Game 2 Preview: Kings look to take 2-0 series lead over Warriors

It was a glorious Sunday for the Sacramento Kings fanbase.

On the heels of a memorable Saturday evening that included a thrilling Game 1 win over the defending champion Golden State Warriors that was followed by a massive gathering of celebrating fans that some are calling ‘DOCOachella,’ Sacramento will be back in action on Monday night as they hope to take a 2-0 series lead.

The return to the NBA Playoffs was triumphant for the Kings, who returned to the postseason following the longest drought in the league’s history.

De’Aaron Fox nearly set a Sacramento-era (1985-present) playoff scoring record with a 38-point debut. Malik Monk exploded for 32 points while knocking down all 14 free-throw attempts. The Kings locked in late and outlasted Stephen Curry and the Warriors by a final of 126-123 to take a 1-0 series lead in this first round of the NBA Playoffs.

While the series-opening win was encouraging for the franchise and fanbase, Sacramento will have its work cut out for them in Game 2.

Since 2013, the Warriors are 30-10 (.750) following a playoff loss, the highest winning percentage after a loss in that span.

How will the Kings respond to Golden State’s adjustments? We’re about to find out.

Malik was beyond HYPED for the W 🗣 pic.twitter.com/YW2vVH7sYe

— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 16, 2023

Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors Game Info

Series: Kings lead 1-0

When: 7:00 PM PST

Where: Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Pregame coverage starts at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night

Line: Warriors -1.0, O/U: 239.5

Will Huerter, Murray & Sabonis Bounce Back?

As thrilling as Saturday’s win was for the Kings, there were some glaring absences from Sacramento’s offense.

The three-point shooting wasn’t there during the first half, as the Kings went four-for-16 (25%) from deep as the Warriors took Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter out of the game.

Thanks to second-half boosts from De’Aaron Fox (four made triples) and Trey Lyles (two made triples), Sacramento knocked down eight of its 16 three-point attempts during the second half.

Murray and Huerter were swarmed by Golden State all night as the duo finished the night having combined for eight points on four-of-17 shooting from the field and 0-for-eight from beyond the arc. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said postgame that Golden State played “played the odds” by letting Fox shoot, seeing that the guard holds an average of 32 percent from three.

That plan backfired, as Fox finished the night four-for-eight from deep, including a perfect three-for-three performance in the fourth quarter that helped push the Kings to victory.

FOX IS UP TO 36 IN HIS POSTSEASON DEBUT.

7-0 KINGS RUN TO TAKE THE LEAD LATER ON ABC 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RvI5vYEL0O

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2023

Sacramento was on track for a disappointing loss that would have been because of a lack of three-point shooting, but Fox and Lyles–along with Malik Monk’s late heroics–lifted the team to a win.

The Kings can’t bank on Fox to save them from deep again on Monday, especially with the expectation that the Warriors will throw the kitchen sink at the All-Star guard in Game 2. Sacramento needs more contributions from its sharp-shooting duo of Murray and Huerter, which can become possible if Domantas Sabonis can get back into his rhythm.

Sabonis had a quick start in Game 1, as the center scored eight points and grabbed seven boards during the first quarter. The three-time All-Star finished the night with 12 points on five-of-17 (29%) shooting and 16 boards while turning the ball over four times.

It was one of Sabonis’ worst games as a King, as the Warriors took away the big man’s passing game (two assists) and forced Sacramento to run more pick-and-roll action instead of the team’s patented dribble-hand-off offensive sets.

Sacramento is at its best when Sabonis operates out on the elbow and near the top of the key. If Golden State chooses to turn its attention to Fox, the possibility of Huerter and Murray freeing up could be there–especially if there are double teams thrown Fox’s way.

The Kings won a game where three of its five starters performed poorly. That has to make Sacramento feel good, but you can’t bank on all three bouncing back in Game 2. The question is, how can these three find success, and can they do so simultaneously?

Continue to Win Steph-Less Minutes

It seemed as if the Warriors were on the verge of putting Game 1 away when they took an eight-point lead near the end of the fourth quarter.

Then, Stephen Curry checked out for some rest with 2:18 remaining in the period.

When the third quarter ended, the Kings were in front by one point after finishing the quarter on a 15-4 run. Sacramento took advantage of the time that Curry was on the sideline, and that’s something that they’ll have to do on a nightly basis if they want to win this series.

Steph. Never. Stops. Moving.@warriors lead 69-61 early in Q3… #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on ABC pic.twitter.com/SRi7CESavj

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2023

Kerr told reporters on Sunday that he will handle Curry’s workload similarly in Game 2, adding that playing the 35-year-old for 40+ minutes “isn’t the answer.” Instead, Kerr said that the answer is for his team to do a better job of handling the non-Steph minutes on Monday.

If the Warriors can win the minutes that Curry rests on the sideline, it could spell trouble for the Kings.

Sacramento has already proven that they can take advantage of lineups that don’t feature the two-time MVP. If they can do it again in Game 2, it will improve their chances of heading to San Francisco with a 2-0 lead.

Will The Warriors Slow Fox?

If one thing is clear about Golden State’s game plan for Monday, it’s that their number-one goal is to stop De’Aaron Fox.

Fox scored 38 points on 13-of-27 shooting from the field during the Game 1 win, while the speedy guard poured in 29 of his points during the second half.

The Kings needed an offensive punch late, and the future Clutch Player of the Year award winner came through when his team needed him most. While Fox’s success was a welcome sight, it’s expected that the Warriors will change up its plan of attack when it comes to defending the 25-year-old.

38 POINTS for De'Aaron Fox… tied for the 2nd-most EVER in a playoff debut!

Kings win a THRILLING Game 1 👑 pic.twitter.com/tUAW0hIt0u

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2023

There are rumblings that the Warriors could look to start Andrew Wiggins in Game 2 to keep Fox in check early.

Fox struggled to knock down looks while being defended by the 6’7 Wiggins, going two-of-nine (22%) from the field while being defended by the former Rookie of the Year award winner.

Wiggins is still getting back into game shape after missing the final 25 games of the season due to personal reasons, and there were some signs of fatigue during the second half. After scoring 12 points on five-of-eight shooting during 13 first-half minutes, Wiggins finished the game with five points on two-of-eight shooting during the final 24 minutes of action.

Fox, who was primarily defended by Wiggins and defensive guard Gary Payton II, scored 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field and four-of-five from three-point range.

The Kings like to get out and run, with Fox leading the way. With Wiggins still getting his legs under him, it will be interesting to see how he defends Fox this time.

If Golden State decides to throw double teams at Fox, players like Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, and Harrison Barnes will need to step up and be ready to contribute.

Injury Report

Sacramento Kings

• Matthew Dellavedova – OUT (right index finger surgery)

Golden State Warriors

• Jordan Poole – QUESTIONABLE (left ankle sprain)
• Andrew Iguodala – OUT (left wrist surgery)
• Ryan Rollins – OUT (right foot surgery)

Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule

NBA Western Conference Playoffs – First Round

• Monday, April 17th – Game 2: Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PST
• Thursday, April 20th – Game 3: Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors – 7:00 PM PST
• Sunday, April 23rd – Game 4: Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors – 12:30 PM PST
• Wednesday, April 26th – Game 5**: Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors – TBD
• Friday, April 28th – Game 6**: Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors – TBD
• Sunday, April 30th – Game 7**: Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors – TBD

**If necessary

Thank you for reading SactownSports.com. Follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Follow @FCartoscelli3

Newsletter