Preview: Kings, Warriors meet in pivotal Game 4 at Chase Center
Apr 22, 2023, 3:03 PM | Updated: Apr 23, 2023, 8:52 am
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
A once-comfortable 2-0 series lead for the Sacramento Kings could be erased on Sunday when the Golden State Warriors attempt to tie this series at two games apiece at Chase Center.
While the Kings traveled to San Francisco after taking the first two games of this seven-game series at Golden 1 Center, the Warriors punched back on Thursday with a convincing 114-97 win in Game 3 on Thursday night.
Golden State has been a powerhouse on its home floor this season, and they made it clear that it will be tough for Sacramento to win its third game of the series on the road.
“We feel like for us to win this series, we have to go in their building and win a game,” Kings guard Kevin Huerter said following Friday’s practice. “2-2 looks different than 3-1. For us to go home and have a chance to close it out versus going home and trying to extend the series is a lot different.”
It’s a swing game for this series, as Sacramento can place itself firmly in the driver’s seat with a win on Sunday. A Warriors victory makes it a best-of-three series and presents the potential for a chaotic week.
Buckle up for a wild Sunday matinee in the San Francisco Bay.
“Every time we step on the floor, we’re growing — whether we win or lose.”
🎙 Mike Brown@kpgreatersac | #FeelTheRoar pic.twitter.com/UKEyW4WKnR
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 21, 2023
Sacramento Kings @ Golden State Warriors Game Info
Series: Kings lead 2-1
When: 12:30 PM PST
Where: Chase Center – San Francisco, CA
TV: ABC
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM – Pregame coverage starts at 11:00 AM PST on Game Night
Line: Warriors -7.5, O/U: 238.5
Where Have You Gone, Three-Point Shooting?
It’s been a rough series from beyond the arc for the Sacramento Kings.
Over the first three games of this first-round matchup, the Kings are shooting 27 percent from three-point range, which is the team’s worst shooting percentage from deep over any three-game span this season.
Golden State’s defense has swarmed sharpshooters Keegan Murray (12% from three this series) and Kevin Huerter (15%), but there have also been a lot of open looks that Sacramento hasn’t taken advantage of.
According to Will Z. Stats, the Kings went six-for-27 (22%) on wide-open three-point attempts during Game 3. During the three-game series, they are now shooting 26 percent as a team from deep on open looks.
Murray has especially struggled during his first taste of NBA Playoff basketball as the rookie is averaging 3.3 points per game on 23 percent shooting from the field while only having made one three-pointer.
“We want him to stay aggressive. We want him to keep shooting the ball,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said following Thursday’s Game 2 loss. “We feel like he’s getting some pretty good looks, they’re just not going in, but I think they will go in, and that’s why we want him to keep shooting it,” Brown said.
Things haven’t been much better for Huerter, who is three-of-20 from beyond the arc this series, but ‘Red Velvet’ has faith that the shots will start to fall.
Huerter comin' off the screen shooting 🎯 pic.twitter.com/WOAUu2Rpmt
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 21, 2023
“Just keep shooting. That’s the mindset,” Huerter said of his team’s three-point shooting woes on Friday. “They’re the looks that we want. Gotta keep shooting. We trust that they are going to fall, and when it does, our offense can go to another level.”
The Warriors haven’t acted like the league’s top three-point shooting team during this series, as Golden State has shot 32 percent from three-point range during the first three games of this series.
Something has to give. Whichever of these two teams finds its stroke first could come away from Game 4 feeling very confident before the series shifts back to Sacramento for Game 5.
Crash The Glass
Kevon Looney and the Warriors wreaked havoc on the offensive glass during Thursday’s Game 3 action at Chase Center.
Looney finished the game with 20 rebounds, but nine came on the offensive end as the big man created multiple second-chance opportunities for his teammates.
Golden State finished the night with a 24-12 advantage in second-chance points thanks to contributions from Looney, Donte DiVincenzo, and Jonathan Kuminga.
The site of multiple Kings jerseys standing around ball-watching in defensive rebounding opportunities was common on Thursday, and that should be a key thing to watch in Game 4–especially when you factor in the return of Draymond Green.
JONATHAN. KUMINGA.
📺 @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/JW2EJC0152
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 21, 2023
Domantas Sabonis finished Game 3 with 16 rebounds, but Sacramento needs contributions from others.
Harrison Barnes pulled down one rebound over 34 minutes of playing time on Thursday night. The veteran forward has previously proven to be an effective rebounder for the Kings, having averaged 6.1 rebounds per game from 2020-2022. Expecting more out of Barnes should be a manageable ask, especially after securing 13 boards during the first two games.
Sacramento needs more aggression and physicality on the glass. The Warriors asserted dominance in the paint in Game 3, but the Kings will need to match that output in Game 4.
Can Sabonis Find His Passing Game?
Domantas Sabonis has continued to act as a force on the glass by collecting 13.7 rebounds per game during the start of this series, but one aspect of his game that has yet to show itself is the ability to play-make.
Through three games, Sabonis has more turnovers (13) than assists (10) as the Warriors have done a solid job of sealing off the big man’s passing lanes.
Sabonis is most effective when finding his teammates, as the All-Star averaged 7.3 assists per game during an incredible regular season. The Kings were 23-10 this season when Sabonis finished a game with eight or more assists, but that’s easier said than done against Kevon Looney’s defensive presence.
Domas and Huerter working the two-man game 🤝 pic.twitter.com/X1y32kiRdc
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) April 21, 2023
Some of the low assist numbers can also be attributed to Sabonis’ teammates struggling from beyond the three-point arc, but it will be interesting to see if this aspect of Sacramento’s struggling offense can right itself in Game 4.
The Kings have yet to look like themselves on the offensive end, and Sabonis’ struggles in creating offense have significantly impacted this warped offensive identity.
House of Horrors
The Warriors are very hard to beat at Chase Center. Golden State’s home record of 33-8 was the third-best in the NBA.
Sacramento has struggled to beat the Warriors on the road, as they have lost seven-straight games at Chase Center dating back to the start of the 2020-21 regular season.
The Kings’ last win at Chase Center came on February 25, 2020.
Injury Report
Sacramento
- Matthew Dellavedova – OUT (right index finger surgery)
Golden State
- Jordan Poole – PROBABLE (left ankle sprain)
- Gary Payton II – PROBABLE (general illness)
- Andre Iguodala – OUT (left wrist surgery)
- Ryan Rollins – OUT (right foot surgery)
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
NBA Western Conference Playoffs – First Round
- 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 – 7:00 PM PST
- 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
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