If the rest of the Kings-Warriors first-round series is as captivating as Game 1, then we have a classic on our hands, folks. The Sacramento Kings earned their first playoff win in 17 years after outpacing the defending champion Golden State Warriors in a 126-123 clutch win. De'Aaron Fox's postseason appearance was a rousing success, in which he dropped 38 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors had no answer for Fox and Malik Monk, who combined for 70 points on a night where Domantas Sabonis was limited to just 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the floor. If Golden State doesn't tighten its defense up on Sacramento's backcourt, then thee Dubs could find themselves on the wrong side of a 2-0 series lead.
In preparation for Game 2, here's everything you need to know about this matchup.
(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors
- Date: Monday, April 17 | Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: Golden 1 Center -- Sacramento, California
- TV channel: TNT | Live stream: TNT app
- Odds: Warriors -1; O/U 239.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Kings: If anyone needed more convincing that Fox is the undisputed Clutch Player of the Year this season, then watch the last 12 minutes of Game 1. He finished with 15 fourth-quarter points on 5-of-9 from the field and his committed effort to guarding Stephen Curry on the other end resulted in some key defensive stops. As well as Fox played, though, the same can't be said for Sabonis, who shot just 29.4% on the night and committed four turnovers. Sacramento got a huge boost from Monk off the bench, but counting on him to rack up 32 points a night isn't a great gameplan. The Kings need Sabonis to bounce back from Game 1 if they want to keep the pressure on Golden State in this series.
Warriors: While the Warriors managed to keep Sabonis in check, but Sacramento's backcourt ran wild in Game 1. When Golden State traded for Gary Payton II, the team did so with the intention of him slowing down guards like Fox and Monk in the postseason. However, that didn't happen in Game 1. In fact, the Kings posted a 121.7 offensive rating when Payton was on the floor, an eyebrow-raising number for a player who is known for his defensive acumen. The Warriors will need to find answers in slowing down the speedy Fox and Monk, otherwise every game of this series is going to be shootout.
Prediction
I actually think the Kings are going to win this series, but for Game 2 I think Golden State comes out on top. There's too much playoff experience on the Warriors bench to fall behind by two games. I also don't think Monk is going to explode for another 32-point performance. The pick: Warriors -1
