If the Pelicans hadn’t had the good idea to win the same night against the Knicks, the Warriors would already be in the playoffs. The defending champions had to in any case provide the minimum service against the Kings who had put four major players in the fridge (De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk).
Mission accomplished for Steve Kerr’s men who played their basketball in the second half to end up winning very largely (97-119) in Sacramento, where they could return to play in the first round of the playoffs.
Notable fact: after their series of 11 consecutive defeats away, the Warriors have just won three of their last four outings on the road. A good omen for them, who will not have home advantage in the first round?
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Sacramento never led. Seeing the Kings start their game so badly, we thought that their evening was likely to be long. But after scoring half as many points as their opponents at the end of the first quarter (16-32), the locals reacted in the second. Thanks to a resurgence of 3-point skill, including from… Richaun Holmes, and the Warriors falling asleep, the Kings came back and were only two possessions behind at the break (48-53). But the return to business of the incumbents opposite will be fatal. The “Splash brothers” and the others widened a significant gap again in the third quarter (73-86). And Klay Thompson stayed so hot in the fourth that Sacramento definitely let go.
– Possible “achievement” to come for the Warriors. This victory is the 10th of the year outside (for 30 defeats) for the Warriors who nevertheless remain in the top 5 of the teams most in difficulty away from their bases this season. Just ahead of the Spurs, the Pistons and the Rockets, the three worst teams in the league. The defending champions could become the first team to qualify for the playoffs, despite conceding 30 away losses, since the Heat in 1992. That year, Glen Rice and his team qualified in eighth place at the ‘Is with a modest overall record of 38 wins and 44 losses.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ The “Splash Brothers”. Both men responded present and showed a good level of external address. Stephen Curry, sometimes clumsy with the ball in hand, stood out in the third quarter with several “circus shots”, where Klay Thompson buried the Kings in the last, with a series of 11 consecutive points scored for his team .
✅ Kevon Looney. Exemplary match for the pivot who finished with the best evaluation of his team, tied with two teammates but taking only four shots. For the record, never a Warriors player had captured as many rebounds as him (13) in the first period since Andris Biedrins in December 2008.
⛔ Kings backs. With Fox, Monk and Huerter on the sidelines, supporting roles were expected. And Mike Brown was probably not reassured by the level of performance of Davion Mitchell (2/13 on shots), Terence Davis (4/16) or PJ Dozier (3/10)…
⛔ Jordan Poole. Nightmare evening of clumsiness for the back who did not return the slightest shot in the game.
GARY PAYTON II BOTH SIDES
If you had to sum up the impact of Gary Payton II on a sequence, here it is. The “chase-down block” on Terence Davis before clapping a fan in the front row, then the sanctioned 3-point basket, followed by a slap in the hand by a teammate this time.
THE FOLLOWING
Kings (48-33) : final trip to Denver on Sunday.
Warriors (43-38) : final trip to Portland on Sunday.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
