Davion Mitchell thinks Kings ‘are ready’ for rematch vs. Warriors

Apr 15, 2024, 9:57 AM | Updated: 10:02 am

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 01: Davion Mitchell #15 of the Sacramento Kings goes to the ba...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

Here we go again.

Just under 365 days ago, the Sacramento Kings’ season came down to a win-or-go-home matchup against the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center. On Tuesday night, both teams will meet under similar circumstances.

It might not be a seven-game playoff series, but the Kings and Warriors will clash in a single-elimination NBA Play-In game at Golden 1 Center as both teams look to move closer to a first-round appearance.

Sacramento and Golden State aren’t strangers by any means, as the two Northern California teams have met 12 times since last April. The fifth matchup of the 2023-24 season will act as the end of the line for one of these franchises, a challenge that Kings guard Davion Mitchell says his team is prepared for.

“I mean, it’s exciting,” Mitchell said following Sacramento’s regular-season-closing win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday afternoon.

“We get to get a little payback from last year. We know they’re going to come in here with energy because we’re playing a home game. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be physical, but I think we’re ready for it. The whole year I think we prepared ourselves for it, playing physical on both ends of the floor and I think we’ll be ready.”

The Kings and Warriors split the four-game regular season series, with both teams winning one game at home and on the road.

Mitchell, whose minutes in head coach Mike Brown’s rotation fluctuated at the beginning of this season–and during last April’s playoff series against Golden State–has solidified himself as a key member of a Kings team that is adapting to life without starting guard Kevin Huerter and Sixth Man of the Year favorite Malik Monk.

The defensive-minded guard wasn’t used in the latter part of the Kings’ seven-game series against the Warriors due to his shortcomings on the offensive end, but Mitchell has been a positive on the end for quite some time.

Over the final 40 games of the regular season, the top-ten pick from the 2021 NBA Draft caught fire from beyond the arc, scoring 6.7 points per game on 50 percent shooting from the field and an impressive 43 percent from three-point land (2.5 attempts per game).

Mitchell, who entered this season having shot 31 percent from deep over his first two years in the NBA, ended the 2023-24 campaign at 36 percent from beyond the arc.

Thanks to his strong improvements on offense, Mitchell won’t be on the sideline during a crucial Kings vs. Warriors showdown–not this time.

Davion drills one from deep 💪 pic.twitter.com/AesmApEi7m

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 14, 2024

More on Kings vs. Warriors

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The stage is set for a Kings vs. Warriors rematch.

Sacramento will get a chance at redemption on Tuesday night when it faces Golden State in another win-or-go-home showdown. The ninth-seed Kings will look to send the tenth-seed Warriors home when the two teams meet at Golden 1 Center.

Not even one year ago, Stephen Curry’s 50-point performance eliminated Sacramento in Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs’ opening round, which also took place on the Kings’ home floor.

Sacramento and Golden State split the regular season series 2-2 this season, with both teams winning one game at home and on the road.

Be sure to tune in right here on Sactown Sports 1140 for all of your Kings vs. Warriors coverage, beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from Golden 1 Center.

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