Warriors’ jersey, was abysmal. Thompson was 0-for-10 from the field (0-for-6 from three) and did not score.
The Kings meanwhile, made more than 40% of their three-point attempts. Their stars, Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, both delivered solid all-around production, but it was far from just them carrying the load. It was the Kings' other three starters, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, and Keon Ellis who were tenacious defensively and scored 64 points on 14-for-21 shooting from three that were the difference.
Now the Warriors have nothing to look forward to but the offseason. Despite promising flashes throughout the season from young players like Kuminga, Jackson-Davis, Moody, and Brandin Podziemski, the Dubs remain predominantly reliant on the core of their 2022 championship squad: Curry, Green, Thompson, and Wiggins. But how much can be expected of Wiggins after the worst season of his career and an aging Curry, Green, and Thompson?
Thompson will be a free agent. The Warriors will have Chris Paul’s non-guaranteed contract to dangle in trades, but it’s clear that several things probably need to change if a championship is in Golden State’s future.
