Kings 106, Warriors 132
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 30: Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter in game seven of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Golden 1 Center on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
In the first game out of the break, the Kings began the heated Western Conference Playoff race against a familiar foe in Golden State. With the two rival teams knotted up in the standings at the start of the day, a win would be a huge head start in the final stretch of the season for one of the two Northern California squads.
The Warriors looked like the hungrier team early on, seemingly grabbing every loose ball and every 50/50 rebound that was available. Zach LaVine had a sluggish start in this one. He posted as many points as he did rebounds (three) in the quarter. Doug Christie went away from his starting unit early and subbed LaVine out for Keon Ellis less than four minutes into the game. While the Warriors were getting help from everyone this game, Buddy Hield stood out with 10 first quarter points. DeMar DeRozan felt like he was the only King who came ready to play, scoring 15 first-quarter points, including hitting three 3-point attempts.
The Warriors heavily expanded their lead in the second quarter, finishing the half with a 68-53 lead. It felt like Sacramento relied too much on isolation attempts to get their points. The lack of fluidity in the offense and unforced turnovers have been a consistent problem for this team since the LaVine acquisition, and they have not lived up to their offensive expectations as a result.
There were signs of life early in the second half as Sacramento quickly cut the lead to single digits. The ball was moving better and they got some stops on the defensive end. However, Draymond Green’s defensive efforts staved off the Kings’ run and sparked a counter from Golden State. The visiting team headed into the fourth quarter with a 100-83 lead. Markelle Fultz was a bright spot in his Sacramento Kings debut. He scored six points in six minutes as Christie looked for anything to give his team a breath of fresh air in this contest.
We saw more of the same in the fourth quarter. Golden State won the game by a score of 132-106.
This might have been the worst possible way to come out of the All-Star break for Sacramento. They had a chance to win the season series and gain a bit of separation from Golden State if they could get this victory on their home floor. Not only did they not show, they got trounced. Problems from before the break re-appeared, making you question if things will ever turn around for them. Golden State looked like a much better team than their record shows whereas Sacramento looked like they may struggle to keep up a .500 winning percentage considering how tough their schedule is down the stretch.
Kings Scribe 
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